This is especially seen in Kennedy's reaction to Guatemala. By the mid-1960's, Guatemala had finally begun creating an independent government. What's more, the people even wanted to have an open election. However, Kennedy caught wind of a threat by the former dictator Arevalo, who planned to re-enter the country and run in the election. Instead of trusting the people to elect the right leader, Kennedy reacted in fear and used American military and intelligence to rig the election in favor of a civilian leader (Rabe 56) and a military independent of that government.
The third motive, and one that is rarely considered, behind the assaults on Latin America was imperialism. Prior to the cold war, America kept its own boundaries safe and nothing else. It only went to war when absolutely necessary and did not concern itself with the affairs or decisions of other countries in a militaristic way (Holden 163). Once the Iron Curtain began to spread, however, the American...
Punishing the countries with military assaults if undesired actions occurred (Rabe 194). This imperialistic decision making has continued into the modern American policy in the Middle East.
At the onset of the Cold War America had to make a decision when it came to Latin America. America could either keep up the Good Neighbor policy of the Roosevelt administration and simply monitor the countries peacefully, or it could attempt to form Latin America into a desirable democratic society. Much to the dismay of many, American chose the later route, the consequences of which will likely never be reversed.
Works Cited
Cottam, Martha. Images and Intervention: U.S. Policies in Latin America. University of Pittsurgh Press, 1994.
Holden, Robert H. & Zolov, Eric. Latin America and the United States: A Documentary History. Oxford University Press, 2000.
