Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Hatian Response to the US's occupation of their country

Based on the letters and speeches made by Charlemagne Peralte, it would appear that the people of Hati did not respond positivly to the US's presence on the Island.

The first example of this is the Background information for the 1915 Letters from Charlemagne, which details the US Marines's presense in the Capitol. The Marines stationed in Port-au-Prince "ruthlessly subduing armed resistance" and enforced a harsh Marital Law. It is the combonation of the harsh Marshal Law and the subduing of any armed resistance that caused a strong dislike in the Hatian people towards the Marines.

Another example of this is a letter sent in 1915 by Peralte, which was intended to inspired a revolution in Hati. The letters says that the people were "poor and the occupation still opresses us with taxes." He also talks about the US troops burning wooden houses to keep the City (Port-au-prince) "beautiful". Finally, Peralte calls President Wilson in his letter a "traitor, bandit, trouble maker and thief."

Finally, it is Peralte's letter to the The French foriegn minister in Hati that detail's that he has support for his cause, showing the people of Hati's dislike for their occupiers. When he refers to the Americans, he talks about their actions "barbarian acts", implying that the US troops are abusing their power and attacking the citizens of Hati. He also claims that the US has seized control of the country from the Hatian parliment, pointing to the conclusion that the Resistance force believes that is is taking the country back from the Americans.

It is because of the evidence taken from Charlemagne Peralte's letters to an un-identified recipiant and to the French foriegn minister in Hati, it can be assumed that the people of Hati extremely dislike the US Marine's presence in Port-au-prince.