Encoutering Nicaragua : United States Marines Occupying Nicargua, 1927-1933

Abstract

The topic of this thesis is the role of U.S. Marines in the occupation of Nicaragua from 1927-1933. The U.S. intervention in the Nicaraguan civil war of 1926-1927 was legitimized by the claim that they were there to protect the lives and property of U.S. and other foreign nationals. To end the civil war the U.S. negotiated a peace agreement, which in effect established the U.S. occupation of Nicaragua. By the terms of the peace agreement, the United States Marine Corps (USMC) was forcibly to disarm any group that did not accept the terms of the agreement. The Marines were also to establish, officer, and train a Nicaraguan constabulary, the Guardia Nacional de Nicaragua (GN). The Marines serving as officers in the GN will be the main actors analyzed in the thesis. This thesis argues that the Marines felt that their role as officers in the GN, the task of establishing as strong and popular GN was the most important. The U.S. officers tried to accomplish this by attempting to concentrate as much power as possible in the GN and thereby build the standing of the GN in Nicaragua.