Join the Marines and See the World
(A debatable recruiting slogan)
Screen 1 of 2The current concern about our country's involvement in El Salvador reminds me that foreign policy questions about Central and South America are not new ones.
Anyone familiar with the history of the United States knows about the foreign policy laid down in 1823 by president James Monroe--a policy which still carries his name, "The Monroe Doctrine." Now defunct--at least unacceptable to many people throughout the world--this policy says in essence that the Western Hemisphere is "ours" and that any intrusion of it by an outside nation will be viewed by us as an act hostile to the United States. Few objective observers now believe this presumptuous position is either justifiable or enforceable.
Another aspect of the relationship between the United States and nations to the south is the question of whether business investments made in these countries by U.S. citizens should be protected by the armed forces of our country. This issue was particularly critical in the late 1920's and early 1930's, when the continuing presence of the U.S. Marines in Nicaragua for the purpose of protecting American investments in that country's sugar and coffee industries was strongly opposed by many--both in the United States and in Nicaragua.
Nicaraguan elections in 1928 carried out under U.S. auspices had brought General José Maria Moncada to the presidency, but during the time I was debating at K. M. I., General César Sandino, a former comrade-in-arms of Moncado fought on against both his old friends and the U.S. Marines in what came to typify for many Latin Americans the cause of resistance against "yanqui" imperialism.
It was therefore not surprising that the 1928-29 debate topic for competing high schools in Kentucky was, "Resolved: The United States Should Protect the Investments of its citizens in Foreign Countries--With Military Force if Necessary."
During that year, our all-male K. M. I. team debated this topic against several schools in the Louisville area, including Male High School and St. Xavier; and we made one trip to Lexington to go against an all-female team representing Hamilton College.
On all these occasions, we did not know until shortly before the debate began which side of the debate topic we would have to defend. Sometimes this decision was the result of a flip of a coin; at other times by drawing lots. It was necessary, therefore, for us always to be prepared to defend either side.
[CONTENTS OF VOL. 6]
[DAVID'S HOME PAGE]
- 30 -