American Occupation of Haiti, 1915 – 1934: The End of a Chapter in U.S. History of Imperialism and Caretaker Role in the Western Hemisphere

The 1915 - 1934 occupation of Haiti by the United States was originally aimed at determining, controlling, and maintaining her friendly governments in the western hemisphere, in pursuit of its doctrine of “manifest destiny”. The 1994 American intervention in Haiti although carried out under the auspices of the United Nations, following the UN Security Council Resolution 940 that authorized the multinational force from 25 nations, including the United States to enter Haiti and restore the government of Jean-Bertrand Aristide. However, implementation of the United Nations Resolution and the enforcement of international law were used as America’s reasons to invade Haiti, even though its main hidden national security and national interest reasons and agenda behind the invasion was to stop the wave of Haitian refugees streaming into Florida; an action designed to address American domestic policy and concerns. The Haitian experience, nevertheless, has shown that the United States in pursuit of her national interest and goals will bw willing to intervene in any country, either unilaterally or in a multilateral or collective setting to achieve America’s foreign policy goals and objectives.

Keywords: Manifest Destiny, National Interest, Louisiana Purchase, European Colonialism, Imperialism, Organization of American States (OAS), Executive Order, UN Security Council.