Dominican Republic

1. Dominican Republic By Pa Ying Moua, Sharnissa Henderson, and Pa Yang

2. Background of Dominican Republic • Rafael  Trujillo was the first dictator of the Dominican Republic. before Trujillo became dictator, the island was under U.S control • People in the Dominican Republic have suffered from Trujillo for 31 years • During 20th Century, the Dominican Republic couldn't establish a stable democratic government because of the US and Rafael Leonidas Trujillo • First island that Columbus has landed on when he thinks that he has reached East Indies • three-fourth of the island is mixed with European and African people

3. Background Continue.... • During the 19th Century, Haiti won it's independence from France and controlled the Dominican Republic until 1844 when they eventually gained their independence • 20th Century, US was a big trade partner of the Dominican Republic: sugar, coffee, cocoa, and bananas • 1906, Dominican Republic signed a fifty year treaty with the US giving it political control • 1916, US occupied the island • 1920, US left Dominican Republic and left in place the US trained Dominican National Guard • 1924,  US pulled out their military and left Rafael Trujillo in charge of the Dominican National Guard

4. Background of Rafael Trujillo • At the age of 16, worked as a telegraph operator • 1918, accepted into Dominican National Guard  • Was promoted when the Dominican National Guard was fighting against the Dominican guerrilla movement • 1930, ran against Horacio Vasquez for president and received 95% of the votes • power, used the National Guard to banish all civilian opponents • established his own secret police SIM(Military Intelligence Service ) • for gathering information

6. "He may be a son of a b****, but he's OUR son of a b****."  -- Cordell Hull

7. Conflict of the Cold War in Dominican Republic • The U.S. didn't care if Rafael Leonidas Trujillo was a bad dictator, as long as he was an anti- communist • The U.S. supported him  • SIM- controlled the press, bribed businessmen, and created fear among the people

8. How was this a movement or conflict of it's own accord within the country? • Trujillo used his political control over the nation to gain great wealth. • He took over plantations and businesses. Family and political supporters received the best jobs. While the citizens of the country struggled day by day. • Most of the income of the dictator was used to throw big extravagant parties. The rest of the money was stored in foreign bank accounts.

9. Continue.... • Trujillo welcomed U.S business and maintained a pro U.S foreign policy.  • Many Americans did not like Trujillo, but after WWII,  many Cold War politicians in the U.S supported Trujillo as a leading Latin American Anti communist. Although this is true, the Dominican Republic refused to aide the U.S when they asked for troops while in Korean

10. How was this conflict a part of the larger, bi-polar world of the Cold War Era? • Rafael Trujillo was tolerated because he was anti communist. • The U.s was so obsessed with communists that they were willing to overlook terriable circumstances in the dominican republic. " He may be a son of a bitch, but he is our son of a bitch" This is a quote from the secratary of state Cordell Hull