Lesson 22: US Intervention in Central America Part 2
Review:
- Nicaragua
- Exam 3 next week
Presentation:
- Intro to Harvest of Empire (03:00-4:55)
- Premise: US interventions in Latin America have resulted in increased levels of emigration/immigration
- Historic Northern Border of Mexico = Arkansas River https://www.historycolorado.org/exhibit/borderlands
- Puerto Rico (04:55-11:40)
- Guatemala (11:40-18:30)
- Post-WWII had progressive government enacting land reform
- United Fruit opposed the land reforms
- Eisenhower-Nixon Administration
- John Foster Dulles – Sec of State
- Allen Dulles – Head of CIA
- Former attorneys representing United Fruit
- CIA campaign
- opposition to President Arbenz
- infiltration and overthrow of government
- Civil War
- Brutal repression of political opponents and indigenous population
- Over 200,000 killed and 50,000 missing during decades of turmoil
- Majority of victims were indigenous Mayan
- Nobel Peace Prize winner Rigoberta Menchu
- Documented evidence that death squads were supported and trained by CIA
- El Salvador (1:06:50-1:09:00; 1:10:00-1:16:45)
- Salvadoran Military
- Assassinated Bishop Óscar Romero (recently canonized)
- Raped and murdered 4 American nuns
- Slaughtered entire villages
- Many leaders trained by the US Military, in the US (School of the Americas)
- Backed and financed by the US govt
- MS-13
- Salvadoran Military
Discussion:
- Is migration an economic issue?
- Did these interventions contribute to instability in the region?
- Does the US have any legal/moral obligation to accept immigrants from the region?
Assignment:
- Prepare for Exam 3
- Read The rise of MS-13 (The Week)
- Read MS-13 gang: The story behind one of the world’s most brutal street gangs (BBC)