Taking Haiti: A Review
This paper is a summary of the book entitled ‘Taking Haiti: Military Occupation and the Culture of U.S Imperialism, 1915-1940’ by . It provides the basic themes of the book which is centered on paternalism and racism. Also, a comparison with other books was provided for in this paper
Summary
The invasion of Haiti by the United States in July 1915 had led to a nineteen years of military occupation. During the stay of marines in Haiti, a puppet president was installed and a new constitution was forced favoring foreign investments. U.S officials are able to take control of the Haitian finances with the help of the marines. A war against the insurgents called Caco was raged the marines during their stay in Haiti. For several years, these insurgents have maintained armed resistance which engendered violent Haitian resistance. With the occupation, the Haitian military was reorganized and strengthened. The occupation was supposed to carry out specific tasks that will bring about political stability in Haiti but as well as to secure control over the Haiti. Specific gains for Haiti were proposed especially by those who supported the occupation. Indeed, the economic development and the new Haitian democracy were sought by the U.S policy makers. Initially, the U. S military has gained support from the Haitian elite while other Haitians were suspicious of the foreign powers and of government. The Haitians indeed have shown everyday resistance with the Cacos mounting their own rebellion (, 2001)
The military occupation of Haiti that started in 1915 was argued to be a no sideshow in this book. More so, the occupation was one of the important arenas overseas imperial ventures has remade the United States. Places around the globe such as Puerto Rico, Cuba, Nicaragua, China, Philippines and others were effected by the transformation of imperialism. Imperial control and influence are built through foreign interventions and the occupation of territories. Both form the solid foundations for the US new cultural departures. Haitians like other who were the focus of imperial factors has interacted with US citizens which contribute to the matrix of the U.S imperial culture.
The primary cultural mechanism conscripted the soldiers to carry out US rule in Haiti is the paternalist discourse. The marines are infused with the paternalist discourse with the viewpoint that the Haitians were wards and that their undertaking was to make a rich and a productive property for them. Paternalism is an important element of the U.S foreign policy. It is not merely a justification to the wrongdoing of the Americans but a collection of meanings, ideas and values that shaped the relations of the former European colonial possessions with the U.S. Indeed, it is a metaphor of a father’s relationship tom his children in which authority, superiority and control are asserted. More so, it is a form of domination and power disguised as benevolent by referring it with paternal care and guidance. Hence, paternalism is among the cultural vehicle for violence.
Diverse implications on the issue of race, class, gender and sexuality are associated with the cultural framework of the U.S soldiers as father figures in Haiti. Moreover, another discourse operating in the occupation is the issue of racism and racial awareness that competed with the attention of the marines. Countless cultural realities have confronted that U.S upon their arrival in the Haitian soil. Historical discourses of the Haiti have provided alternative interpretations of its relations to the United States. Cultural resources that became the basis for communicating the understanding of race, gender and Americanness was offered by the Haiti to the marines (, 2001).
By occupation, Americans are engaged as participants and supporters of the U.S Empire. The United States have encouraged marines and other supporters to see themselves as helping out a needy child through paternalist representations. An imperial perspective is thus adopted by Americans with the popular and unofficial discourses fueling the fascination with Haiti. The imperial consciousness was to a greater extent fostered and met with success. Images of Haiti, Cuba, Mexico, Polynesia, China, Africa, Arabia were brought with the imperial imaginations of the Americans. The acceptance of Pear Harbor as part of the America in December 1941 was an indication of the embrace of imperialism among the citizens of the United States. Haitian and Haitian culture narratives that has taken place in the literature of empire has indeed helped in the production of that reality.
Moreover, the national identity of the country was questioned with the broadening control and influence. Whether the American culture could remain wholly separate and unaffected by foreign culture was quesitoned. The problem of the empire lies on the ingestion of the territory without allowing it to become evidently part of the nation or the nation’s culture. The nation was also troubled with the implications of paternalism in other ways. African Americans with their paternalist discourses challenged the whiteness of the American identity and demanded for rights and respect. Paternalist discourses on Haiti as viewed by White Americans will lead to the weakening of hostilities and stronger forms of racism whilst the emergence of new types of racism (, 2001).
Ultimately, the occupation of Haiti was not a simple form of cultural event. Strategy, economics and politics are matters that are associated with the occupation. More so, the institutional growth and the development of the U.S government have to do a lot with it. The emergence of the international economy has shaped the ambitions of the policy makers of the US government.
Critical Analysis
The foundation of the U.S military and its political actions is explored in this book. It illustrates how American intellectuals are affected by the occupation of Haiti. The invasion of Haiti by the United States in July 1915 gave rise to the nineteen years of occupation and the fascination of Americans with Haiti. Fundamentally, paternalism was the central theme of the involvement of the US in Haiti. Paternalism and racism were manifested with the economic and military support for the grounds of occupations. Haitians were regarded as inferior people who are in need of the protection for white men. Such protection led to violence since the Haitian’s uprisings were suppressed by U.S marines. The cultural baggage of paternalism was carried by statesmen, diplomats and soldiers who were involved in the invasion and the occupation of Haiti. The universal idea which resulted form this was the duty of Americans as occupiers to act as parent to the native Haitians. This encompasses the duty to bring the benefits of order, stability, secure commerce and modern rational customs as regarded by the Americans. Paternalism as noted by the author was ’the cultural flagship of the United States in Haiti’.
Soldiers have tried to shape the culture of Haiti in their own image and culture through coercive means though the attempts have failed because of the Haitians resistance. The racism of American soldiers led to the perception of Haitians as ignorant children that are unworthy of ruling themselves. Seeing them as such, the marines have come to imagine themselves to act in protective and disciplinary motivations. Moreover, the occupations on the Haiti have articulated an effect on the US citizens. The author argued that the military intervention has remade U.S and that imperialism can intervene with domestic cultural politics. She identified the cultural fabric of the Haitian occupation with the racial, sexual and gender apparatus that is associated with the marines.
The occupation of Haiti has impacted the United States in terms of understanding the imperialist actions of the country around the globe. It has been presented in the book that the Haiti’s occupation was a transformation of the role of U. S in the world as well as the beliefs of Americans toward themselves. Also, the book illustrates the impact of the occupation which transformed Haiti in ways intended by the U. S policy makers.
In the book, ‘A date which will Live; Pearl Harbor in American Memory’, the author argued that Americans have discussed foreign policy in the way that it is a metaphor to Pearl Harbor. It is discussed in the said book that the memories of the event have led to different lessons. The attack was described by then President Franklin Roosevelt as ‘a date which will live infamy’ has been embedded in the memory of the Americans. The infamy implies the innocence of the United States and the deceitful act of the Japanese military. The event has reinforced the policy of containment in the nation and the guarding against possible or future treachery through a strong military. However, Rosenberg pointed out that the same meaning was not shared by all Americans. The intelligence network was blamed to justify why the America was caught unaware.
The aftermath of the attack led to racist antagonism against the Japanese which gave rise to restrictive immigration laws (, 2005). The story of Pearl Harbor as illustrated by the author, played an important role in the shaping the images of the Japanese as treacherous enemies or powerful trading partners and giants.
Ultimately, the book brings into understanding the memories surrounding the defining moment of the American history during the attack at the Pearl Harbor and how such memories led to the interpretation of another infamous attack. History and memory are mingled that provide an understanding of the past events. These events in turn bring different messages and serve as icons marking the turning point of the country’s history.
Both authors have discussed the issue of racism of Americans. Taking Haiti by was rather focused on the paternalism. She provided a strong point of the paternalism that coincides with the occupation of the Haiti. She has clearly illustrated that the Americans have indeed taken the concept of paternalism simply by supporting the occupation. Their fascination with Haiti led to the imperial perspective adopted by the American themselves. However, the motives behind the occupation reflect more than that of a paternalistic intent. Also, the book reflects the role of power and the need for strategies for the emerging international economy as the driving factor behind the occupation.
Moreover, the cultures of paternalism have brought the imperial imaginations of the Americans towards other countries. The transformation of the Haiti as manifested in the book impacted the Americans perception towards themselves. Also it illustrates the transformation of the role of the United States among countries in the world. With regard to Rosenberg’s book, the infamy brought about by the Pearl Harbor attack has brought different lessons to the country. She also illustrated the racism which has emerged following the attack against the Japanese. Ultimately, these books provide an understanding of the historical events which has shaped the role of United States in other countries and its foreign relations.
References
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