Nicaraguan Civil War (1926–1927) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nicaraguan Civil War (1926–1927)
Part of Banana Wars
Date 2 May 1926–4 May 1927 Location Nicaragua Result Peace of Tipitapa Both sides agree to a presidential election to be supervised by the United States, with Adolfo Díaz remaining in power until then. Both sides agree to disarm. The Nicaraguan National Guard is established.
Belligerents
Nicaraguan Government (Conservatives) Supported by:  United States	Nicaraguan rebels (Liberals) Supported by:  Mexico (provided weapons and supplies)
Commanders and leaders
Emiliano Chamorro (political, until 11 November 1926) Sebastián Uriza (political, 11–14 November 1926) Adolfo Díaz (political, from 14 November 1926)	Juan B. Sacasa (political) José María Moncada (military)

The Nicaraguan Civil War of 1926–1927, also called the Constitutionalist War, was a conflict in Nicaragua. It started after a coup d'état (a sudden takeover of the government) by Emiliano Chamorro. He was part of the Conservative Party. Chamorro removed the elected government, which led to a rebellion by the Liberal Party.

The war ended when the United States stepped in. They helped create a peace agreement called the Pact of Espino Negro, also known as the Peace of Tipitapa. Even though the war ended, one Liberal general, Augusto César Sandino, refused to stop fighting. He led his own rebellion against the Nicaraguan government and the US Marines until 1933.

How the War Started

Nicaragua had a small group of one hundred American Marines in the country since a civil war in 1912. In 1924, Nicaragua held a presidential election. This election brought a government made of two groups working together. Carlos Solórzano, a Conservative, became president. Dr. Juan B. Sacasa, a Liberal, became vice president.

On January 27, 1925, Emiliano Chamorro, a former president and Conservative, launched a coup. His supporters took over Loma Fortress, an important military building in Managua, Nicaragua's capital. This forced Solórzano and Sacasa to leave the country. Chamorro also removed all Liberals from the Nicaraguan Congress. The United States did not recognize Chamorro's government because it took power illegally.

Fighting Begins in Nicaragua

The situation got worse and turned into a civil war on May 2, 1926. A group of Liberal exiles landed in Bluefields, a city on the coast. Soon, the eastern part of Nicaragua was in rebellion. Liberal soldiers wore red hatbands, while Conservatives wore blue ones. Interestingly, many soldiers carried both colors. This was in case they were hurt and needed medical help from the other side.

The main Liberal commander on the east coast was José María Moncada. He fought to make the exiled Dr. Sacasa president. Another Liberal general was Anastasio Somoza García, who led an army in southwestern Nicaragua. American Marines and sailors were sent to occupy the country's ports. They created "neutral zones" to stop fighting in these areas. This pushed the Liberal rebels further inland. The United States was worried because Mexico's government was sending weapons to the rebels.

To try and stop the conflict, the United States arranged a truce. Lawrence Dennis oversaw a meeting between Conservative and Liberal leaders. This meeting happened on October 1, 1926, aboard the USS Denver. However, nothing came from the meeting, and fighting soon started again.

On November 11, 1926, Chamorro resigned as president. Sebastián Uriza took over for a short time. On November 14, Adolfo Díaz became president. The United States supported him and called him "our Nicaraguan." Dr. Sacasa returned to Nicaragua on December 1, 1926. He arrived at the port of Puerto Cabezas and declared his own government. Only Mexico recognized his government. In January 1927, Calvin Coolidge, the U.S. president, allowed his country to send military aid to the Conservative government.

Moncada's Liberal forces began moving west towards Managua. They defeated Conservative forces along the way. Meanwhile, Liberals led by Francisco Parajón attacked the city of Chinandega. This led to one of the most destructive battles of the war. The battle lasted from February 6 to 9, 1927. About 500 Conservative defenders fought against 600 to 2,000 Liberal attackers. Hundreds of people were killed on both sides. Much of the city was destroyed by fire during the fighting. The fire was likely started by Liberal soldiers or people looting. However, many blamed two American pilots who were flying for the Conservative government. In the end, the rebels were forced out of the city after intense house-to-house fighting.

As the Liberals moved closer to Managua, the United States worried about getting involved in the war. They did not want a Mexican-backed government to take power in the region. Díaz tried to make the Americans even more worried by saying the rebels were Bolshevist (a term for communists). American reconnaissance planes flying for the Conservatives sometimes received fire from Liberal forces. However, more responsible rebel officers tried to avoid fighting with the Americans.

The Peace of Tipitapa

To end the civil war without the Marines actively fighting the Liberals, President Coolidge sent Henry L. Stimson to negotiate peace. Stimson traveled through Nicaragua, which had been damaged by the war. He met Moncada in the town of Tipitapa, located along the Tipitapa River, on May 4, 1927.

Here, Moncada agreed to the Peace of Tipitapa, which ended the conflict. The peace agreement had several conditions:

• Adolfo Díaz would remain president until a new election in 1928. This election would be supervised by the United States.
• Both sides agreed to give up their weapons.
• A new National Guard would be created for Nicaragua.

Any soldier who turned in a rifle or machine gun would receive ten U.S. dollars. In total, the Liberals turned in 31 machine guns and 3,704 rifles. The Conservatives turned in 308 machine guns and 10,445 rifles.

Sandino's Role in the War

Augusto César Sandino was an important general on the Liberal side during the civil war. His first battle was on November 2, 1926. He and twenty-nine of his followers tried to capture the town of El Jícaro. This town was held by two hundred Conservatives. Sandino's men killed some defenders but did not capture the village. They did not lose any of their own men.

Later, in early March 1927, Sandino and one hundred men fought off a government attack. This battle took place on Mount Yucapuca and lasted seven hours. The Conservatives had four hundred men and six machine guns. Sandino won another victory on March 28, 1927. He and two hundred followers attacked the city of Jinotega and captured it after a day of fierce fighting. He was fighting on José María Moncada's right side.

However, Moncada did not like Sandino. He ordered Sandino to attack the city of Boaco. Moncada did not warn Sandino about the strong government forces there. After seeing Boaco's defenses for himself, Sandino decided not to attack. Instead, he stayed with Moncada. Sandino later considered Moncada a traitor for agreeing to the Peace of Tipitapa.

What Happened After the War

Even though the fighting officially ended, American Marines still faced some rebel Liberals. These rebels were possibly led by Francisco Sequeira, also known as "General Cabulla." They fought at the Battle of La Paz Centro on May 16, 1927. Two Americans were killed, and at least fourteen Nicaraguans died in the battle.

Augusto César Sandino believed the peace agreement was a betrayal. He continued to fight a guerrilla war against the Marines and the Nicaraguan National Guard until 1933. The first battle of his rebellion happened in Ocotal on July 16, 1927.

See also

In Spanish: Guerra Constitucionalista de Nicaragua para niños