The Blog assignment follows from the Wiki assignment. Do the Wiki first. Then having identified the intervention(s) or military operation assigned to you, do some research. Google the most recent intervention into the country you are assigned, or the military operation. Do some research on the Web. Try to learn how the people of the country into which the US intervened felt about it. What would be their explanation for the intervention or military operation. Then adopt the perspective of a Latin American nationalist (draw from this week’s readings in MLAH), and write a 100 word contribution to the blog describing why the US intervened as it did.
The pairings for this week with the assigned country or military operation are:
[10+21]-Haiti; [5+20]-Operation Condor; [4+15]-Mexico;
[17+18]- Nicaragua; [11+13]-Operation Charly; [2+9]- Guatemala;
[14+24]- El Salvador; [7+22]-Iran-Contra; [6+23]-Chile;
[12+19]-Brazil; [3+8]-Uruguay.
………………………………….
Be sure to take to heart the words Juan Jose Arevalo wrote at the top of page 176, MLAH.
“Neither does this book [or me] seek to cast blame on the North American people – who, like us, are victims of an imperialist policy of promoting business, multiplying markets, and hoarding money.”
[3+8] Uruguay
ReplyDeleteOperation Condor was said to be a concealed system in Uruguay in beginning in the 1970’s. It dealt with certain states in Latin America that facilitated many searches, kidnappings, and executions of political enemies in different areas. The U.S. took part in this operation by sometimes being the enablers of these acts. The U.S. wanted to maintin their imperialistic powers over Uruguay. They tried to alter their elections, and when that fell through, they tried to take over the government. Throughout this time, many people in Uruguay tried to fight what was happening and take charge, but the force was too strong. Forty years later, families are still having a hard time dealing with the loved ones that they have lost.
[15]BLOG:
ReplyDeleteWe wanted free speech and fair elections especially after our drawn out civil war. That being said we wanted our own elections, not ones hampered by the international community. The United States interests in our political affairs were not to benefit the citizens of El Salvador, rather to instill their own views of anti-communism during the Cold War. We received much aid through means of finance and military support; however this aid came with enticements and an underlining agenda. It became more than apparent that the US opposed some of the prominent political parties within our developing country. They put their support behind President José Napoleón Duarte, a moderate who opposed left-winged agenda. Through murder and propaganda the US succeeded in their quest to eliminate the threat of communism. However this “victory” was at the expense of the Salvadorians, we remain in political and social turmoil…US involvement only facilitated a negative peace, one that is not conducive to an efficient country.
[10+21] In 2010, a devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti. Due to this earthquake, the United States launched a military and civilian relief effort to help wherever needed. However, this help was not meant in rebuilding the country. According to a Haitian laborer, "I want the Americans to take over the country. The Haitian government can't do anything for us." Another example of U.S. support is shown when an army soldier arrives at a scene where severe looting was happening and the Haitians applauded. The people of Cuba were very thankful for the United States assistance in this matter because they believe their own government cannot help them. Many Haitians support the U.S. to a point that they want them to take over permanently. One person stated, "The Haitian government has been here for a while, and they give us nothing. The United States should take over the country." From a nationalist standpoint, this country wants independence, but they want their independence from the United States.
ReplyDeleteSource:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/01/politics/washingtonpost/main6162222.shtml
[7+22] The Iran-Contra had far reaching affects into the country of Nicaragua. The United States intervened in Nicaragua by providing the Contras with millions of dollars in military aid and training. The Contras were rebel groups of fighters who opposed Nicaragua’s Sandinista Junta of National Reconstruction government following the overthrow of Anastasio Somoza Debayle in July 1979. President Reagan felt it was necessary to help financially support the Contras because he believed the Sandinistas were imposing socialist views on Nicaragua, which were related to the former developments seen in Cuba. Regan also believed that Sandinistas were helping the leftist guerrillas in El Salvador. There was obvious support or Regan’s actions from the Contras, but little to no support by the current Nicaraguan rulers in opposition to the contras.
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ReplyDelete[24] El Salvador
ReplyDeleteEl Salvador suffered many different set backs in creating a democratic government, and the United States felt as though they should step in to create fair elections. One of the most common interventions that the United States continued to promote was freedom of speech and also fair elections. The United States, more true recently, was not looking out for the best of El Salvador – and wanted a fair election for the civilians (or were they.) From many different previous things that the United States has been a part of, they do not do anything to help countries that they have somewhat diplomatic relationships with - only their closest allies. The United States though, were acting in an almost selfish way when doing the fair elections for the citizens of El Salvador. The United States wanted to implant their anti-communist ideals. We received many different kinds of aid during this time of the developing country. The United States put their support behind President José Napoleón Duarte. Through semi-devious ways, the United States succeeded in eliminating communism. This all resulted in a negative outlook on the United States. Through the research, an interesting fact occurred to me – the military of El Salvador refuses to listen to the new government that the United States helped to form.
[5] Operation Condor swept through Latin America in the 1970’s and has had subsequent trials, which have resulted from the operation, in modern day. Operation Condor occurred in the Latin American countries of Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil. The operation involved the countries working together, going into one of the other countries listed and hunting down and killing opposition towards the current government in power. The United States took part in Operation Condor by having the CIA paying many off the front men involved in terrorist plots and killings. The U.S. also assisted in the searching of many of the individuals wanted in the various plots held in each country. The U.S. intervened for a number of reasons, which included political gain and to ensure anti-communism in Latin America.
ReplyDelete[17+18] Nicaragua- In January 1984, the United States mined three Nicaraguan harbors in support of the Contras. It was discovered in April that the CIA had performed the action. The purpose of the mining was to damage and scare off both foreign and domestic ships rather than just destroy them. However, it was still considered a violation of international law. Nicaragua was obviously very upset with the United States and demanded justice. So, they took their case to the World Court and won. The court declared that what the U.S. did was an example of “force against another state”. The United States was faced with an $18 billion judgment. However, the U.S. refused to recognize the Court’s jurisdiction in the case. The U.S. showed no loyalty to Nicaragua which generated indignant opinions of the United States. The purpose of the mining was to attempt to weaken the rule of Sandinista government and support the Contras to overthrow the Sandinistas. However, the people of Nicaragua remained strong and refused to accept the malicious actions of the U.S. Tolerating these actions would be analogous to apologizing for the violence and injustice done to the people of Nicaragua. Even though Nicaragua appears to be insubstantial when compared to the U.S. economically, the people chose to fight for justice when they felt it was deserved.
ReplyDelete[2+9] Between 1946-1948, the U.S. government intentionally infected 696 mentally institutionalized people in Guatemala with gonorrhea and syphilis as part of a sexually transmitted disease inoculation study. Patients were unknowing infected and did not give their permission to be infected with such diseases. Even more disturbing was the fact that the US encouraged those infected to have unprotected sex so they could document how the disease reacted when passed from one person to another. Alarmingly, One third of those infected never received treatment. This study was clearly unethical and still haunts the reputation of US government today. Just recently Hilary Clinton offered an extensive public apology for actions taken by the U.S. Public Health Service during this study and has vowed to set up commissions to ensure that human medical research conducted around the globe meets ethical standards. The US’s blatant disregard for human life in this case has without a doubt damaged our relationship with Guatemala among other countries and truly raise serious concerns about America’s ethics and morals with regards to people of other races.
ReplyDelete[12] In Brazil during 1964 coup d'etat that ended with the overthrow of Joao Goulart. In the end this subjected Brazil to military regime that held with the interests of the U.S. government. The U.S. intervened as they did because it was part of their anti-communist action plans. Goulart was said to be a nationalist, but was accused of being a communist. With U.S. pushing military interventions to fight against the spread of communism in Latin American countries it makes sense as to why they would intervene in Brazil as well if Goulart was accused of being a communist. They wouldn't want to take the chance and communism spreading.
ReplyDelete[4+15]If I was a nationalist living in Mexico I would despise and be angry that the US empire controls and intervenes into my country, trying to defeat the economic and democratic increases we’ve made. They fool us with their retoric of exaggerated economic returns, get us deeply in debt and dependant upon them until we become their puppet. Leave me alone and let me cater and invest into my people and country, not multinational corporations-let Mexico help herself. Quit cheating my country out its proper returns, stop extending your empire, keep your imperialist viewpoint and impose it elsewhere (god knows you do and write it off as “spreading democracy” but your really makeing war) let us keep our dollars.
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ReplyDelete(14) El Salvador has been nothing close to a success story for the United States. Since the start of United State's intervention in the region, the democratic process has been plagued by war, underlying United States interests, and civilian unrest. Even after the United States spent ten million dollars to stage an election to try to "save" El Salvador from the civil war within their country, the army still will not recognize the "elected" president. The United States foreign policy to oppose leftist movements anywhere in the third world further put the country in turmoil. As the peasants continued to rebel against corrupt oligarchies, the United States continued to support the tyrannical rule until even the great United States could not control the El Salvador menace. To this day the United States is still trying to fight crime in El Salvador which is amongst the highest in Latin America, only short of Columbia.
ReplyDelete[19] Trying to keep up with public opinion of communism, President Lyndon Baines Johnson adopted a strict no tolerance policy of any form of government that resembled communism and of any politician who was potentially communist. When Joao Goulart took power in the Brazillian government initially the US was very nervous because it was another susceptible country in close proximity to the US, and Goulart was believed to be a communist supporter. Following the strict no tolerance policy the US helped stage a series of coup d'etats that would eventually lead to Goulert being overthrown placing Pascoal Ranieri Mazzilli as president of Brazil. The success of Brazil's political coup was widely accepted amongst US government officials because the new president of Brazil cut all ties with Cuba and other communist leaders and became one of the US's strongest Latin American supporters.
ReplyDeleteHeather Remaley
ReplyDeleteOperation Condor involved Chile, Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay and Uraguay. The operation was started initially to eliminate Marxist subversion. The United States approved this mission November 25, 1975. This mission targeted leftist guerillas and all types of political opponents.
The people of the Latin American countries were not happy about the interventions for obvious reasons. The massacres that occured were not just of
the guilty, families and children were killed. The people of these countries were tired of interference from all of the outside countries. We all have been bothering them hundreds of years. They were ready for self rule, even if we don't like their governmental structure that is in place.