Les Cayes massacre facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Les Cayes massacre
Part of United States occupation of Haiti
Location	Marchaterre, Les Cayes, Haiti
Date	6 December 1929
Deaths	12–22
Non-fatal injuries	51
Victims	Haitian protesters
Assailants	United States Marine Corps

The Les Cayes massacre, also called the Marchaterre massacre, happened on December 6, 1929. It was a sad event in Les Cayes, Haiti. US Marine Corps soldiers fired on Haitian people. These people were protesting the United States occupying their country. This event was very important. It helped push the United States to leave Haiti.

The United States had been in Haiti for over 14 years since 1915. The US Marines were in charge, acting like a military government. They were there to protect American business interests. By October 1929, Haitians were very angry about the occupation. Protests began, and a general strike happened. The Les Cayes massacre was the worst of these events. It led to strong reactions from other countries. Soon after, the American occupation ended.

Why the US was in Haiti

US arrives in Haiti

In February 1915, Jean Vilbrun Guillaume Sam became the President of Haiti. He was very strict. In July 1915, he ordered 167 political prisoners to be killed. The people of Haiti were furious. They rose up against his government and killed President Sam. The United States saw this as a danger to American businesses in Haiti. One important business was the Haitian American Sugar Company. When a rebel leader named Rosalvo Bobo seemed likely to become the next president, the US government decided to act fast. They wanted to keep their economic power.

On July 28, 1915, US President Woodrow Wilson sent 330 US Marines to take over Port-au-Prince. Josephus Daniels, who was the Secretary of the Navy, told the invasion leader, Rear Admiral William Banks Caperton, to "protect American and foreign" interests. President Wilson also wanted to change Haiti's constitution. The old constitution did not allow foreigners to own land. Wilson wanted a new one that would let Americans control Haiti's money. To avoid public criticism, Wilson said the occupation was to "re-establish peace and order." He said it had nothing to do with past or future talks.

US control and rules

In September 1915, the US Senate approved a treaty. This treaty gave the United States control over Haiti's safety and money for 10 years. For the next 19 years, US State Department advisors ruled Haiti. The US Marine Corps made sure their rules were followed. The US Marines ruled Haiti like a military government. They used strict laws called martial law. They also created a new Haitian police force. This force stopped Haitians who were against the occupation.

During this time, Haitians faced unfair treatment. There was censorship, meaning people could not say what they wanted. There was also forced labor and racial segregation. This meant people were separated based on their race. People who practiced Haitian Vodou also faced problems. American troops and the Haitian police killed many Haitian civilians. This happened during rebellions between 1915 and 1920. The exact number of deaths is not known.

Growing anger and strike

By the late 1920s, Herbert Hoover was the US President. He was feeling more pressure about the US being in Haiti. He had already started thinking about how to leave. By 1929, Haitians were very angry with the American occupation. Even some who had welcomed the US at first were upset. People were especially angry because Americans censored the news. They also controlled important things like food and medicine. And they forced a new constitution on Haiti.

On October 31, 1929, student protests began. This happened at an American-created school for agriculture. Students were upset because they received fewer scholarships. These student protests grew into a general strike. Many Haitians joined to protest against the American occupation.

The Massacre

On December 6, 1929, about 1,500 Haitians gathered in Les Cayes. They were protesting peacefully. They were upset about money problems, high taxes, and the arrest of three protest leaders. They chanted "À bas la misère," which means "Down with misery." As the march got close to Les Cayes, US Marine Corps soldiers blocked their way. The soldiers had machine guns. Some protesters threw stones. The Marines felt surrounded and panicked. They started shooting at the thousands of protesters.

This terrible event resulted in 12 to 22 Haitian people being killed. Another 21 to 51 people were injured.

What happened next

After the massacre, countries around the world spoke out against it. This event was very important. It helped push the United States to leave Haiti. The day after the massacre, President Hoover asked Congress to look into the situation in Haiti. The Forbes Commission was ordered by President Hoover. It later decided that the occupation of Haiti had failed. It also said that the United States did not "understand the social problems of Haiti." Less than five years later, in 1934, the United States ended its occupation of Haiti.

In the years that followed, local events were held to remember the massacre.