Dominican+Republic,+1965

Home Small War Project Assignment Small Wars Topics

Dominican Republic 1965-1966:Operation Power Pack. Jill Waltz & Ben Clark

 * [[image:http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/docarib.gif caption="http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/docarib.gif"]] ||  ||
 * [[image:http://www.flipschulke.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Conflict_09.jpg width="377" height="271" caption="http://www.flipschulke.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Conflict_09.jpg"]] || [[image:http://www.flipschulke.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Conflict_14.jpg width="370" height="264" caption="http://www.flipschulke.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Conflict_14.jpg"]] ||

Tasks I: Explain the nature and scope of the conflict.-- Due Friday, November 18th
 * •When** did the conflict begin and end? 1965-1966. Only a year.
 * •Who** were the belligerents? The United States and the communist Domican Republicans
 * •What** was the problem or issue? the United States invaded the Dominican republic because they were scared of communism, and the Dominican Republic was communist
 * •Why** was military action necessary?
 * •Why** was the United States’ interested in the conflict?
 * •How** was the problem resolved?

The conflict in the Dominican Republic began in 1965 and ended in 1966. The "belligerents" were the United States and the Dominican Republic. Basically, the US went in occupied the Dominican Republic because the new ruler, Bosch, was all for democratic and social reforms, which could lead to Communism, because most of the people in the Dominican Repubic had communist ideas. According to Max Boots book, The Savage Wars of Peace, The Dominican Republic had a very weak central government, so we figured by going in we could stabilize the situation. Military action was necessary because the US feared communism in the Republic, which would be lead by Juan Bosch and the US thought that with Bosch as leader, the Dominican Republic could turn into "another "Cuba". The United States resolved the problem by having Joaquín Balaguer elected over Juan Bosch. "Juan Bosch." //Encyclopedia of World Biography//. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 428-429. //Gale Virtual Reference Library//. Web. 20 Nov. 2011. Draw your information from a minimum of **two** LC e-books and databases. Organize your response in an extended power paragraph. In an appositive phrase, establish the credibility of each source the first time you reference it. Internally cite sources and place the works cited at below the last paragraph for Task I.

Task II: Analyze the U.S.’s involvement in the conflict.- Due Tuesday, November 22nd •In which one of Max Boot's categories, does this small war fit--punitive, protective, pacification, or profiteering? Justify the reasons that you selected one category over another. •Who were the most important decision-makers or leaders for belligerents and justify your choices with expert opinion? How did these leaders influence the progress and outcome of the war? •Who was the U.S. president and what were his reasons for involving the military in this conflict? •Was there precedent for the U.S. to participate in small wars of this nature? •Which presidential doctrine best fits the aim or goals of this small war?

Relating to Max Boots writing on small wars, the Dominican republic invasion relates to the category of protection. The U.S is trying to protect itself from the powers of the U.S.S.R and communism. The U.S thought that the Republic could turn into another Cuba in a sense of a communist leader that threatens the U.S. An uprising in the Republic concerned the U.S since they had just assassinated their former dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina, so Lyndon B. Johnson decided to go in. As it states in the article //Juan Bosch// "The uprising was frustrated by United States armed intervention, and a provisional government was established under Hector Garcia Godoy, a former member of Bosch's cabinet." The U.S was concerned that the Republic would make the wrong decision and turn communist, so we interfered. As I stated before, the U.S was afraid that the Republic would turn communist under Cuba influence, "Fearing that Castro may have influenced the rebels, resulting in communist influence, President Johnson sent twenty-two thousand U.S. troops to protect the military leadership in April 1965 ." This whole conflict relates to the Truman Doctrine that states that "Its immediate aim was to prevent the Soviet Union from moving beyond the line it had reached in Eastern and Central Europe." So all in all, the U.S was just trying to protect not only itself, but the Dominican Republic from the evil powers of Communism.

__Bibliography:__

"Juan Bosch." //Encyclopedia of World Biography//. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 428-429. //Gale Virtual Reference Library//. Web. 20 Nov. 2011.

Ed. Richard C. Hanes, Sharon M. Hanes, and Lawrence W. Baker. Vol. 2: //Almanac Volume 2//. Detroit: UXL, 2004. p251-274. From //Gale Virtual Reference Library//.

Kirkendall, Richard. "Truman Doctrine." //Americans at War//. Ed. John P. Resch. Vol. 4: 1946-Present. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. 194-195. //Gale Virtual Reference Library//. Web. 20 Nov. 2011.

TASK III: How did United States' Public view this conflict? Due Tuesday, Noevmber 29th •Explain why the conflict was controversial among Americans? •Describe at least two non-governmental perspectives on this conflict and identify which one was dominant. •Evaluate the importance of the publics' opinion on the duration and outcome of this small war.

The conflict between the Dominican Republic was controversial among Americans because we were in the Dominican Republic to stop communism before it started, and communism was a big fear in the US at the time. Most Americans were all for the occupation in the Dominican Republic because they were scared that the they would turn into "another cuba", but other Americans thought it wasn't our place to go into their country and just take control. After a while a large number of Americans went against the occupation,they felt like it wasn't our place to go in and that they were risking their country just because of the fear of communism, which hadn't even taken hold in the Dominican Republic yet. The importance of the publics' opinion didn't have a very large impact on this war, the government basically did what they wanted. In 1966 Dr. Joaquín Balaguer was elected president once again, thanks to US help...The public's opinion wasn't really considered in this action either.

"Juan Bosch." //Encyclopedia of World Biography//. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 428-429. //Gale Virtual Reference Library//. Web. 28 Nov. 2011.

//Boot,Max. "Lords of Hispaniola." The Savage Wars of Peace. New York: Basic//

Task IV: Did the U.S. achieve its goals? -- Due Friday, December 2nd •How did the conflict end and how was success measured? •How did the outcome affect the U.S. standing with the American public, its allies, belligerents, and enemies? •Were the U.S. decision makers and military leaders praised or vilified?

Americas main goal in this occupation was basically to get rid of communism in the republic, which meant that they absolutely could not have Juan Bosch as a leader. Once Bosch was out the U.S would be successful. the U.S succeeded, in an article, //Juan Bosch// it states "In new elections a year later, Bosch was decisively defeated by the former president, Joaquin Balaguer." The U.S. withdrew from the Dominican Republic and things went back to normal, except for the Dominican Republic. The Republic was affected, "losing 6,000 to 10,000 people, mostly civilians". The Dominican republic was not happy with the U.S but they didn't have enough power or resources to try and fight them As we said in task two, the decision makers were praised, but mostly vilified. Many people thought that "it wasn't our place to be" and "they were risking their country just because of the fear of communism." Overall the U.S achieved their goals and they did it in a just way. They protected themselves and every other non-communist country from communism.

"Juan Bosch." //Encyclopedia of World Biography//. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 428-429. //Gale Virtual Reference Library//. Web. 28 Nov. 2011.

//Boot,Max. "Lords of Hispaniola." The Savage Wars of Peace. New York: Basic//

Ed. Richard C. Hanes, Sharon M. Hanes, and Lawrence W. Baker. Vol. 2: //Almanac Volume 2//. Detroit: UXL, 2004. p251-274. From //Gale Virtual Reference Library//

** Rubric for Small War Wiki: **•Answers to project questions are accurate and complete. •Information and expert opinion are selected from the **required** LC resources and are cited accurately with the credibility precisely stated. ·Maps, banners and photos are caption and cited. •Project questions are answered fully in extended power paragraphs.spelling •Writing is edited for spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors. *Works cited follow each task