After the Spanish - American War, Americans dominated Cuba's economy.   Elections are often were marred by fraud.  In 1933 a revolution brought in a left wing Government but it lasted only a hundred days. It was overthrown by Batista a former sergeant who became Cuba's military strongman, he would overthrown another Democratically elected Government in 1952 and introduce a brutal dictatorship into the island.

The story of Latin America's most brutal dictator Trujillo who govern the Dominican Republic for 31 years and killed 50,000 of his people.  Yet even after his death the country was political unstable and in 1965, President Johnson would sent American troops to the country to put down a left wing revolt.  Also a look at decolonisation in the British West Indies and Canada's foreign policy.

A political review of the states of South and Central America between 1945 and 1965.  Sadly it will be a story mainly of dictators, repression, unstable political environments, corruption and poverty.  Power largely in the hands of elites not the people.  Armies more active in overthrowing their Governments than defending them.

American involvement in Central America in the first half of the 20th Century.  The story of two countries, in the post war period which the Americans supported coups, one in Costa Rica, which established a stable democracy and in Guatemala which overthrow and a left wing democratic Government and would led to a 36 year long civil war.