Gregory A. Pannoni
Abstract: The purpose of this article is to analyze U.S. involvement in the military overthrow of Chile’s popularly elected president, Dr. Salvador Allende, by examining the aims, efforts, and results of U.S. involvement. America’s aims were to prevent Allende’s rise to power, destabilize his government, and secure the interests of U.S.-owned multinational corporations in Chile. Allende was an avowed Marxist, and his socialist policies conflicted with America’s national interests. U.S. policy makers perceived Allende’s victory as a threat to hemispheric unity and a diffusion of Marxist ideology, which would be a huge setback for America’s power in world politics. In addition, Allende threatened America’s economic interests by nationalizing foreign-owned industries and bringing them under state control. Therefore, the U.S. government was compelled to intervene to protect its business and national security interests. Through the CIA and multinational giants like ITT, America imposed an invisible economic blockade on Chile and spread anti-Allende propaganda using covert action to diminish support for Allende in Chile. The White House plotted multiple times to provoke a military coup and provided selective aid to the military. Overall, the results of the overthrow of Allende and the subsequent military coup served America’s political and economic interests, even though U.S. involvement was not chiefly responsible for the overthrow. While U.S. involvement in Chile cannot be morally justified, it can be justified in terms of national security and the political and economic interests of America.
Key Words: Allende, U.S. Involvement, Chile, CIA, Propaganda, Covert Action, Economic Policies, National Security, Business and Political Interests
