Haiti, U.S. Intervention in

Beginning with the Spanish-American War in 1898 and throughout the first four decades of the 20th century, military forces of the United States of America occupied much of Central America. Many reasons were given for these interventions in other sovereign nations, such as protecting American interests, quelling indigenous rebellions, establishing democratically based governments, maintaining political stability, and minimizing European influence. The U.S. Marine Corps played significant roles in these interventions and ongoing operations that came to be known euphemistically as “banana wars” or officially as “small wars.” Of the many deployments by marines, Haiti represented the most challenging occupation because of its political corruption, economic exploitation, constant infighting, and religious division. This entry discusses the history of U.S. intervention in Haiti, lessons learned by the ...