Bridgewater Review Volume 2 | Issue 2 Article 6 Mar-1984 The .SU . in Central America and the Caribbean Michael J. Kryzanek Bridgewater State College, [email protected] Recommended Citation Kryzanek, Michael J. (1984). The .SU . in Central America and the Caribbean. Bridgewater Review, 2(2), 4-8. Available at: http://vc.bridgew.edu/br_rev/vol2/iss2/6 This item is available as part of Virtual Commons, the open-access institutional repository of Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. ,...----fThe U.S. in Central America1-----, and the Caribbean UNITED STATES Regaining our Sphere -Bcrmud..l(U.K..) A11.ANTIC OCEAN of Influence by Michael J. Kryzanek PACIFIC OCEAN C~nlral ,Am~nra alld Ih~ Caribb~all T he revolution in Central America has Presidents, starting with Theodore created animosity with a communist regime not only helped most Americans learn Roosevelt, have felt an obligation to one hundred miles from our shores. The where EI Salvador and Nicaragua are intervene whenever economic and political debates not withstanding, the fact remains situated on the map, but, more importantly, circumstances in this region warranted that Fidel Castro developed a Soviet it has placed before them two opposing action. Not surprisingly, American satellite in our traditional sphere of influence interpretations of what is actually going on corporations targeted the area as ripe for and thereby singlehandedly transformed in that part of the world. By the Reagan investment and profit making; tourists the geopolitical forces in the Central Administration, the American public is told streamed down to the beacr1€s and casinos American-Caribbean region. For the first that the fighting in this region is a result of thinking of these countries as mere time a revolution with definite anti­ communist expansionism. The Salvadoran extensions of American soil; and military American overtones led by an avowed rebels, in concert with the Nicaraguans and and diplomatic strategists felt little communist succeeded in our "backyard." the Cubans, are seeking to spread their hesitation in recommending the sending of Not surprisingly, the history of U.S.­ influence and establish Marxist satellite troops or civilian advisors to secure the Cuban relations since 1959 has been states. Those who disagree with the Reagan peace or straighten out the finances of our marked by a series of attempts to topple the position claim that the outbreak of neighbors in a manner reminiscent of a Castro government and reassert our revolution stems from social and economic landlord taking care of his property. complete domination in the hemisphere. inequality. After decades of elite rule For a good portion of the twentieth Almost immediately upon Castro's maintained through corrupt, repressive and century the United States maintained revolutionary victory, the United States unlawful means, peasants and the urban without significant challenge its hold on the responded with sugar embargoes, poor are taking up weapons to bring an end Central American-Caribbean sphere of diplomatic slights and harsh words. Later on to the injustice. influence. But a series of events starting with the American public would find out about Although these two approaches to the the Cuban revolution in 1959 weakened our our clandestine efforts to "destabilize" the conflict in Central America both evolve hold on the region, and helped contribute to Castro regime through assassination, from defensible positions, the American the unrest in places like EI Salvador and sabotage and the infamous Bay of Pigs public should be aware that the turmoil in Nicaragua. invasion. this region can be examined from a third But despite these efforts, Castro held on perspective. The revolutions in Nicaragua and in some respects even flourished. With and EI Salvador have also occurred because The Breakup 0/ the considerable Soviet aid (now estimated at United States influence is declining in this Central American-Caribbean over three billion dollars a year), a strategic area; and as a result, our ability to Sphere 0/ Influence supportive population and some wise social contain the fighting and direct the future programs aimed at eradicating disease and development of these countries is Castro's Geopolitical Revolution illiteracy, Castro managed to hold up to the diminishing. world an alternative to United States Since the turn of the century, the nation­ Cuba's revolution of 1959 and its capitalism and liberal democracy. Within a states that rim the Caribbean have become subsequent drift into Marxism has been the matter of a few years, the United States and part of our sphere of influence. The topic of endless analysis. Debates still rage the American way were being challenged by direction and development of these nations over whether the United States should have an upstart revolutionary. What is perhaps has been closely linked to, if not controlled, acted more forcefully to bring the Castro even more significant is that Castro's by decisions made in Washington. regime down or whether we needlessly triumph was well received throughout Latin 4 with alternative 1965 to put down an urban civil war. Since sources of capi­ the Johnson Administration was able to tal for develop­ stop the fighting and diminish the influence ment projects. of the leftist rebels in the new government Moreover, the that was formed, Washington was pleased huge bills incur­ with the "nosecond Cuba" policy. Itseemed red by these coun­ that we could stop rev'olution and regain our tries when OPEC control over this region through swift increased oil prices military intervention. Castro would perhaps forced them to be just an aberration. diversify their But the Vietnam War followed, and we economies by seek­ learned to our dismay that not all ing assistance from interventions end in success. We also lost a a number of sources good deal of our enthusiasm for interfering so as not to be­ in the internal matters of another country, come too depend- no matter how threatened an ally was by 190~, communist aggression. The memory of The Big Stick in the Caribbean Sea Rogers in New York Herold, c. ent on the United courtesy New York Sun, Inc. States. domestic opposition to the war and the America. After years of United States The OPEC oil price escalation also had an costs, human and monetary, of fighting a control and domination, the Latins finally emotional impact on United States relations guerrilla war made Presidents Gerald Ford could look to someone who was successful in its sphere of influence and served to and Jimmy Carter reluctant to play in breaking the American hold on this further lessen our ability to dominate the policemen to the world. region. economics of this region. Facing enormous Even though the Vietnam War ended, the As the Cuban revolution enjoys its 25th debts as a result of payments for oil, the revolutionary aspirations of people in the countries of Central America and the anniversary, the excitement and aura that it 1 less-developed countries remained active. once created has disappeared. There is Caribbean sought greater access to United This time the revolution was in Nicaragua, much to criticize about the industrial and States markets and more advantageous where a guerilla army called the Sandinistas agricultural failures, the political prisoners terms of trade. The response from the was pitted against the repressive, but pro­ and the dependence on the Soviet Union. United States, which also had severe U.S. Government of Anastosio Somoza. The development problems inside Cuba, balance of payments problems, was either When the Sandinista rebels showed however, do not diminish the fact that to deny access or to pass protective remarkable ability to sustain their war Castro's revolution not only changed life in legislation that increased trade barriers. and later achieve significant victories over that country, but also radically altered the The reaction to these steps by the United U.S. trained government troops, our face of hemispheric power relations. States was unusually hostile and was country was once again thrust into a Castro's revolution served notice that expressed in terms that signaled a new dilemma over the proper response to a America was no longer unchallenged in the found independence and a determination on leftist challenge in our sphere of influence. geographic region closest to its border. the part of these countries never to permit The United States could exert its economic, their future to depend on American military and propaganda power to keep goodwill. As a result, the leaders of many ... OPEC and the til Rise of Competition Central American and Caribbean nations ci) became more aggressive in their trade talks -"U While Castro successfully defied the til with the United States and intensified their political superiority of the United States in ai efforts to open up their economies to new =0 its sphere of influence, the changing world o sources of trade, aid and investment. The o economy lessened American business and 3 days of one-sided, paternalistic commercial -"u financial dominance in this region. With the o and financial relations with the United ...J onset of the world recession in the 1970s States were over. '" and the rise in influence of the OPEC oil d'" cartel, the United States began to recognize The Sandinistas that it faced stiff competition from a number and the of countries that previously had been "No Second Cuba" inactive in Central America and the Theory Caribbean. Countries like Japan, West Germany, Taiwan, South Korea, Spain and One of the major policy positions taken Canada along with some of the emerging by the United States Government after the Latin American economies like Brazil and Cuban revolution was that this country Mexico challenged the long standing United would never permit "another Cuba." States domination of trade and investment Presumably a "second Cuba" would begin in the region.