Eisenhower, Somoza, and the Cold War in Nicaragua: 1953-1961

262 Pages·1997·1.121 MB·English

by  Michael D. Gambone

EISENHOWER, SOMOZA,
AND THE COLD WAR
IN NICARAGUA

EISENHOWER, SOMOZA,
AND THE
COLD WAR
IN
NICARAGUA
1953–1961
Michael D. Gambone
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Gambone,MichaelD.,1963–
Eisenhower,Somoza,andtheColdWarinNicaragua,1953–1961 /
MichaelD.Gambone.
p. cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferences(p. )andindex.
ISBN0–275–95943–0(alk.paper)
1. UnitedStates—Foreignrelations—Nicaragua. 2. Nicaragua—
Foreignrelations—UnitedStates. 3. UnitedStates—Foreign
relations—1953–1961. 4. Eisenhower,DwightD.(DwightDavid),
1890–1969. 5. Somoza,Anastasio,1896–1956. 6. ColdWar.
I. Title.
E183.8.N5.G36 1997
327.7307285—DC21 97–2248
BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationDataisavailable.
Copyright(cid:1)1997byMichaelD.Gambone
Allrightsreserved.Noportionofthisbookmaybe
reproduced,byanyprocessortechnique,withoutthe
expresswrittenconsentofthepublisher.
LibraryofCongressCatalogCardNumber:97–2248
ISBN:0–275–95943–0
Firstpublishedin1997
PraegerPublishers,88PostRoadWest,Westport,CT06881
AnimprintofGreenwoodPublishingGroup,Inc.
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
TM
Thepaperusedinthisbookcomplieswiththe
PermanentPaperStandardissuedbytheNational
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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For
Martin Kelly
and
his example

Contents
Illustrations ix
Acknowledgments xi
Abbreviations xiii
Introduction 1
Part I
The First Administration, 1953–57
1. Economic Assistance Policy: Growth on the American Plan 15
2. Nicaraguan Economic Development: Integration,
Diversification, and Expansion 45
3. Defending the Plan: The Evolution of U.S. Military
Assistance Policy, 1945–57 77
4. The Last Marines: The Origins and Development of the
Guardia Nacional to 1957 105
Part II
The Second Administration, 1957–61
5. Changes in the Plan: Economic Assistance Policy in the
Second Eisenhower Administration 131
viii CONTENTS
6. Nicaraguan Economic Development: Decline, Reform, and
Retrenchment 161
7. Building a Flexible Response: American Military Assistance
Policy, 1957–61 183
8. Enemies at the Gates: The Guardia Nacional, 1957–61 209
Conclusions 225
Selected Bibliography 231
Index 243
Illustrations
FIGURES
1. USOM Nicaragua, 1951–57 35
2. USOM Nicaragua, 1957–61 152
TABLES
1. United States Operations Missions Programs and Funding in
Nicaragua, 1951–55 34
2. Nicaraguan Export of Primary Commodities and Minerals,
1952–57 53
3. Partial Summary of IBRD Assistance to Nicaragua, 1951–60 55
4. Nicaraguan Terms of Trade, 1948–57 57
5. Sources of Nicaraguan Central Government Tax Revenue,
1952–63 60
6. Sources of Nicaraguan Imports, 1951–60 64
7. Destination of Nicaraguan Merchandise Exports, 1951–62 65
8. Partial Summary of U.S. Military Aid Disbursements to
Nicaragua, 1951–63 92
x ILLUSTRATIONS
9. Distribution of Nicaraguan Public Spending for Defense,
Police, and Judicial Agencies, 1924–61 116
10. Coffee and Cotton as a Percentage of Total Nicaraguan
Export Earnings, 1955–61 164
11. Nicaraguan Export of Primary Commodities and Minerals,
1958–62 172
12. Nicaraguan Copper Production, 1952–61 173
13. Central Government Receipts and Commercial Duties,
1953–62 175
14. Non-U.S. Arms Sales to Latin America, 1951–61 193
15. Non-U.S. Arms Sales to Latin America, 1955 194
16. Nicaraguan Arms Receipts and Re-exports, 1954–58 197