The Pit
War
WAR: American Intervention
***Note: I said I would provide write-ups exploring alternative motives behind American military intervention in foreign countries over the past century. That is my intention, but after spending every day over the past two years writing The Pit, I am going to take a little break from writing. Thank you for understanding.
***Also, for those who have not read it, yet, my book is not an anti-American critique. The chapter I devoted to War is more about the cronies in Washington with their fingers on the trigger, who benefit from sending men and women to kill other men and women. I simply tried to explore in what ways they personally gained from conflict.
***Both write-ups below are from Appendix B in The Pit.
1903 – Honduras – US Marines intervene
1903 – Colombia/Panama – US Navy enters
1903 – Dominican Republic – US Troops intervene to protect US interests
1906 – Cuba – Marines intervene in democratic election
1911 – Honduras – Marines intervened to protect US interests (United Fruit Company & Standard Fruit Company)
1912 – Cuba – Marines landed in Havana to protect US interests
1912 – Panama – Marines intervene during election
1912 – Honduras – Marines intervened to protect US interests
1914 – Dominican Republic – Fight for Santo Domingo
1913-1918 – Mexico – Continued fighting versus nationalists
1914-1934 – Haiti – Occupation
1917-1919 – World War I
1912-1933 – Nicaragua – Occupation
1916-1924 – Dom Rep – Marine occupation
1917-1933 – Cuba – Occupation, economic protectorate
1918-1920 – Panama – Troops remain to “police” Panama after elections
1918-1922 – Soviet Russia – American forces intervene on multiple occasions
1919 – Honduras – Marines intervene in election
1922 – Turkey – Troops fight in Smyrna
1922-1927 – China – Troops intervene to stop nationalists
1927-1934 – China – Marines stationed throughout
1924-1925 – Honduras – Marines intervene in election strife
1925 – Panama – Marines intervene
1934-1945 – the Depression and World War II kept our interactions with Latin America to a minimal.
1941-1945 – WWII
1946 – Yugoslavia – Navy responds after American plane brought down
1947 – Uruguay – Bombers deployed
1947-1949 – Greece – US intervenes in elections
1948 – Germany – Military intervenes due to Berlin Blockade
1948-1954 – Philippines – CIA involved in Huk Rebellion
1951-1953 – Korean War
1953 – Iran – CIA’s Kermit Roosevelt orchestrates removal of Mossadegh. Replaces him with US-backed Shah and Zahedi
1954 – Guatemala – Coup d’état involving CIA. Guatemala nationalizes land that was unused, but controlled by United Fruit Company. 200,000+ killed
1954 – Vietnam – US sells weapons to French to fight Vietnamese forces
1956 – Egypt – Marines intervene. Nasser nationalizes Suez Canal.
1958 – Panama – Troops intervene in protest
1958 – Lebanon – Navy intervenes during civil war
1961-1962 – Cuba – Bay of Pigs
1962 – Laos – Military occupied during civil war
1964 – Panama – Troops sent down to stop protesters protesting for the return of the canal
1965 – Indonesia – CIA orchestrates military coup
1965-1966 – Dominican Republic – Troops and bombing during elections
1966-1967 – Guatemala – Green Berets stop rebels
196?-197? – Vietnam War
1969-1975 – Cambodia – Military sent due to Vietnam war expanding
1970-1973 – Chile – CIA and US orchestrate removal of Allende
1971-1975 – Laos – Military carpet-bombs Laos during civil war
1976-1992 – Angola – CIA supports rebels against leftist leadership
1981-1992 – El Salvador – Troops intervene. 75,000 killed
1981-1990 – Nicaragua – Contra, Sandinistas. 50,000 killed
1981 – Ecuador – Jaime Roldos murdered in plain crash. Replaced with US-backed leader
1981 – Panama – Omar Torrijos murdered in plain crash. Replaced by US-backed Manuel Noriega, who was on CIA payroll
1981 – Libya – Americans shoot down Libyan fighters
1982-90 – Honduras – Troops sent down, build bases at borders
1982-1984 – Lebanon – Marines occupied Beirut
1983-1984 – Grenada – Troops and bombs sent to quell revolution
1984 – Iran – Americans shoot down two Iranian planes
1986 – Libya – Military intervenes in Tripoli
1986-1987 – Bolivia – Troops involved with cocaine raids
1987 – Iran – US aids Iraq in fighting Iran
1989 – Panama – Invasion. Noriega got away from US control. 2000-3000 killed
1989 – Libya – America shoots down two more fighter jets
1989 – Virgin Island – Troops intervene during civil unrest
1989 – Philippines – America provides air support during attempted coup
1990 – Liberia – Troops evacuate people
1990-1991 – Iraq – Gulf War
1992-1994 – Somalia – Troops occupy during civil war
1993-2006 – Bosnia – Military intervention
1994-1995 – Haiti – Troops intervene, replace leader with US-backed leader
1996-1997 – Zaire – Marines sent in response to Congo revolution?
1997 – Albania – Troops help foreigners evacuate
1998 – Sudan – Bombings
1998 – Afghanistan – Bombing of alleged terrorist training camps
1999-2003 – Yugoslavia – Bombings, military intervention
1999-2001 – East Timor – Military Intervention
1998-2001 – Iraq – Bombings
2000 – Sierra Leone – US C-17 aircraft delivers ammunition, Navy on standby
2000 – Yemen – US Navy deployed
2001-2014 – Afghanistan
2002 – Venezuela – Attempt to remove Hugo Chavez
2003-2011 – Iraq – WMDs
2003 – Liberia – Military personnel deployed
2004-??? – Haiti – Troops occupy Haiti
2004-Present – Pakistan – Drone strikes
2006 – Lebanon – Aircraft and troops deployed to Beirut
2007 – Somalia – Airstrikes
2009 – Honduras – Support for coup to remove Zelaya
2010-Present – Yemen – Drone strikes
2011 – Somalia – Drone strikes
2011 – Libya – Bombings
2013 – Niger – Troops deployed
2013 – Jordan – Military personnel deployed
2014-Present – Syria – Airstrikes
2014-2017 – South Korea – US Troops, artillery deployed
2014 – Central Africa – US Aircraft and personnel sent
2015 – Cameroon – Military intervenes
2016 – Yemen – Missile strikes
2017 – Syria – Tomahawk missile strike
2017 – Romania – Tanks and troops sent
2018 – Syria – Bombings
2020 – Iraq – Airstrike