Latin America Challenge 4
In the early 1900's, José Santos Zelaya was president of Nicaragua, the largest country in Central America. A member of Nicaragua's liberal party, he enacted a number of progressive reforms, including improving public education, building railroads and developing steam ship lines. He also promoted constitutional changes that provided for equal rights, property guarantees, habeas corpus, the protection of arts and industry, and minority representation in governmental processes.
Today's Challenge: Zelaya wanted to enlist the help of the Germans, British or Japanese to do something. His proposal riled the USA to the point where it invaded Nicaragua in 1909 and occupied the country almost continually for the next twenty-odd years. What did Zelaya want to do?
Don't look this up - use your knowledge of Central America and a little logic to figure it out! Every reasonable post gets at least one vote.
9 Answers
A N S W E R
Zelaya wanted to build a canal across Central America.
Here's the story as I understand it:
The idea of building a canal across Central America was first proposed by the Spanish colonialists in the 1500's. There were attempts to build canals in the 19th century in both what is now Panama and in Nicaragua, all of which ran into engineering and financial difficulties, not to mention high mortality rate of workers. In 1899, the US established a commission to recommend a route for the canal and Nicaragua was the preferred choice. But Teddy Roosevelt, who became president of the US in 1901, argued in favor of taking over a bankrupt French effort through Panama.
Panama as a country did not exist at this time - it was part of Columbia. In 1903,it broke away from Columbia, with full (if controversial) support from Roosevelt and the US givernment. Construction resumed shortly afterward, and the first vessel traversed the Panama Canal in 1914.
Meanwhile, in Nicaragua, Zelaya envisioned a united Central America, with himself as its leader, and began invading the smaller countries that did not agree with him. Coupled with economic and social policies that the US labeled "radical", he obtained the reputation of bad actor in the region. In my opinion, the US was just looking for an excuse to topple his presidency when he began talking big about building a canal through Nicaragua.
Zelaya left Nicaragua in December of 1909, taking a goodly portion of state assets with him, and leaving behind a nation in crisis. He spent time in exile in Spain, Mexico and, ironically, New York, until his death in 1919. The US, ever willing to intervene "for the good of democracy" occupied Nicaragua from 1909 to 1933, with the exception of short period in 1925-6.
It's not always as simple as history books make it out. The canal was one issue, but really only a symptom. The main issue was the fact that Zelaya was a liberal and the U S was extremely conservative at the time, and was backing a conservative rebellion against Zelaya. When it looked like Zelaya was going to put down the rebellion the U S sent in the marines.
My guess would be to build a canal- If I remember correctly one of the alternative routes that was being considered when the Panama canal was built went through Lake Nicaragua, and I suspect the US would have been very upset if a competing power were involved in construction of a canal.
Build a canal.
This one is really not that hard! But I'll give you a hint: What would Nicaragua want to do that might compete with something that the USA wanted to do in the region during the same time period?
I know little about that time, but I assume it has something to do with USA fearing for too much competition for certain resources, probably coal or oil.
It could be a war issue as well, that it didn't like the idea of having the Germans south of them or they saw it as a sign that Nicaragua chose the side of the Germans for the upcoming World War.
Then it was the Banana industry that America took over from them .
Drill for oil. 
Control trade, especially involving the extraction of natural resources.
