America's Foreign Policy Practice Exam 2025 - Free Practice Questions and Study Guide

The primary reason for America's covert actions in both Guatemala and Iran during the mid-20th century was indeed to support anti-communist regimes. In the context of the Cold War, the United States sought to contain the spread of communism worldwide, viewing it as a direct threat to its interests and the global balance of power.

In Guatemala, the U.S. supported a coup to overthrow the democratically elected president Jacobo Árbenz in 1954, primarily because his land reform policies were perceived as a move toward communism, which alarmed American interests, particularly the United Fruit Company. By installing a pro-American government, the U.S. aimed to ensure that Guatemala remained aligned with Western interests and to prevent the influence of communism in Central America.

Similarly, in Iran, the U.S. executed a covert operation to overthrow Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh in 1953. Mossadegh had nationalized the oil industry, which threatened British and American oil interests. The U.S. viewed his government as potentially leaning towards communism, so supporting a coup that restored the pro-Western Shah was deemed necessary to uphold an anti-communist regime and secure American economic and geopolitical interests in the region.

These actions reflect the broader U