<< The 19th Century || The Trujillo Era >>
In the early 20th century, the sugar industry became an increasingly vital part of the Dominican economy, attracting sizeable American investment. The US government negotiated a deal to take control of Dominican customs offices, and became progressively more involved in Dominican government affairs as the country devolved into civil strife and a succession of assassinations, coups and counter-coups. Finally, concerned about the political and economic stability of the country and rising German influence in the region just before World War I, the United States responded by sending in the Marines in 1916, occupying the country for the next eight years. While the US was there largely to safeguard its own interests, the occupiers did build new schools and roads. The military administration also squashed much of the domestic political violence that had torn the country apart for decades.
When the US occupation ended in 1924, Dominican democracy appeared ready to take hold. The freely elected new president, Horacio Vásquez, worked to improve the country’s economy and infrastructure, but a new force had emerged on the scene: Rafael Leonidas Trujillo, a one-time telegraph operator who had commanded the US-created Dominican National Guard (police force). Trujillo staged a coup, won a trumped-up election in 1930 (claiming 95% of the vote), and quickly established an iron-fisted grip on the country.
<< The 19th Century || The Trujillo Era >>
