Isabella Carter
In 1909, the United States orchestrated the overthrow of Nicaraguan President José Santos Zelaya, marking the first time the US government had explicitly organised the toppling of a foreign leader. This was the beginning of a long period of US intervention in Nicaragua, which included military occupation and support for the country's conservative faction.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 18 November 1909 |
| Action | US President William Howard Taft sent US warships to take position against the elected government of Nicaraguan President José Santos Zelaya |
| Reasoning | Zelaya defended the economic interests of his country and the region from exploitation by US businesses |
| US Justification | Protection of US lives and property |
| Outcome | Overthrow of Zelaya's rule and the beginning of US occupation |
| US Support | US troops continued their military occupation after the war ended, claiming to oversee social stability during the presidential election |
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What You'll Learn
- US warships were sent to take position against the elected government of President José Santos Zelaya
- The US justified its intervention by claiming to protect US lives and property
- The US refused to recognise Zelaya's successor, José Madriz
- The US supported the Nicaraguan Conservative Party and governor Juan José Estrada
- The US provided financial assistance to Estrada's rebellion
US warships were sent to take position against the elected government of President José Santos Zelaya
On November 18, 1909, US President William Howard Taft deployed US warships to Nicaragua, marking the first time the US government explicitly orchestrated the overthrow of a foreign leader. The US warships were sent to take position against the elected government of President José Santos Zelaya of the Liberal Party.
Zelaya's administration had growing friction with the US government. The US justified its intervention by claiming to protect US citizens' lives and property in Nicaragua. However, the primary motivation was the dissatisfaction of US corporations with Zelaya's defence of Nicaragua's economic interests against exploitation by American businesses. The US government had close ties with these corporations operating in the country.
Zelaya's actions fuelled fears of US economic domination and concerns about his intentions to separate Nicaragua's eastern coast from the rest of the country. He had also refused to send delegates to the 1906 San José conference, which aimed to maintain peace in Central America. Instead, he invaded Honduras, overthrew its government, and attempted to spark a revolution in El Salvador, bringing the region to the brink of war.
The US government's support for a Conservative rebellion against Zelaya, coupled with the deployment of US warships, led to the end of Zelaya's rule and the beginning of US occupation in Nicaragua. This intervention set a precedent for American "regime change" operations and marked a shift in US foreign policy towards more explicit and direct involvement in Central American politics.
In December 1909, United States Marines landed in Nicaragua's Bluefields port, creating a neutral zone to protect foreign lives and property. This zone also served as a strategic base for the anti-Zelaya rebels. On December 14, 1909, Zelaya resigned, and his successor, Jose Madriz, was elected by a unanimous vote of the Liberal Nicaraguan National Assembly on December 20, 1909. However, Madriz faced continued opposition from the rebels, and in August 1910, Juan Estrada became president with official US recognition.
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The US justified its intervention by claiming to protect US lives and property
In 1909, the Liberal Nicaraguan President José Santos Zelaya faced opposition from the Conservative Party, led by governor Juan José Estrada of Bluefields. American entrepreneurs provided financial assistance to Estrada's rebellion, hoping to gain economic concessions after the rebellion's victory. The United States government supported the rebellion due to rumours that Zelaya planned to invite Japan to construct a canal that would compete with the US waterway.
On November 18, 1909, President William Howard Taft sent US warships to take a stand against the elected government of President Zelaya. The US justified its intervention by claiming to protect US lives and property. This included the deployment of the USS Des Moines, USS Tacoma, USS Hannibal, and USS Prairie to the harbour at Bluefields, and the USS Yorktown and USS Vicksburg to the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. The US also had a limited military presence in the country, with one patrolling US Navy ship off the coast of Bluefields, allegedly to protect the lives and interests of American citizens.
The US intervention in Nicaragua was also influenced by its close relations with US corporations operating in the country. These corporations were displeased with Zelaya's defence of Nicaragua's economic interests against exploitation by US businesses. The intervention ultimately led to the overthrow of Zelaya, who resigned on December 14, 1909, and the beginning of US occupation.
Following Zelaya's resignation, his hand-picked successor, Jose Madriz, was elected by a unanimous vote of the Liberal Nicaraguan National Assembly on December 20, 1909. However, the US refused to recognise Madriz as Zelaya's successor and continued to support the Conservative opposition. This led to further civil war and the presidency of another Conservative, Adolfo Díaz, from 1911 to 1917.
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The US refused to recognise Zelaya's successor, José Madriz
In 1909, the Nicaraguan President José Santos Zelaya of the Liberal Party faced opposition from the Conservative Party, led by governor Juan José Estrada of Bluefields. American entrepreneurs provided financial assistance to Estrada's rebellion, hoping to gain economic concessions after the rebellion's victory. The United States government also supported the Conservatives, as they were unhappy with how Zelaya defended his country's economic interests from exploitation by American businesses.
On November 18, 1909, President William Howard Taft sent US warships to take a stand against Zelaya's government. This intervention led to Zelaya's resignation on December 14, 1909, and his chosen successor, José Madriz, was elected by a unanimous vote of the Liberal Nicaraguan National Assembly on December 20, 1909.
The ongoing political conflict in Nicaragua between the Liberal and Conservative factions continued to deteriorate, and by 1912, US investments under President Taft's Dollar Diplomacy were at risk. This policy aimed to undermine European financial strength in the region, which threatened American interests in constructing a canal in the isthmus, and also to protect American private investment in the development of Nicaragua's natural resources.
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The US supported the Nicaraguan Conservative Party and governor Juan José Estrada
In 1909, the Nicaraguan President José Santos Zelaya, of the Liberal Party, faced opposition from the Conservative Party, led by governor Juan José Estrada. American entrepreneurs provided financial assistance to Estrada's rebellion, with the hopes of gaining economic concessions after the rebellion's victory. The United States government also supported the Nicaraguan Conservative Party and Estrada, as they wanted to protect their economic interests in the country.
The US had a limited military presence in Nicaragua, with only one patrolling US Navy ship off the coast of Bluefields. However, on November 18, 1909, President William Howard Taft sent more US warships to take a stand against Zelaya's government. This intervention marked the beginning of the end of Zelaya's rule and the start of a US occupation. The US justified their actions by claiming to protect US lives and property.
Zelaya's defence of Nicaragua's economic interests had upset US businesses operating in the country. American corporations, with close relations to the Taft administration, were not pleased with Zelaya's resistance to their exploitation of Nicaraguan resources. Additionally, rumours circulated that Zelaya intended to invite Japan to construct a canal, which would compete with the US waterway. This further motivated the US to encourage and support the Conservative revolt against Zelaya.
The Conservative Party's goal was to overthrow Zelaya, which led to Estrada's rebellion in December 1909. The US intervention, coupled with the financial support from American entrepreneurs, played a significant role in the success of the rebellion. As a result, Zelaya resigned on December 14, 1909, and his chosen successor, Jose Madriz, was not recognised by the United States. This set the stage for Juan Estrada to become the president of Nicaragua in August 1910, with the official recognition and backing of the US government.
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The US provided financial assistance to Estrada's rebellion
In 1909, Nicaragua was in a state of political upheaval. The Liberal Nicaraguan President, José Santos Zelaya, had been in power since 1893 and sought to unite Central America under one government while freeing the region from foreign influence, particularly that of the United States. Such ambitions were unacceptable to US policymakers, who had strong economic interests in the region.
As a result, the US government supported the anti-Zelayist rebels, led by Juan José Estrada, the governor of Bluefields and a member of the Conservative Party. American entrepreneurs provided financial assistance to Estrada's rebellion, hoping to gain economic concessions after the rebellion's victory. The US also had a limited military presence in Nicaragua, with US Navy ships patrolling off the coast of Bluefields, allegedly to protect American citizens and interests in the region.
Estrada's rebellion began in December 1909, and two Americans, Leonard Groce and Lee Roy Cannon, were captured and indicted for joining the rebellion. Zelaya ordered their execution, which further strained relations with the United States. The US continued to support Estrada, and by October 1909, the rebels had captured three small towns on the border with Costa Rica and were fomenting open rebellion in the capital, Managua.
The US sent warships to Nicaragua, which arrived on December 12, 1909, to protect American citizens and property. Zelaya resigned on December 14, 1909, and his hand-picked successor, Jose Madriz, was elected by a unanimous vote of the Liberal Nicaraguan National Assembly on December 20, 1909. However, Madriz faced opposition from the reinvigorated eastern rebel forces, which ultimately led to his resignation.
In August 1910, Juan Estrada became president of Nicaragua with official US recognition. Estrada's administration allowed the US to implement its Dollar Diplomacy policy, replacing bullets with dollars to ensure stability and protect American investments, while also undermining European financial influence in the region. Despite this support, Estrada's grip on power was tenuous, and he was viewed as too dependent on the United States.
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Frequently asked questions
In 1909, the Nicaraguan President, José Santos Zelaya of the Liberal Party, faced opposition from the Conservative Party, led by governor Juan José Estrada of Bluefields.
The US government supported the Conservative Party and Juan José Estrada's rebellion against President Zelaya. They sent warships to take position against the Nicaraguan government and provided financial assistance to the rebels.
The US had close relations with corporations operating in Nicaragua and was unhappy with President Zelaya's defence of the country's economic interests against US businesses. They also wanted to prevent Zelaya from allowing Japan to construct a canal that would compete with the US waterway.
President Zelaya resigned on 14 December 1909, and his successor, Jose Madriz, was not recognised by the US. This led to further civil war and the presidency of Conservative Adolfo Diaz in 1911, with the support of US Marines.
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