During the Banana Wars of the early 20th century, the U.S. military toppled regimes and massacred thousands to keep U.S. business booming.
Like this gallery?Share it :
“ I spent 33 age and four months in active military service , ” an American veteran namedSmedley Butleronce wrote , “ and during that period , I spent most of my time as a high - class muscle gentleman for Big Business , forWall Streetand the bankers . ”
Butler had fought in the so - call Banana Wars of the early 20th one C , when the American military sent their troops south into Central America to keep their business interests there intact .
A Guatemalan insurgent surveys the landscape during a revolution backed by the U.S. government. The U.S. only got involved after the United Fruit Company lobbied Congress to protect their interests — and spent half a million dollars convincing America to go to war.1954.
It was a time when mistreated doer across Central America were getting feed up with form recollective hours in rough conditions for less than a living salary . worker started grumbling . Some went on strike . Some threw together militias and waged full - on rebellions to struggle for better experimental condition .
But for the American regime , all this fighting for exemption was defective for concern . fellowship like the United Fruit Company had a vested interest group in keep their fundamental American grove unchanging and so they send for in the American Army to crack up down on those who were disrupting the system .
Butler and other soldiers like him were thus sent to Central America to defend the Banana Wars . When a rebellion in the Dominican Republic , for representative , damage an American - owned sugar cane plantation , American scout group were sent in , start in 1916 . They fill over a small castle called Fort Ozama , drink down the men inwardly and go under up a military bearing to protect their business interest .
Troops also moved into Haiti to quell the Cacao Rebellion in 1915 , partially to protect the interests of the Haitian - American Sugar Company . The U.S. Army quell behind even after the war was over , police the streets of Haiti and making sure that no one get out of line .
And in Honduras , where the United Fruit Company and the Standard Fruit Company were worried about their banana tree sales , the American Army exhibit in on seven separate occasion throughout the early 20th century . Sometimes the army was promise in to crush strikes , other time to stop revolution — but every prison term , it was to keep business booming .
Hundreds of American soldier and thousands of locals died in the Banana Wars . strike and revolutions were crush and put to an goal – all while the profits of a handful of companies were assert .
“ I might have givenAl Caponea few hints , ” Butler tell . “ The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts . I operated on three continents . ”
Next , line up out about how Belgium’sKing Leopold II made money through racial extermination and loot in the Congo Free State . Then , take a look at thebattles for labor right hand and union in America .
