Hello and welcome to the History Hour podcast from the BBC World Service with me Max Pearson,

the past brought to life by those who were there. This week from China, one of the most deadly earthquakes

of the 20th century.

The earthquake weak me from a deep sleep.

When I looked around, I could see my entire neighbourhood was completely flattened.

Also, we'll be on the streets of Liverpool during the riots of 1981.

There must have been about 150 to 200 guys, just throwing bricks from one side and charging with scaffolding, trying to penetrate

the line of shields, there were vehicles burning everywhere.

And we'll enjoy partying and bullfighting with Pablo Picasso.

He had very little ear for music as a rule,

but he came to life when gypsy music was played.

That's all to come, but we're going to begin in Guatamala, and the coup that signaled that Uncle Sam was determined to play tough in the face of any perceived threat from leftist governments in America's backyard.

The period between 1944 and

1954 was known in Guatemala as the 10 years of spring. Free elections had been

held and resulted in a left-leaning government under President

Hakobo Abbens, which had introduced reforms designed to share the country's wealth

more evenly. Some in Washington saw that as a red threat, creeping communism.

So in 1954, the Central Intelligence Agency

engineered a change of government in Guatemala.

It was the first CIA-backed military coup in Latin America.

Mike Lanchin has been speaking to the son of Hakobu Abens, who was forced to flee into exile along with his father. Carrying anti-communist banners, jubilant soldiers celebrate victory following their two-week

revolt in Guatemala.

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