Caribbean History

1. Caribbean History Monday 18 April 2011

2. Prayer to the Holy Spirit O Holy Spirit, soul of my soul I adore you. Enlighten, guide, strengthen and console me. Tell me what I ought to do and command me to do it. I promise to submit to everything that you ask of me and to accept all that you allow to happen to me. Only show me what is your will.

3. Examinations Prayer to St. Joseph of Cupertino O Great St. Joseph of Cupertino who while on earth did obtain from God the grace to be asked at your examination only the questions you knew, obtain for me a like favour in the examinations for which I am now preparing. In return I promise to make you known and cause you to be invoked. Through Christ our Lord.St. Joseph of Cupertino, Pray for us. Our Lady of Good Studies pray for me Sacred Head of Jesus, Seat of divine wisdom, enlighten me. Amen.

4. Jog your brain with these brainteasers (click on link)

5. Review activity • Plan the following question by writing a thesis paragraph and writing down your main points: • Explain the reasons for, and the effects of Castro’s nationalisation programme on Cubans.

6. Explain the reasons for, and the effects of Castro’s nationalisationprogramme on Cubans.

7. Objectives • Describe United States’ involvement in the English-speaking Caribbean between 1939-1985 • Assess the impact of this involvement. • Economic effects • Political effects • Cultural effects

8. Outline US involvement • 1939-1945 World War II • US bases • Anglo-American Caribbean Commission • Post-War • Cold War begins • Suspension of Constitution in British Guiana (1954) • Trade and investment • Independence Era • Cold War concerns • Cuba • Grenada • Trade and investment continue • Aid

9. US aid and investment in the independence era • US aid agencies • Growth in English-speaking Caribbean as a US tourist destination • After Cuban Revolution • Caribbean Basin initiative

10. 1939-1945 World War II

11. What was the impact of the establishment of US bases in the Caribbean during World War II?

12. During World War II the United States set up bases to protect the region and from which to launch attacks against the enemies, if needed.

13. Us bases in the English-speaking Caribbean • Antigua • Bahamas • British Guiana • Jamaica • St. Lucia • Trinidad

14. Case study Trinidad See notesmaster for information on all the territories with bases

15. The bases • Naval base at Chaguaramas • Fort Reid air base in Cumuto • The air base known as Waller Field. • Camden and Carlsen Field. • Barracks at Camp Ogden • Two smaller bases in Tobago.

16. US army truck

17. Canteen at Waller Field

18. Social Effects on Trinidad • Families were evicted from Chaguaramas and other areas to make way for the bases: • The entire north-west peninsula was out of bounds to the public including beaches

19. Macqueripe Bay was one of the areas sealed off from the public Macqueripe bay

20. AUGUSTIN NOEL, head of the Chaguaramas Land Owners’ committee was yesterday arrested after he was caught defacing a concrete pillar in front of the Aluminium Company of America’s facility in Chaguaramas. Noel was seen pounding a large nail into the concrete slab marking the entrance to the old US Naval Base at Chaguaramas. There have been protests by landowners in recent time over the return of land leased to the US Government by the United Kingdom in 1941 during World War II… [By Malissa Larawww.newsday.co.ttThursday, August 23 2007] People are still fighting for the land that was taken from their families

21. Other US activities • The Americans built highways and roads e.g. Churchill-Roosevelt and Princess Margaret, now called the Solomon Hochoy highway as well as the Lady Young Road. • Set up the Caribbean Medical Centre a health care facility in Port-of- Spain • Ports were upgraded • The building of a United States base in Trinidad led to more jobs for approximately 30,000 workers, or between 15 and 20 percent of the labour force at the time.

22. Economic impact • Jobs on the bases paid higher wages than in agriculture •  shortage of workers for agriculture • Everyone wanted to work for the Americans even civil servants, teachers etc. • This led to migration from country to towns • And immigration from Grenada, St. Vincent and other territories to Trinidad.

23. Impact on culture and society • American way of life, music, foods, language, and other culture practices became more influential in Trinidad and Tobago: • “Lorries became trucks, petrol became gas . . .” • For the first time African and Indian people in this country saw white people performing manual labour, working and recreating side by side with Trinidadians. • Impact on masquerade bands and steelbands

24. Sailor Bands

25. The entertainment industry, e.g. calypso increased to cater for the US forces

26. Photograph: Calypsonians appearing at Ft. Read, the main Army base in Trinidad and the location of Waller Field, 1943. From left: Invader, Growler, Atilla and Lion. http://calypsoworld.org/trinidad/calypsonians1943.htm

27. Impact on society continued • There was increased prostitution. This is discussed in the calypso Rum and Coca Cola. • More information and lyrics at http://www.rumandcocacolareader.com/RumAndCocaCola/versions.html • Explanation by calypsonian Lord Invader • Listen to calypso here,

28. Political impact • In 1960, the war had long ended but the Americans had a lease to remain in Chaguaramas for 99 years. • The then PNM government organised massive protests for Chaguaramas to be returned to the people. • The Americans agreed to leave in 1977.

29. March in the rain demanding the return of Chaguaramas

30. The Caribbean basin initiative • What it was • Why it was introduced • What it entailed • Its effects

31. What was the cbi? From “This day in history”. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/reagan-announces-caribbean-basin-initiative Feb 24, 1982:Reagan announces Caribbean Basin Initiative February 24 President Ronald Reagan announces a new program of economic and military assistance to nations of the Caribbean designed to "prevent the overthrow of the governments in the region" by the "brutal and totalitarian" forces of communism. The Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) was part of the Reagan administration's effort to curb what it perceived to be the dangerous rise in communist activity in Central America and the Caribbean.

32. Why the cbi was introduced In the course of an address to the Organization of American States, Reagan argued that a massive new aid program to the Caribbean region was vitally necessary. "If we do not act promptly and decisively in defence of freedom, new Cubas will arise from the ruins of today's conflicts. We will face more totalitarian regimes tied militarily to the Soviet Union, more regimes exporting subversion, more regimes so incompetent yet so totalitarian that their citizens' only hope becomes that of one day migrating to other American nations as in recent years they have come to the United States."

33. Reagan's proposal was in response to what he and his advisors believed to be an increasing Soviet presence in the Caribbean and Central America. In Nicaragua, the leftist Sandinista regime had come to power in 1979. El Salvador was involved in a bloody and brutal conflict between government forces supported by the United States and leftist rebels. And on the island nation of Grenada, the government of Maurice Bishop was establishing close ties to Cuba and Fidel Castro.

34. What did the cbi offer? Specifically, the President called for increases of $350 million in economic aid and $60 million in military assistance to the Caribbean. He also pledged U.S. assistance in increasing Caribbean trade with the United States and encouraging private investment in the Caribbean.

35. Impact of the CBI The CBI, however, had little impact on improving the economic situation of the nations it was trying to aid. Eventually the entire concept was allowed to simply fade away, and the Reagan administration chose to employ more forceful anti-communist measures in the region. These included support of the anti-Sandinista Contras, massive military aid to the Salvadoran government, and, in 1983, the invasion of Grenada to remove its leftist government.