American interventionism in

Haiti and the Dominican

Republic: Reason and
Consequences

Javier Gordon | HIST2007 | May 25,2020

Introduction
The United States Government had interest in Haiti for decades prior to their occupation

in Hispaniola. As a possible Naval base for the United States during the 19th century,

Haiti and Dominica Republic stability was much concerned to U.S diplomatic and

officials who feared their instability might result in a Foreign Policy fallout. The United

states intervention led to them to restore order, maintain political and economic stability

in the Caribbean. This intervention had Reasons and resulted in much consequences.

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To understand the reason for American intervention, especially in Haiti and Dominican

Republic, You need to understand that intervention within the context that United States

of America foreign policy towards the Caribbean region as it was a developing an

industry and military power in the late 19th and 20th centuries. The Expansion westward

was natural to many Americans in the mid-nineteenth century, Americans believed that

America had a divine guiding them to stretch West to East of the United States. This idea

was used to rationalize and justify its acquisitions of Texas, New Mexico, Oregon and

California1. The Americans were still not satisfied with their expansion of the United

States which is one of the reasons of their intervention in the Latin American and the

Caribbean. The European countries took efforts to take control of independent countries

in North or South America, and the United states viewed it as an Unfriendly policy

towards them.

The Monroe Doctrine made by James Monroe grew to be the United States longstanding

tenet of US Foreign policy. It was used as an American diplomatic ideal to fight off

European affairs in the Western Hemisphere. The main concepts of this doctrine were to

Separate spheres of influence for the Americas and European, no colonization and no

intervention in the Western Hemisphere. By the end of the 19th century, Monroe Doctrine

was an important declaration in US foreign Policies. The impact of this lasted more than

a century, into the late 20th century and was used by US Presidents like John F. Kennedy

and Ronald Regan.2

1
“Manifest Destiny.” U.S. History Online Textbook, 2020. //www.ushistory.org/us/29.asp.
Accessed: May 14,2020
2
“Milestones: 1801-1829 - Office of the Historians.” Monroe Doctrine,1823, mid 2016.
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1801-1829/monroe. Accessed May 14,2020

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The intervention in Dominica Republic and Haiti was inspired by having a strategic

location of a Naval base and Economic interests. The Island of Hispaniola was heavily

settled by the French and Germans, and a lesser extend to the British. These countries

were sending representatives to collect money by force in the region for their owns needs.

Going forward after 1912, the State Department got news that Germany was talking to

Haiti about a loan of two million dollars to secure the access to ports, control of customs,

and coaling stations at Mole St. Nicholas. All these negotiations happened without the

knowledge of the American Minister to Haiti, However Germany denied these allegations

made in 1914. Between 1911 and 1916, political instability in both Dominica Republic

and Haiti could of provide a way for German Political invasion in Hispaniola. These

European powers in Haiti and Dominica Republic were not accepted because it

challenges the Monroe Doctrine and could not be ignored, However the doctrine stated it

would not interfere with existing European colonies or in their affairs.3

The intervention in Haiti in 1915, and the Dominica Republic in 1916 which was

motivated by US foreign and economic interest. The occupation in Haiti began on July

28, 1915 and ended on August 1, 1934. The intervention was brought in following the

murder of Vilbrum Gillaume Sam who was a Haitian Dictator. The occupation in the

country ended on August 1,1934 after Frank Roosevelt reaffirmed an August 1933

disengagement agreement. The last Naval Marines departed on August 15,1934, after a

formal transfer of authority to Garde d’Haiti. Between 1911 and 1915, Haiti was

politically unstable: there was a series of political assassinations and forced exiles of six

3
Kelsey, Carl. The American Intervention in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. American
Academy of Political and Social Science, 1922. Pg 135

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presidents that were holding office in this period. The United States was concerned and

feared that Germany would take advantage of the unstable political situation in the

country. Prior to World War One, Germany was in the Caribbean Region and was

dangerous to the United States as the Monroe Doctrine Stated. Fearing Germany, given

its significant investment and integration in Haiti society, they would use the unstable

situation to invade Haiti because of its strategic location of Hispaniola, Port Facilities and

Wealth.4

The United States were concerned on how the Germans were integrated into Haiti

society. The German nationals controlled about eighty percent of the country

international commerce; they owned places in Port-au-Prince, Property in Cap Haiten,

Wharfs, Tramway and railroads by 1910. The Germans in the communities had married

to elite families of mixed race African-French descent to bypass the constitutional

prohibition against foreigners owning land in the country. The German residents at the

same time, retained strong relationship to their homeland and helped the German military

and intelligence networks in Haiti. Since the Germans were integrated into the country

society, they became the main financiers of the Nations revolutions, high loans as well.

As a result of this the Americans regarded the Germans as a threat to their economic

interest5. The Americans made an effort to reduce the German influence in the country

by using the State department in 1910-11 backed by Several American Investors headed

4
Kelsey, Carl. The American Intervention in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. American
Academy of Political and Social Science, 1922. Pg 140
5
Schmidt, Hans. The United States Occupation of Haiti, 1915-1934. New Brunswick, NJ:
Rutgers University Press, 1995. Pg 35

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to the Bank of New York to get control of the National Bank of Haiti6. This National

Bank was Haiti main Commerical Bank that safeguard the country government treasures.

In December 1914, the US military took custody of Haiti’s gold reserve and sent them to

New York City Bank vault.

In the period of July 1915 an Anti- American Haitian Politcian called Rosalvo Bobo

became the next president of Haiti and opposed the United States Occupation of Haiti.

The United States wanted to preserve their dominance in Haiti so they act quickly7. On

July 28,1915 President Woodrow Wilson ordered 300 US Marines to occupy Port-au-

Prince to protect US economic and foreign interest, He also wanted to rewrite Haiti laws

that banned foreign ownership of lands that favors America financial control. President

Wilson said the writing of law has noting to do with diplomatic interest but for peace and

order. At the end of the US occupation there were many consequences. The occupation

had a positive impact on the country by improving their infrastructure, Education,

National Affairs were strengthen and Finally, the military, political and economic power

of the German Imperial powers were broken by the years of occupations.8

6
Balch, Emily Greene. Occupied Haiti: Being the Report of a Committee of Six Disinterested
Americans Representing Organizations Exclusively American Who Having Personally
Studied Conditions in Haiti in 1926 Favor the Restoration of the Independence of the Negro
Republic. S.l.: Praeger., n.d. Pg 15-20
7
Weinstein, Brian, and Aaron Segal. Haiti: Political Failures, Cultural Successes. New York:
Praeger, 1984. Pg 28
8
of State, U.S Department. “U.S. Invasion and Occupation of Haiti 1915-34.” U.S
Department of State Archive, January 20, 2001.
https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/ho/time/wwi/88275.htm. Accessed May 16,2020

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