U.S. Intervention in British Guiana: A Cold War Story (The New Cold War History)

In the first published account of the massive U.S. covert intervention in British Guiana between 1953 and 1969, Stephen G. Rabe uncovers a Cold War story of imperialism, gender bias, and racism. When the South American colony now known as Guyana was due to gain independence from Britain in the 1960s, U.S. officials in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations feared it would become a communist nation under the leadership of Cheddi Jagan, a Marxist who was very popular among the South Asian (mostly Indian) majority. Although to this day the CIA refuses to confirm or deny involvement, Rabe presents evidence that CIA funding, through a program run by the AFL-CIO, helped foment the labor unrest, race riots, and general chaos that led to Jagan's replacement in 1964. The political leader preferred by the United States, Forbes Burnham, went on to lead a twenty-year dictatorship in which he persecuted the majority Indian population. Considering race, gender, religion, and ethnicity along with traditional approaches to diplomatic history, Rabe's analysis of this Cold War tragedy serves as a needed corrective to interpretations that depict the Cold War as an unsullied U.S. triumph. In the first published account of the massive U.S. covert intervention in British Guiana between 1953 and 1969, Stephen G. Rabe uncovers a Cold War story of imperialism, gender bias, and racism.

When the South American colony now known as Guyana was due to gain independence from Britain in the 1960s, U.S. officials in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations feared it would become a communist nation under the leadership of Cheddi Jagan, a Marxist who was very popular among the South Asian (mostly Indian) majority. Although to this day the CIA refuses to confirm or deny involvement, Rabe presents evidence that CIA funding, through a program run by the AFL-CIO, helped foment the labor unrest, race riots, and general chaos that led to Jagan's replacement in 1964. The political leader preferred by the United States, Forbes Burnham, went on to lead a twenty-year dictatorship in which he persecuted the majority Indian population.

Considering race, gender, religion, and ethnicity along with traditional approaches to diplomatic history, Rabe's analysis of this Cold War tragedy serves as a needed corrective to interpretations that depict the Cold War as an unsullied U.S. triumph.

In The First Published Account Of The Massive U.s. Covert Intervention In British Guiana Between 1953 And 1969, Stephen G. Rabe Uncovers A Cold War Story Of Imperialism, Gender Bias, And Rascism. When The South American Colony Now Known As Guyana Was Due To Gain Independence From Britain In The 1960s, U.s. Officials In The Kennedy And Johnson Administrations Feared It Would Become A Communist Nation Under The Leadership Of Cheddi Jagan, A Marxist Who Was Very Popular Among The Sputh Asian (mostly Indian) Majority. Although To This Day The Cia Refuses To Confirm Or Deny Involvement, Rabe Presents Evidence That Cia Funding, Through A Program Run By The Afl-cio, Helped Forment Labor Unrest, Race Riots, And General Chaos That Led To Jagan's Replacement In 1964. The Political Leader Prefered By The United States, Forbes Burnham, Went On To Lead A Twenty-year Dictatorship In Which He Persecutred The Majority Indian Population. British Guiana, 1831-1953 -- Imperial Adjustments, 1953-1960 -- Covert Intervention, 1961-1962 -- Proportional Representation, 1963-1964 -- Guyana, 1965-1969. Stephen G. Rabe. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [187]-228) And Index.

This is the first published account of the massive U.S. covert intervention in British Guiana between 1953 and 1969, when U.S. officials feared that popular leader Cheddi Jagan would install a communist regime when the country gained independence from Britain. Rabe tells how CIA funding went through an AFL-CIO program to help foment the labor unrest, race riots, and general chaos that led to Jagan's replacement by Forbes Burnham, who went on to lead a 20-year dictatorship in which he persecuted the majority Indian population.

Presenting an account of the massive US covert intervention in British Guiana between 1953 and 1969. Considering race, gender, religion, and ethnicity, with traditional approaches to diplomatic history, this analysis of the Cold War tragedy serves as a needed corrective to interpretations that depict the Cold War as an unsullied US triumph.