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Nicaragua

Nicaragua. Key factors. Trans-isthmus Agenda US/British competition over Latin America Liberal Conservative conflicts in the region Gold Rush William Walker Episode. Trans-isthmus Agenda. Nicaragua first location for canal (MAP) 1830’s English sent reps and surveyors US undertook report

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Nicaragua

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  1. Nicaragua

  2. Key factors • Trans-isthmus Agenda • US/British competition over Latin America • Liberal Conservative conflicts in the region • Gold Rush • William Walker Episode

  3. Trans-isthmus Agenda • Nicaragua first location for canal (MAP) • 1830’s English sent reps and surveyors • US undertook report • 1858 French tried but failed to organize funding • Costa Rica Route • Panama Route

  4. US/British competition • US little involvement before 1850: • John Lloyd Stephens: traveler wrote about CA • Bidlack Treaty (1848) US right of transit across Panama Panama Railway 1850-1855 • US involved in other concerns: Mexican War, expansion west • British become more aggressive • 1839: Brits try to colonize Honduras bay islands • 1850-Clayton Bulwer Treaty: joint US/Brit control of any trans isthmus routeUS gets equality on the isthmus

  5. Liberal Conservative conflicts • 1940’s: Two governments in Nicaragua • Conservatives-Granada •  Liberals-Leon • 1851 compromised at Managua • Simmering

  6. Gold Rush • 1848: gold discovered in California-transcontinental transit is key • NICARAGUA become the center of the transportation world—but canal will take too long • Cornelius Vanderbilt forms immediate passage • Accessory Transit Company • Nicaragua Line steamship • short stagecoach line • Complications: • Costa Rica claims territory in SW Nicaragua • Britain supports CR/US supports Nicaragua • Meanwhile CR has TI schemes (map) not really feasible in the end • Panama Railway was complete in 1855

  7. William Walker Episode • Brilliant: finishes college at 14, studies medicine, law, becomes journalist • Inspired by liberal ideals and Manifest Destiny • goes to Nicaragua to join the Leon Liberals in 1855. (57 other Californians) • Leads liberals against conservatives, eventually becomes chief of the Armed forces, really most powerful. • US recognizes his regime,aided by NY finance • Veterans of Mexican war and southerners flock to Nicaragua aided by land grants and other concessions visions of expanded south/slavery. Nic as a southern slave sate • 1856, Walker is elected president

  8. “National War” • Conservatives from all of CA are ALARMED at US intervention“NATIONAL WAR” • large Central American force/Brits blockade/Peru loans $ to Costa Rica, other help from SA states • 1857: Walker is defeated, Pres. Buchanan arranges truce • Results of the war for Nicaragua: • Conservative victory: extension of power for a longer period than otherwise might have occurred. • long period of stability allowed for development • 1880’s: coffee would emerge there later than other countries • US discredited • a)  opened way for French influence; Tried to build canal there, but capital and Costa Rican problems remained, • b)  US still involved in a scheme that eventually fails by 1995 at Greytown (Nicaraguan canal Association)

  9. Zelaya • Liberal revolution in 1893 • Zelaya is a liberal dictator (common in CA at the time) similar to Porfirio • Not welcoming or sympathetic to US • Residual effects of US intervention during the National War would later result in Zelaya refusing to be part of a US sponsored accord by 4 other CA states in 1906 • US supports his overthrow in 1910 (Brits help with this too)

  10. US Intervention in Nicaragua • Read Central America (Woodward) pp. 194-202.

  11. Somoza dynasty • 1934/36--1979 • Legacy of US occupation: national guard • Wealth: • Acquisition of German coffee plantations • Conflict with traditional elite • Progressive initiatives early on • Some agrarian reform • 16,500 families land titles/63 colonies • Building on history of small producers in Nicaragua (larger than in other CA countries)

  12. Pre-conditions to overthrow • Agro export model intensified in 1950’s for cotton • Average per capital income for lowest 50%=$300 (low even by Latin America standards) • Worsening infant mortality, illiteracy, life exp. • Somoza fortune grows to $.5 billion • Final catalysts to overthrow • Massacre of demonstrators in 1967 • Earthquake of 1972-little reconstructionpersonal enrichment of Somoza

  13. Somoza Overthrow--Why successful? (in contrast to other similar cases) • Social conditions of poverty (nothing unusual), but with a high urban component and exacerbated by earthquake • “Mafiacracy” and corruption • Last Somoza went over the top in tyranny; control over earthquake aid alienated trad. elites; (when Carter administration forced freedom of press, corruption of regime was exposed) • Temporary moderation of US policy under Carter • Emphasis on human rights/cutoff of aid • Nature of the FSLN • History, composition, tactics, and alliances

  14. FSLN Frente Sandanista de Liberación Nacional • Formed in 1961 by Marxist students who had left Nic. Socialist party (too controlled by USSR) • “Accumulation of Force in Silence” worked with • University students, rural and urban poor • Liberation theologists working to develop “base communities”  “social gospel” • Ideas about rights/revolution dovetailed with FSLN • 1974: hostage taking action • 1977: flurry of urban attacks • 1978: caught on broadly: (hostage taking in the Nat. Leg. Palace) • Widespread popular opposition: Cross class; Rural/urban; Church • 1979: Somoza flees to Miami

  15. Sandanista Period 1979-1984“Government of National Reconstruction” • Pragmatism/ Context: • USSR losing steam • Cuba has made many mistakes (don’t want to repeat) • Mixed economy • Nationalized émigré’s land • Public land < 40% • Encouraged entrepreneurs with loans, exchange rates • Heavy emphasis on state farms disappointed some peasants (history of small peasant farmers larger in Nic) • Successful: GDP growth of 7% (during 14.7% decline in CA)

  16. Sandanista Period 1979-1984“Government of National Reconstruction • Maintained more political/civil rights than most Latin American govs • Explosion of grassroots organization and participatory democracy • Given formal representation in gov. and Council of State (legislature until elections in 1984) • Electoral laws developed modeled on/with Swedish Electoral Commission. • Social success: Kissinger Commission report (1984) “significant gains against illiteracy and disease”. • Foreign policy: neutral and non aligned • Seat on UN Security Council

  17. The election: 1984 • 1984 Elections: Daniel Ortega (leader of FSLN) elected with 75% of vote • Observed by delegations from Brit. Parliament and House of Lords, Irish Parliament, and Willy Brandt commission • US participation in elections: • CIA organizes false candidate who would quite in disgust over unfree elections • CIA false leaks about Soviet MiGs en route to Nic to distract US public from results • Context: Iran/contra

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