Figure 1.--The Marines quickly restored order in the Dominican Republic after landing in santo Domingo (April 1965). Here one soldier is enjoying aaseball game in the streets (June). The press caption read, "Santo omingo Basball: Caot. Donald Paarlberg of South Hollan, Ill. a doctor in the 82nd Airborn Division in Santo Domingo, umpires a baseball game in aanto Doningo recently as war tensions eased ait. Troops still present are blending into the daily routine as life returns to near normal after being disrupted by fighting.

Juan Bosch of the left-wing Dominican Revolutionary Party won the elections that followed Trujullo's assasination (1962). It is generally seen as a reformist government. The Dominican military with many Trujillo loyalists, however, hated Bosch and his reformist policies. The military overthrew him after only a year (1963). A struggle for power and political chaos ensued. A range of groups, including a splintering military, vied for power. The military set up a figure-head civilian triumvirate. Bosch supporters and other leftists refused to accept the new military governmentThe idea of reinstating formr President Bosch gained increasung support. Opposition groups organized and began attacking the military government. The country descended into violence and chaos. At the same time, the Johnson Administration began to see the possibility of another Cuba, a second Communist state in the Caribbean. There was concern that Cuba was stocking the rising violence. President Johnson finally dispatched Marines (April 1965). The President explained that with Cuba in mind that he was acting to prevent another 'communist dictatorship' in the Caribbean. This of course was in the middle of the Cold War. Some 22,000 U.S. troops landed with orders to restore order. Other Latin American countries, members of the Organization of American States (OAS) contributed troops. The American action provoked protests in Latin America. There were charges of a return to Gunboat Diplomacy. Some in the United States watching America's expaning role in Vietnam were skeptical. many Americans rediculed Johnson's concern about the Communist danger. President Johnson provided American questioning reporters with lists of suspected communists. It was hurridly put together and included people who dead and others who were reformers and not Communists. The problem of course is that Fidel's 26 of July Movement had few Communists to begin with. The United States in just a few weeks retored order and negotiated a ceasefire. The two sides accepted Hector Garcia-Godoy as a provisional president to install a conservative, non-military government and oversee new elections.

Trujillo Dictatorship (1930-61)

The U.S. Military Government (MG) formally ended (October 1922). Elections were held (1924). The winner was former president Horacio Vásquez Lajara who had cooperated with the MG. He had briefly served as president (1902–03) before being deposed. He was inaugurated (July 13), and the last U.S. forces departed (September). Vásquez has one if the best records of all the Dominican presidents with 6 years of honest, stable governance. Not only were political and civil rights observed and political violence subsided, but there was strong economic growth. The economy grew strongly, in a relatively peaceful atmosphere. As Presudent Vásquez Lajara was manuevering for another presiential term, Rafaél Leonides Trujillo Molina, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Dominican Army and Chief of Police. These positions gave him the force to seize power. He was also supporte by Carlos Rosario Peña, who headed the Civic Movement seeling to overthrow the government of Vásquez. Trujillo also cut a deal with rebel leader Rafael Estrella Ureña. Estrella would become a figurehead president and Trujillo would run for president in new elections. As Estrella's rebels drove toward Santo Domingo, Vásquez ordered Trujillo to stop them. Trujill instead feigned neutrality and ordered his men to remain in thwir barracks. Estrella's rebel force occupied the capital with virtually no resistance. Estrella without any legal justification was was proclaimed acting president with Trujillo confirmed as head of the police and the army (March 3). As agreed, Trujillo became the presidential nominee of the newly formed Coalición patriotica de los ciudadanos (Patriotic Coalition of Citizens) Estrella became his his running mate. The election was a fraud. Trujillo unleashed the Army and Police on a campihn of repression. Opposition igures were forced to withdraw. The result was preordained. He was elected elected president without any real oppostion (May) and was imagurated (August 16). He established another brutl dictatorship. Trujillo would go on to rule the country for three decades. He served as presidnt (1930-47 and then indirectly through urogates. He was perhaps the most corrupt Dominican rulers and certainly the most brutal. His rule was essentially gangster rule with murder and torture used to suppress any opposition to his authority. It is believd that thousands of Dominicans were murdered by his police thugs. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the Dominican Republic Republic entered World War II, declaring war on Japan and Germany (Decemember 1941). There was substantial economic growth during the Trujillo's brutal regime. The Dominican people, however, unlike previous dictators did benefit, although because of the massive corruption not like should have. The wealth created went to the Trujillo family and his supporters. There was slome progress, most notably in healthcare, education, and transportation. Construction projects included hospitals and clinics, schools, roads, and harbors. Trujillo also instituted a housing construction program and a social security pension plan. He finally mangd to negotiated an undisputed border with Haiti (1935). He ended the 50-year customs agreement in 1941 rather than 1956 as had been planned. He paid off the naional debt (1947). As more Latin American countries moce toward demoracy, critism of Trujillo increased. First he used surogates, but the criticism mounted. The Organization of American States (OAS) called for its members to sever diplomatic ties with the Trujillo Administration.

Assasination (1961)

The situation in the Dominican Republic began when long-time dictator Rafael Trujillo was assassinated (May 30, 1961). The relationship between the United States and Trujillo began to sour as his human rights abuses came to be known. Trujillo had been a brutal leader, but his strong anti-Communist stance helped him retain American supportvas the Cold war unfolded. The turning point was the failed assassination attempt on democratically elected Venezuela President Romulo Betancourt (1960). Betancourt who repaced a Venezuelan dictator had begun critizing Trujillo who decided to strike back. Trujillo had attracted little attention outside of the Dominican Republic. This changed with the Betancourt assasination attempt. The Organization of American States (OAS) voted to sever relations with the Dominican dictator. The Unitd States withdrew its ambassador and closed its embassy in protest. President Eisenhower approved a CIA contingency plan to remove Trujillo if and when a suitable successor could be found. The new Kennedy administration cancelled the Dominican project at the last minute. Having been stung by the Bay of Pigs failure (April 1961), President Kennedy did not want to chance another foreign relations disaster. So it was up to the Dominicans. A group of rebels plotted to end his brutal rule. Trujillo never saw it coming. After 30 years of dictatorial rule he did not think it necessary to take important security precutions. They decided to attack him on a dark highway in the evening. Trujillo was being driven by his chauffeur with no body guard. Trujillo and his chaufer were armed with the dictator thought was all that was necessary. The plotters were a four-man death squad. The assasins chose ahighway from San Cristobal to the capital, Santo Domingo. Tujillo kept a young mistress at San Critobal which partly explains why he did not want a large entourage. The plotters knew about this ans waiting for his chauffeur-driven Chevrolet to drive past. One assasin was in a car. His accomplices were stationed further up the road. The driver began a chase as Trujillo's car roared past. Shots were fired. Tujillo's driver slowed down, The driver pulled in front of Trujillo's car, blocking his escape path. Then everyone started shooting, including Trujillo and his chauffeur. The assains had carbines. Trujilo and his chauffeur only pistols. One of the gunmen recalls, "Trujillo was wounded but he was still walking, so I shot him again." The 30-year dictator was left sprawling on the highway. ['I shot ...'.]

Elections (1962)

Juan Bosch of the left-wing Dominican Revolutionary Party won the elections that followed Trujullo's assasination (1962). It is generally seen as a reformist government. The Dominican military with many Trujillo loyalists, however, hated Bosch and his reformist policies.

Miltary Coup (1963)

The military overthrew Bosch him after only a year (1963). A struggle for power and political chaos ensued. A range of groups, including a splintering military, vied for power. The military set up a figure head civilian triumvirate. Bosch supporters and other leftists refused to accept the new military government. The idea of reinstating former President Bosch gained increasing support.

Chaos

Opposition groups organized and began attacking the military government. The country descended into violence and chaos.

American Intrvention (1965)

At the same time, the Johnson Administration began to see the possibility of another Cuba, a second Communist state in the Caribbean. There was concern that Cuba was stocking the rising violence. President Johnson finally dispatched Marines (April 1965). . Some 22,000 U.S. troops landed with orders to restore order. The President explained that with Cuba in mind that he was acting to prevent another 'communist dictatorship' in the Caribbean. This of course was in the middle of the Cold War and only 3-years after the Cuban Missle Crisis--generally seen as the peak and most dangerouspoint of theCivil War.

Criticism

Other Latin American countries, members of the Organization of American States (OAS) contributed troops. The American action provoked protests in Latin America. There were charges of a return to Gunboat Diplomacy. This was the policy adopted by European countries and America to collect debts by using naval forces. Some in the United States watching America's expaning role in Vietnam were skeptical. many Americans rediculed Johnson's concern about the Communist danger. This was at a time when there was great concern about McCarthism. Those who broughout the civil liberty abuses of the McCarthy era almost always fail to mention the very real Soviet subversive operations at the time. President Johnson provided American questioning reporters with lists of suspected communists. It was hurridly put together and included people who dead and others who were reformers and not Communists. The problem of course is that Fidel's 26 of July Movement had few Communists to begin with.

Result

The United States in just a few weeks retored order and negotiated a ceasefire. The two sides accepted Hector Garcia-Godoy as a provisional president to install a conservative, non-military government and oversee new elections.

Sources

"I shot the cruellest dictator in the Americas," BBC News (May 28, 2011).

Created: 9:43 PM 2/17/2016
Last updated: 9:44 PM 2/17/2016