The Banana Men: American Mercenaries and Entrepreneurs in Central America, 1880-1930

240 Pages·1995·14.79 MB·English

by  Lester Langley

THE BANANA MEN

THE BANANA MEN
American Mercenaries
and Entrepreneurs in
Central America,
1880-1930
-+-
Lester D. Langley
Thomas Schoonover
THE UNIVERSITY PRESS OF KENTUCKY
Copyright © 1995 by the University Press of Kentucky
Scholarly publisher for the Commonwealth,
serving Bellarmine College, Berea College, Centre
College of Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University,
The Filson Club, Georgetown College, Kentucky
Historical Society, Kentucky State University,
Morehead State University, Murray State University,
Northern Kentucky University, Transylvania University,
University of Kentucky, University of Louisville,
and Western Kentucky University.
Editorial and Sales Offices: The University Press of Kentucky
663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40508-4008
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Langley, Lester D.
The banana men: American mercenaries and entrepreneurs in Central
America, 1880-1930/ Lester D. Langley, Thomas Schoonover.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.
ISBN 0-8131-1891-3 (acid-free)
1. Americans-Central America-History. 2. Central America
Relations-United States. 3. United States-Relations-Central
America. 4. Central America-Civilization-American influences.
I. Schoonover, Thomas David, 1936- II. Title
FI440.A54L36 1995
972.8-dc20 94-12864
ISBN 0-8131-0836-5 (paper: acid-free paper)
This book is printed on acid-free recycled paper meeting
the requirements of the American National Standard
for Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials.
e®
Manufactured in the United States of America
For
Ralph Lee Woodward, Jr.

Contents
Acknowledgments IX
Introduction 1
1. The World of the Banana Men 6
2. Banana Kingdoms 33
3. The Central American Wars 58
4. The Campaign for Nicaragua 91
5. The Campaign for Honduras llS
6. A Different World 141
Epilogue 167
Notes 176
Bibliographical Note 204
Index 209
Illustrations follow page 126

Acknowledgments
Thomas Schoonover thanks his wife Ebba for research, edi
torial, and secretarial assistance; and Walter LaFeber and Ralph
Lee Woodward, Jr., for friendship and generous professional
support.
Lester D. Langley thanks Hermann Deutsch, biographer of
Lee Christmas; and Samuel Zemurray, who was not hypocriti
cal and thus never apologized for having subsidized the Hon
duran revolution. He apologizes to his mother, Lona Clements
Langley-a devout Christian who read Bible stories to her son
and stayed in an unhappy marriage so that he could get an
education-for publishing the expletive Sam Zemurray used
when he took over the United Fruit Company in 1932.
Both authors are indebted to Bonnie Cary, typist in the
History Department of the University of Georgia, who here
with adds her own words: "Typing The Banana Men was a
very interesting experience, and I hope readers will enjoy the
book./I