Dominican Republic and Haiti: Country Studies

Dominican Republic and Haiti: Country Studies
prominent factor in the mission of Haiti's armed forces. Since
the efforts of the French to reconquer the island in the early
years of the nineteenth century, the country has not been seriously
challenged by any foreign power. In 1822 Haiti occupied
the eastern part of the island of Hispaniola, which had
declared itself independent of Spain as the Republic of Santo
Domingo. Controlling the whole island, however, drained the
national treasury, and internal struggles so weakened the army
that it was unable to pursue missions beyond its borders. Nonetheless,
under Faustin Soulouque, Haiti made repeated
attempts to reconquer the eastern part of the island between
1847 and 1859, following its ejection in 1844.
The principal sources of the nation's safety until the twentieth
century were the jealousies among the great powers and
the increasing interest of the United States in a stable order in
Haiti. The United States Navy deployed to the country's ports
fifteen times between 1876 and 1913 in order to protect United
States lives and property. Occupation of Haiti by the United
States Marines beginning in 1915 was designed to ensure
domestic law and stability. During this period, the United
States helped establish the Garde d'Haiti, which was intended
to be a modern, apolitical military establishment oriented
toward this goal.
As a noncommunist country situated only eighty kilometers
from Cuban territory, Haiti's security falls within the wider
framework of United States strategic interests in the Caribbean.
The Marine occupation and a succession of American training
missions have in effect placed Haiti under a United States security
umbrella. The Duvaliers' tight control eliminated all Marxist
influence, and it was not until 1986 that a small communist
party began to operate openly in the country. Cuba has not
tried to interfere in Haitian affairs, deterred by the severity of
Haiti's political and economic difficulties and the high profile
of the United States in the region.
Relations with the Dominican Republic, Haiti's neighbor on
the island of Hispaniola, have been marked by recurrent differences,
but neither country presents a threat to the other's territorial
integrity or security. The Dominican Republic was an
important source of smuggled gasoline and other goods during
the 1991-94 international embargo against Haiti. Under pressure
from the United States, however, the Dominicans
strengthened their military border posts, reducing if not shutting
off the movement of contraband. By agreement, several
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