Resistance to Occupations in Nicaragua, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic

I will focus on why there was so little resistance to three occupations that were beginning or ongoing at the time: Nicaragua (begun in 1912), Haiti (begun in 1915), and the Dominican Republic (begun in 1916). Traditional explanations focus on the United States and how U.S. citizens were distracted by World War I. That certainly was true. But there were also crucial developments in occupied lands themselves. In Nicaragua, a massive 1912 US intervention had given way to a very small occupation force that brought long-lasting, if artificial, stability to a civil conflict between political parties. In Haiti, the occupation also ended a period of civil strife and many Haitians hoped that the Marines would bring about long-term peace and development. In the Dominican Republic, finally, there was more resistance, but the United States shut it down by proclaiming a military government by the end of the year. Overall, occupied peoples had yet to confront the behavior of occupying soldiers after they settled in and began to abuse their power.