Sugar Intervention facts for kids

The Sugar Intervention was a time between 1917 and 1922 when the United States Marine Corps (US Marines) were sent to Cuba. This happened because the United States wanted to protect its sugar businesses on the island.

Why Did It Happen?

In 1916, Mario García Menocal, a conservative leader, was re-elected as Cuba's president. Some people, called liberals, didn't agree with how the election happened. This disagreement led to a small uprising. Former president José Miguel Gómez led some of these liberal groups.

These groups were mostly active in eastern Cuba. They weren't strong enough to overthrow the government. In February 1917, the USS Paducah (PG-18) sent soldiers ashore. This was to protect American-owned sugarcane plantations.

Rebels Lose Power

By March 1917, the liberal groups in western Cuba were mostly gone. In the east, they lost a fight called the Battle of Caicaje. Many liberal leaders, including Gómez, were captured. The liberals also couldn't get support from the United States. So, they tried to make peace with the government. President Menocal even offered to forgive all the rebels. Many liberal leaders had to leave the country.

New Problems Arise

In April 1917, Cuba joined World War I and declared war on Germany. Many liberals agreed with this and stopped criticizing the government. However, this period also led to more banditry and local rebellions. Smaller groups of fighters were left without central leaders. These groups, often with 20 to 30 men, were very active in the eastern parts of Cuba. The Cuban government struggled to control them.

At the same time, more and more farmers were losing their land. Big sugar farms, called latifundias, were growing. This made many peasants very poor.

US Concerns Grow

The US government worried that these rebellions would harm American property in Cuba. Also, many of the rebels didn't like Americans. There were even attacks on American-owned businesses. The US was also afraid that Germany might help the rebels.

Cuba's government kept saying it could handle the situation, but nothing changed. In May, the US suggested sending troops to Cuba. However, these troops were only supposed to protect US property. The Cuban government strongly disagreed with this idea. So, the US delayed sending soldiers.

Later in May, a special envoy named Henry Morgan went to Cuba. He studied the situation and advised the US to send troops right away. He warned that the 1918 sugar harvest could be destroyed if they waited.

Cuba Invites US Troops

In July 1917, the Cuban government stopped some constitutional rights. This meant people could be held without a trial for a long time. While they said this was for German spies, it was used against people who opposed the government.

By early summer 1917, the Cuban government agreed to let US Marines come. Both sides knew the main liberal revolt was over. But they needed help to protect the sugar crops. Morgan suggested saying the troops were there to stop the rebellions. However, the US government worried this would make Cuba's government look weak.

Instead, the US announced that the troops were coming to help Cuba as an ally in World War I. They said protecting the sugar harvest was Cuba's big contribution to the Allied side.

The Intervention Begins

On July 14, President Menocal officially invited the US to set up training camps in Oriente province. The first group of US Marines, fewer than 1,000 soldiers, arrived in Cuba in August 1917. Officially, this was not an "intervention." Cuba had invited the US army to train in a warm climate. As guests, the US troops had to follow strict rules.

Marines' Role in Cuba

During their first year, the US Marines took charge of protecting important buildings and equipment related to sugar farms. In October, they set up several permanent camps. By November 1917, the presence of these troops caused protests from Cubans who didn't like Americans. In December 1917, another thousand Marines arrived.

The troops patrolled the countryside to make sure sugar plantations were safe. They also gathered information for the United States and the Cuban government in Havana. They were told to work closely with local Cuban officials. This was to avoid problems between Cuba and the US. However, many Cubans still didn't like the Marines. In 1918, partly because of these efforts, Cuba produced a record amount of sugar.

Shift to City Patrols

By mid-1918, the countryside was much calmer. The main threat to sugar production then came from protests in cities. These were mostly strikes, especially affecting sugar shipping and production. These strikes were very strong in 1918 and 1919 and spread across the whole country.

American officials often called these protests "political" or "leftist." This would allow them to intervene more strongly under the Platt Amendment. However, this would go against the original agreement with Cuba from 1917. In December 1918, 1,120 more Marines arrived at the Guantánamo naval base. Six thousand more were ready to come if needed. The Marines then started patrolling the cities instead of just the countryside.

What Happened Next?

The 3rd Marine Brigade was joined by the 1st Marines in November 1918. This happened as World War I ended in Europe. Their goal was to make sure sugar production kept going. However, by January 6, 1922, most American soldiers had left Cuba. The only American presence left was at Guantanamo Bay.