September 06, 2021
The Banana Wars E78 Conduct Unbecoming: Haiti and the Corps' Dark Chapter
This episode closes out the Marine Corps' long and difficult involvement in Haiti, covering the final years of occupation, the death of rebel leader Benoit Batraville, and the ultimate withdrawal of Marines in 1934.
While Marines restored order, built infrastructure, and trained local forces, their role in suppressing rebellion and enforcing harsh policies left lasting damage. Atrocities committed during the occupation, coupled with political manipulation and economic control, raised serious questions about U.S. foreign policy and the ethical boundaries of military intervention.
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References
- Bemis, S. F. (1967). The Latin-American Policy of the United States (First Paperback Edition). W. W. Norton & Co.
- Heinl, R. D. (1991). Soldiers of the Sea: The United States Marine Corps, 1775–1962 (Great War Stories) (Reprint ed.). Nautical & Aviation Pub Co of Amer.
- Rodman, S. (1964). Quisqueya;: A history of the Dominican Republic (0 ed.). University of Washington Press.
- Santelli, J. S. (2014). A Brief History of the 4th Marines. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
- Saxon, T. J. (1964). United States Military Government in the Dominican Republic, 1916–1922. Amsterdam University Press.
- Sherrod, R. (2021). History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II (1st ed.). Combat Forces Press.
- United States. Department of State. (2021). Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1907 -- Part II. Washington.
- U.S. Department of State. (2021). PAPERS RELATING TO THE FOREIGN RELATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES. 1916 SUPPLEMENT: The World War. 69th Congress, 2d Session. House Document No. 810. GPO, 1929., Washington:
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