The United States Occupation of Haiti, 1915-1934 (Paperback)

by Hans Schmidt (Author) "United States foreign expansion after the Civil War was characterized by an intensified interest in establishing American political and military control in the Caribbean and..." (more)
Key Phrases: rapid debt retirement, alien landownership, caco army, United States, State Department, National City Bank (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
"A good history of a sordid intervention that submitted a people to autocratic rule and did little for economic development." --The New York Times "From Schmidt we get the full details . . . of the brutal racist practices inflicted on the Haitians for nearly all of the nineteen-year American presence in the country." --American Historical Review "The only thoroughgoing study of one of the more discreditable American interventions overseas." --Journal of Interdisciplinary History "Should become the standard work on the subject. . . .required reading for specialists in Caribbean studies and U.S.-Latin American relations." --Choice Hans Schmidt taught form many years at the State University of New York at New Paltz. He now teaches at the University of Hong Kong.

Product Details

• Paperback: 303 pages
• Publisher: Rutgers University Press (February 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081352203X
• ISBN-13: 978-0813522036
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #532,068 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Brief New York Times review of the book, May 3, 2005

By	T. bailey - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

New York Times review of the book Sep 26, 1971:

Pedestrian (lacking wit or imagination) but caustic (harsh or corrosive in tone) and thorough history of the US intervention in Haiti. Prevailing imperialistic and racist attitudes in America, coupled with a fatuous (unconsciously foolish) faith in technological progress, accounted for the involvement. The National City Bank had investments in Haiti, but American policy according to the Hans Schmidt, was more the result of fears that European countries, specifically France and Germany, had their eyes on the Caribbean. This is a good history of a sordid intervention that submitted a people to autocratic military rule and did little for economic development. Parallels with our recent Vietnam venture are not out of place.

4.0 out of 5 stars "Fair & balanced.", May 19, 2009

By	TropicalDoc (Coeur d'Alene ID USA) - See all my reviews

This is a fair & balanced review of a very interesting historical period. It certainly reads like a text book but the material covered keeps it interesting. It lacks any coverage of Charlemagne Peralte and the caco resistance which would seem to be an important chapter during the occupation. Although the results of the occupation were a disappointment I get the feeling that it was not an intentionally evil enterprise as other authors conclude. I have not come across a comparable book covering the occupation and thus would recommend this without reservation to interested readers.