TLDR;

  • Event: On April 28, 1965, U.S. Marines and the 82nd Airborne Division invaded the Dominican Republic, fearing a communist takeover during its civil war.
  • Motivation: President Lyndon B. Johnson’s administration aimed to prevent the Dominican Republic from becoming a “second Cuba,” deploying over 22,000 troops in “Operation Power Pack.”
  • Controversy: The intervention was criticized for violating sovereignty, sparking protests and fueling anti-American sentiment in Latin America.
  • Outcome: The U.S. stabilized the situation but installed a provisional government, leaving the Dominican Republic under authoritarian rule until later reforms.

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Story

The air was thick with tension as U.S. Marines and the 82nd Airborne Division stormed the beaches of the Dominican Republic on April 28, 1965. The roar of helicopters overhead and the sight of American troops advancing through the streets of Santo Domingo sent shockwaves through the nation. The world watched as the United States, gripped by Cold War paranoia, intervened in yet another foreign land.

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The Dominican Republic was in turmoil. A civil war had erupted, pitting the supporters of the deposed President Juan Bosch against a military-backed junta. As the conflict escalated, fears of a communist takeover loomed large in Washington. The specter of another Cuba haunted American policymakers, who were determined to prevent the spread of communism in the Western Hemisphere.

President Lyndon B. Johnson, convinced that the Dominican Republic was on the brink of becoming a ‘second Cuba,’ ordered the invasion. Initially, around 500 Marines were deployed, with the number eventually growing to over 22,000 U.S. troops, marking the largest American military intervention in Latin America in decades. The operation, dubbed ‘Operation Power Pack,’ aimed to restore order and prevent the establishment of a communist regime.

The intervention was swift and decisive, but it was not without controversy. Critics argued that the U.S. had overstepped its bounds, infringing on the sovereignty of a neighboring nation. The invasion sparked protests both domestically and internationally, with many questioning the true motives behind the U.S. actions.

In the end, the U.S. succeeded in stabilizing the situation, but at a cost. The intervention left a lasting impact on U.S.-Latin American relations and fueled anti-American sentiment in the region. The Dominican Republic’s path to democracy was fraught with challenges, with the U.S. installing a conservative provisional government under Hector García-Godoy, and the country remained under authoritarian rule until later reforms. The specter of communism had been kept at bay—for the moment.

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Would a different approach have changed the course of the Dominican Republic’s history?