Eisenhower, Somoza, and the Cold War in Nicaragua: 1953-1961

by Michael D. Gambone

Overview

During the Cold War era, the United States faced the prospect of expanding its power in Central America. But we miscalculated—grievously. After 1945, Central America teemed with leaders willing to alter the region's quasi-colonial status. Some, like Fidel Castro, sought out revolution to shatter the status quo. Others, like Anastasio Somoza Garcia, attempted to seek out new directions along more subtle paths. Nicaragua subsequently challenged American hegemony in a manner at once more deliberate and more dangerous than any other effort in the hemisphere. The Somoza regime, unlike its contemporaries, chose to utilize American institutions and American preferences to subvert the latter's power rather than reinforce it. American arrogance, combined with a complacent approach to policy in its global backyard, offered a myriad of political, military, and economic opportunities to a leader willing to take risks. In the years after 1945, Somoza was thus able to peel away layers of clientage until, at certain moments, he could act as a partner of his northern neighbor.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780275959432
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	09/16/1997
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.75(d)
Lexile:	1490L (what's this?)

About the Author

MICHAEL D. GAMBONE is Assistant Professor of History at Alvernia College.

Table of Contents

Illustrations
Introduction
Abbreviations
The First Administration, 1953-1957
Economic Assistance Policy: Growth on the American Plan
Nicaraguan Economic Development (I) Integration, Diversification, and Expansion
Defending the Plan: The Evolution of U.S. Military Assistance Policy, 1945-1957
The Last Marines: The Origins and Development of The Guardia Nacional to 1957
The Second Administration, 1957-1961
Changes in the Plan: Economic Assistance Policy in the Second Eisenhower Administration
Nicaraguan Economic Development (II) Decline, Reform, and Entrenchment
Building a Flexible Response: American Military Assistance Policy, 1957-1961
Enemies at the Gates: The Guardia Nacional, 1957-1961
Conclusions
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

Analyzes US-Nicaraguan economic and military relations, their separate development, and interaction during the Eisenhower administration, concentrating on the policymaking process in both countries and the nature of the relationship between the US and Nicaragua during the period. Subjects discussed include the evolution of economic and military assistance policy, and origins and development of the "Guardia Nacional". Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

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