Balaguer and the Dominican Military

Book excerpt: Following the 1961 assassination of dictator Rafael Trujillo, the Dominican Republic descended into a period of national turmoil and political instability, culminating in 1965 when a catastrophic civil war engulfed the capital city of Santo Domingo. The intervention of foreign troops, particularly U.S. troops, played a critical role in the multinational effort to allow presidential elections to take place in June 1966. The result was the installation of Joaquin Balaguer in the presidency. Subsequently, this skillful civilian leader defeated both a right wing coup and a Cuban-based guerrilla expedition, and successfully gained control of the chaotic Dominican officer corps by the mid-1970s. In this comprehensive study of the Dominican Republic's Balaguer era, the author draws upon declassified U.S. State Department and military documents and his own experiences as an army attache in the U.S. Embassy, Santo Domingo, during the early 1970s. The result is a unique, inside look at Balaguer's presidency, his skillful manipulation of rival officers and cliques, and American involvement in the political history of the Dominican Republic.