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National Security Act
The National Security of 1947 Act takes effect, creating the CIA and the National Security Council. This act enables the CIA and NSC to act without democratic or Congressional oversight, answering directly to the president. -
Iran
Prime minister Mohammed Mossadegh attempts to nationalize Iranian oil, a decision that is in direct conflict with British and American business interests. In response, the CIA's station in Tehran spreads propaganda to discredit Mossadegh. CIA and British Intelligence then meet in Cyprus to discuss a coup. The coup is later carried out by pressuring the Shah to dismiss Mossadegh, and is further enabled by the Shah's supporters who take to the streets when stirred up by the CIA propaganda. -
Guatemala
The CIA overthrows the democratically elected Jacob Arbenz, partially as a result of his policies impeding upon the business practices of the United Fruit Company. The CIA funds, trains, and arms an army led by Carlo Castillo Armas which enacts the military coup. They also set the conditions for the coup by utilizing psychological warfare, the most prominent example being the anti-Arbenz radio station that is established in Guatemala. -
Congo
U.S. acquires a strategic interest in Congolese resources, with Congo having a wealth of uranium that the U.S. is intent on acquiring before it falls into Soviet hands. Patrice Lumumba is Congo's first democratically elected leader. Prior to being elected prime minister, he was also an independence leader against Belgian rule. He attempts to nationalize resources to improve the living conditions in Congo. The CIA coordinates his assassination with Belgian agents, who implement Lumumba's death. -
Ecuador
The CIA makes efforts to remove president Jose Velasco Ibarra from power after he refuses to sever ties with Cuba. Valero is successfully ousted in a military coup that the CIA supports, and Julio Arosemena assumes the presidency. CIA is not pleased with Arosemena either, however. In 1963, the CIA the backs the military junta that overthrows him. -
Laos
Beginning in 1962, the CIA combats communist forces present in Laos, in what is called a "secret war". Around 30,000 Laotian natives are recruited and trained to this end, forming an "Armee Clandestine". This army is set against the Pathet Lao, a communist faction currently in power. -
Brazil
The CIA backs military coup to overthrow Joao Goulart (nicknamed "Jango"), a democratically elected president. Goulart's relationship with other communist countries was deemed problematic, as well as his stance against multi-national corporations. The actual operational files only surfaced relatively recently, revealing that the CIA went about providing supplies and funding for the coup, as well as a naval task force for intimidation and further support if necessary. -
Indonesia
The CIA backs a military coup to overthrow the democratically elected leader, Sukarno. Sukarno firmly supported the Indonesian Communist Party (The PKI), and had close relations with Soviet Russia. To remove him from power, the CIA works with and funds General Suharto, who leads the military coup. It is also highly believed that the CIA had a hand in one or more of the 6 assassination attempts that were made against Sukarno previously. -
Bolivia
The CIA supports Hugo Banzer's military coup to overthrow leftist-president Juan Jose Torres. Torres had nationalized various resources that the U.S. had a stake in, such as zinc mining and water processing. He sought to decrease U.S. influence in Bolivia, and had additionally increased economic cooperation with Soviet Russia. His successor, Hugo Banzer, goes on to imprison and torture over 2,000 political opponents. -
Chile
The CIA works to destabilize the government of democratically elected leader Salvador Allende. Actions are taken to create the conditions for a coup d'etat to occur, involving both the spread of propaganda and the illegitimate funding of Allende's political opponents through the U.S. ITT corporation. A military dictatorship ruled over by former-general Augusto Pinochet assumes power, and will go on to murder thousands of Chileans on the political left. -
Contra Scandal
Beginning in 1981, the CIA becomes involved in secretly selling arms to Iran, despite an arms embargo that was in effect against them. This was largely done to fund the Contras, a Nicaraguan militant group supported by the U.S. in their fighting against the Sandinista government. The Sandinistas were heavily influenced by marxism, and were supported by the Soviet Union just as the contras were by the U.S.
