rbenz excelled in the academy, and was deemed "an exceptional student".

He became "first
sergeant", the highest honor bestowed upon cadets; only six people received the honor from
1924 to 1944. His abilities earned him an unusual level of respect among the officers at the
school, including Major John Considine, the US director of the school, and of other US officers
who served at the school. A fellow officer later said that "his abilities were such that the officers
treated him with a respect that was rarely granted to a cadet." [10] Árbenz graduated in 1935.[10]
After graduating, he served a stint as a junior officer at Fort San José in Guatemala City and
later another under "an illiterate Colonel" in a small garrison in the village of San Juan
Sacatepéquez. While at San José, Árbenz had to lead squads of soldiers who were escorting
chain gangs of prisoners (including political prisoners) to perform forced labor. The experience
traumatized Árbenz, who said he felt like a capataz (i.e., a "foreman").[10] During this period he
first met Francisco Arana.[10]
Árbenz was asked to fill a vacant teaching position at the academy in 1937. Árbenz taught a
wide range of subjects, including military matters, history, and physics. He was promoted to
captain six years later, and placed in charge of the entire corps of cadets. His position was the
third highest in the academy and was considered one of the most prestigious positions a young
officer could hold.[10]
In 1938 he met his future wife María Vilanova, the daughter of a
wealthy Salvadoran landowner and a Guatemalan mother from a wealthy family. They were
married a few months later, without the approval of María's parents, who felt she should not
marry an army lieutenant who was not wealthy.[10] María was 24 at the time of the wedding, and
Jacobo was 26. María later wrote that, while the two were very different in many ways, their
desire for political change drew them together. Árbenz stated that his wife had a great
influence on him.[10] It was through her that Árbenz was exposed to Marxism. María had
received a copy of The Communist Manifesto at a women's congress and left a copy of it on
Jacobo's bedside table when she left for a vacation. Jacobo was "moved" by the Manifesto,
and he and María discussed it with each other. Both felt that it explained many things they had
been feeling. Afterwards, Jacobo began reading more works by Marx, Lenin, and Stalin and by
the late 1940s was regularly interacting with a group of Guatemalan communists. [11]
rbenz excelled in the academy, and was deemed "an exceptional student". He became "first
sergeant", the highest honor bestowed upon cadets; only six people received the honor from
1924 to 1944. His abilities earned him an unusual level of respect among the officers at the
school, including Major John Considine, the US director of the school, and of other US officers
who served at the school. A fellow officer later said that "his abilities were such that the officers
treated him with a respect that was rarely granted to a cadet." [10] Árbenz graduated in 1935.[10]
After graduating, he served a stint as a junior officer at Fort San José in Guatemala City and
later another under "an illiterate Colonel" in a small garrison in the village of San Juan
Sacatepéquez. While at San José, Árbenz had to lead squads of soldiers who were escorting
chain gangs of prisoners (including political prisoners) to perform forced labor. The experience
traumatized Árbenz, who said he felt like a capataz (i.e., a "foreman").[10] During this period he
first met Francisco Arana.[10]
Árbenz was asked to fill a vacant teaching position at the academy in 1937. Árbenz taught a
wide range of subjects, including military matters, history, and physics. He was promoted to
captain six years later, and placed in charge of the entire corps of cadets. His position was the
third highest in the academy and was considered one of the most prestigious positions a young
officer could hold.[10]
In 1938 he met his future wife María Vilanova, the daughter of a
wealthy Salvadoran landowner and a Guatemalan mother from a wealthy family. They were
married a few months later, without the approval of María's parents, who felt she should not
marry an army lieutenant who was not wealthy.[10] María was 24 at the time of the wedding, and
Jacobo was 26. María later wrote that, while the two were very different in many ways, their
desire for political change drew them together. Árbenz stated that his wife had a great
influence on him.[10] It was through her that Árbenz was exposed to Marxism. María had
received a copy of The Communist Manifesto at a women's congress and left a copy of it on
Jacobo's bedside table when she left for a vacation. Jacobo was "moved" by the Manifesto,
and he and María discussed it with each other. Both felt that it explained many things they had
been feeling. Afterwards, Jacobo began reading more works by Marx, Lenin, and Stalin and by
the late 1940s was regularly interacting with a group of Guatemalan communists. [11]
rbenz excelled in the academy, and was deemed "an exceptional student". He became "first
sergeant", the highest honor bestowed upon cadets; only six people received the honor from
1924 to 1944. His abilities earned him an unusual level of respect among the officers at the
school, including Major John Considine, the US director of the school, and of other US officers
who served at the school. A fellow officer later said that "his abilities were such that the officers
treated him with a respect that was rarely granted to a cadet." [10] Árbenz graduated in 1935.[10]
After graduating, he served a stint as a junior officer at Fort San José in Guatemala City and
later another under "an illiterate Colonel" in a small garrison in the village of San Juan
Sacatepéquez. While at San José, Árbenz had to lead squads of soldiers who were escorting
chain gangs of prisoners (including political prisoners) to perform forced labor. The experience
traumatized Árbenz, who said he felt like a capataz (i.e., a "foreman").[10] During this period he
first met Francisco Arana.[10]
Árbenz was asked to fill a vacant teaching position at the academy in 1937. Árbenz taught a
wide range of subjects, including military matters, history, and physics. He was promoted to
captain six years later, and placed in charge of the entire corps of cadets. His position was the
third highest in the academy and was considered one of the most prestigious positions a young
officer could hold.[10]
In 1938 he met his future wife María Vilanova, the daughter of a
wealthy Salvadoran landowner and a Guatemalan mother from a wealthy family. They were
married a few months later, without the approval of María's parents, who felt she should not
marry an army lieutenant who was not wealthy.[10] María was 24 at the time of the wedding, and
Jacobo was 26. María later wrote that, while the two were very different in many ways, their
desire for political change drew them together. Árbenz stated that his wife had a great
influence on him.[10] It was through her that Árbenz was exposed to Marxism. María had
received a copy of The Communist Manifesto at a women's congress and left a copy of it on
Jacobo's bedside table when she left for a vacation. Jacobo was "moved" by the Manifesto,
and he and María discussed it with each other. Both felt that it explained many things they had
been feeling. Afterwards, Jacobo began reading more works by Marx, Lenin, and Stalin and by
the late 1940s was regularly interacting with a group of Guatemalan communists. [11]
rbenz excelled in the academy, and was deemed "an exceptional student". He became "first
sergeant", the highest honor bestowed upon cadets; only six people received the honor from
1924 to 1944. His abilities earned him an unusual level of respect among the officers at the
school, including Major John Considine, the US director of the school, and of other US officers
who served at the school. A fellow officer later said that "his abilities were such that the officers
treated him with a respect that was rarely granted to a cadet." [10] Árbenz graduated in 1935.[10]
After graduating, he served a stint as a junior officer at Fort San José in Guatemala City and
later another under "an illiterate Colonel" in a small garrison in the village of San Juan
Sacatepéquez. While at San José, Árbenz had to lead squads of soldiers who were escorting
chain gangs of prisoners (including political prisoners) to perform forced labor. The experience
traumatized Árbenz, who said he felt like a capataz (i.e., a "foreman").[10] During this period he
first met Francisco Arana.[10]
Árbenz was asked to fill a vacant teaching position at the academy in 1937. Árbenz taught a
wide range of subjects, including military matters, history, and physics. He was promoted to
captain six years later, and placed in charge of the entire corps of cadets. His position was the
third highest in the academy and was considered one of the most prestigious positions a young
officer could hold.[10]
In 1938 he met his future wife María Vilanova, the daughter of a
wealthy Salvadoran landowner and a Guatemalan mother from a wealthy family. They were
married a few months later, without the approval of María's parents, who felt she should not
marry an army lieutenant who was not wealthy.[10] María was 24 at the time of the wedding, and
Jacobo was 26. María later wrote that, while the two were very different in many ways, their
desire for political change drew them together. Árbenz stated that his wife had a great
influence on him.[10] It was through her that Árbenz was exposed to Marxism. María had
received a copy of The Communist Manifesto at a women's congress and left a copy of it on
Jacobo's bedside table when she left for a vacation. Jacobo was "moved" by the Manifesto,
and he and María discussed it with each other. Both felt that it explained many things they had
been feeling. Afterwards, Jacobo began reading more works by Marx, Lenin, and Stalin and by
the late 1940s was regularly interacting with a group of Guatemalan communists. [11]
rbenz excelled in the academy, and was deemed "an exceptional student". He became "first
sergeant", the highest honor bestowed upon cadets; only six people received the honor from
1924 to 1944. His abilities earned him an unusual level of respect among the officers at the
school, including Major John Considine, the US director of the school, and of other US officers
who served at the school. A fellow officer later said that "his abilities were such that the officers
treated him with a respect that was rarely granted to a cadet." [10] Árbenz graduated in 1935.[10]
After graduating, he served a stint as a junior officer at Fort San José in Guatemala City and
later another under "an illiterate Colonel" in a small garrison in the village of San Juan
Sacatepéquez. While at San José, Árbenz had to lead squads of soldiers who were escorting
chain gangs of prisoners (including political prisoners) to perform forced labor. The experience
traumatized Árbenz, who said he felt like a capataz (i.e., a "foreman").[10] During this period he
first met Francisco Arana.[10]
Árbenz was asked to fill a vacant teaching position at the academy in 1937. Árbenz taught a
wide range of subjects, including military matters, history, and physics. He was promoted to
captain six years later, and placed in charge of the entire corps of cadets. His position was the
third highest in the academy and was considered one of the most prestigious positions a young
officer could hold.[10]
In 1938 he met his future wife María Vilanova, the daughter of a
wealthy Salvadoran landowner and a Guatemalan mother from a wealthy family. They were
married a few months later, without the approval of María's parents, who felt she should not
marry an army lieutenant who was not wealthy.[10] María was 24 at the time of the wedding, and
Jacobo was 26. María later wrote that, while the two were very different in many ways, their
desire for political change drew them together. Árbenz stated that his wife had a great
influence on him.[10] It was through her that Árbenz was exposed to Marxism. María had
received a copy of The Communist Manifesto at a women's congress and left a copy of it on
Jacobo's bedside table when she left for a vacation. Jacobo was "moved" by the Manifesto,
and he and María discussed it with each other. Both felt that it explained many things they had
been feeling. Afterwards, Jacobo began reading more works by Marx, Lenin, and Stalin and by
the late 1940s was regularly interacting with a group of Guatemalan communists. [11]