BACKYARD ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
After viewing Backyard and engaging in the corresponding discussion questions and activities, students will be able to answer the following:
1. Did the Soviet Union violate the Monroe Doctrine?
2. Did American reaction to indigenous reforms in Latin America bring the Cold War into the hemisphere or did the United States save the hemisphere from Communism?
3. What role did smaller states play in determining the actions of both the United States and the Soviet Union?
4. Was the United States responsible for the events in Guatemala, Chile, Nicaragua and Cuba?
5. How does Backyard shed light on the broad themes of the Cold War?
Segment One
[Guatemala] Jacobo Arbenz, voted President of Guatemala in 1950, seeks to modernize Guatemala's society. He buys up fallow land to distribute to peasants. United Fruit Company of Boston is offered just over $1 million for its land; United Fruit wants $16 million. Due to economic mismanagement, Arbenz had become very unpopular by 1954. Suspicious of Arbenz's connections to Communist sympathizers, the CIA assists coup plotters in their plans to overthrow him. The operation was known as "PB Success." The campaign brings the Arbenz government down and sends his supporters into exile. One of those who flee, Che Guevara, goes to Mexico and meets Fidel Castro. Five years later, the two establish a Communist regime in Cuba.
· What were the major goals of Arbenz when elected president of Guatemala? He wanted to modernize Guatemala’s society.
· What was the United Fruit Company and why was the United States upset when it was nationalized? The United Fruit Company of Boston owned half a million acres of land, the railroad, the port and telecommunications.
· What strategies were used to defeat Arbenz? A CIA operation code named PB Success mobilized disaffected exiles and peasants into action. They wanted to terrify Arbenz, his troops, and other followers.
· Was the United States justified in intervening in Guatemala? Yes, Arbenz was threatening the peace and this could have escalated into a bigger problem.
Segment Two
[Cuba] In 1961, President John F. Kennedy supports a CIA plan to send in an army of exiles to overthrow Castro. At the Bay of Pigs, Castro defeats the CIA-sponsored guerrillas. By the early 1960's, left-wing revolutionary groups are fighting the authorities in Guatemala, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru and the Dominican Republic. Che Guevara calls for "100 Vietnams." In 1965 he goes to the Congo and later to the heart of South America to spread the cause of violent revolution. U.S.-trained Bolivian troops capture and assassinate him.
· What was the Bay of Pigs Incident and why was it unsuccessful for the United States? The Bay of Pigs was John F. Kenendy’s attempt to overthrow Castro. An army of exiles were trained by CIA members to defeat Castro. It was unsuccessful because Kennedy got scared at the last minute and did not allow for a full attack.
· What does Nikolai Leonov mean when he says that the Cuban's theory could be described as "let's have 100 Vietnams?" They wanted violent revolutions like that of Vietnam will Russia wanted peaceful co existence.
· Evaluate the role of Che Guevara in the Socialist movement in Latin America. Che went to the Congo and later to the heart of South America to spread the cause of violent revolution, he was a key player in the socialist movement.
Segment Three
[Chile] Washington's Alliance for Progress program spends millions of dollars backing Chile's Christian Democratic government. In 1970, a coalition led by a Marxist-Senator Salvador Allende-wins elections. He nationalizes the copper industry, which was still under U.S. control. Chile's economy is increasingly put under state control. Economic chaos results and mass discontent with Allende emerges. Supported by CIA funds, Chilean truck owners bring the country to a standstill. Allende seeks help from Moscow.
· What strategies did the United States pursue to keep Salvador Allende from being elected President in Chile? Why were they ineffective? Washington’s Alliance for Progress program spent millions of dollars backing Chile’s Christian Democrat Government. American businesses wanting to help protect private American investment in Chile assisted financially. With the murder of General Schneider, Allende won.
· Describe and analyze the first actions of Allende as President of Chile. Allende’s first big step, supported by all Chilean political parties, was the nationalization of copper, Chile’s biggest industry, still under effective U.S. control.
· Examine the effect of the Cubans and the Soviets on the situation in Chile. Allende attempted to get money from the Soviets, but they were already spending lots of money on Cuba and weren’t excited about Chile’s request. Castro gave all his support to Allende.
Segment Four
[Chile] After an attempted coup, Allende appoints General Augusto Pinochet to be chief of the army. Once again, truck owners paralyze the country. Economic chaos mounts as a result of Allende's policies. General Pinochet orders British-made Hawker-Hunter jets to attack the Moneda presidential palace, starting fires that burn for weeks. Allende is found dead. In the capital, suspects are rounded up in the National Stadium. Many are never seen again.
· How did General Pinochet take over Chile? After Allede’s death the General immediately stamped his mark on the country.
· What happened to Allende and to his supporters? Allende was killed.
Segment Five
[Nicaragua] In Nicaragua in the 1930's, the government of Tacho Somoza receives U.S. support. Popular unrest against the Somoza government increases. Attacks by Marxist guerrillas named Sandinistas are met by Somoza's World War II-vintage tanks. In 1979, the Sandinistas are triumphant and eventually win the uneasy support of Jimmy Carter and the U.S. government. In El Salvador, protest against the U.S.-supported right-wing military rule mounts. When three nuns and a woman lay-worker are raped and killed, Carter withdraws aid to the Salvadoran military, but within six weeks, he resumes funding.
· Who were the Somozas and how did they maintain power for more than 40 years? The Somozas were a family who ruled in Nicaragua after Tacho Somoza had been put in power in the 30’s by the US Marines. They killed off naysayers
· Describe the Sandinistas' overthrow of the Somoza government. The Sandinistas were trained guerillas who overthrew the Somoza government in a bloody battle.
· Describe the strategies used by Ortega and the Sandinistas as they gained control of the government. All those who didn’t agree with policies were subjected to confiscations and imprisonment. Their lives were threatened. Many were murdered just for disagreeing with the Sandinista Front.
· Who was Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador and what happened to him? He was the cautious leader of Salvadoran Catholics. After receiving many death threats, he was murdered while saying mass in a private chapel.
· Analyze the events in Nicaragua and El Salvador and determine what you think should have been the role of the United States in these countries? I think we should have supported revolutions to restore a Democratic government and not provide aid to any government who allowed senseless violence.
Segment Six
The United States blames Cuba and Moscow for guerrilla actions. The Sandinistas receive large quantities of Soviet-made weaponry from Cuba. U.S. military advisers bolster the Salvadoran army against the guerrillas, who are backed by Cuba and Nicaragua. The Reagan Administration uses neighboring Honduras as a U.S. base to train anti-Communist resistance to overthrow the government of Nicaragua. The U.S. Congress curtails Reagan's funds for arming the resistance. The Sandinistas ask the Soviets for additional military help. To support the guerrillas, Reagan's men secretly sell arms to Iran. Economic mismanagement by the Sandinistas causes widespread popular unrest. In the 1990 Nicaraguan elections, the United States spends nearly $10 million dollars to back Violeta Chamorro, the candidate opposing Daniel Ortega. Chamorro wins the election.
· Why do you think the United States continued to support governments such as El Salvador despite human rights violations? They may have thought the countries would come around but if Cuba and Moscow helped, Communism would only spread.
· What was meant by the question, "Is there a Caribbean domino theory that's unfolding?" What was Alexander Haig's response to the question? This means if we get one of the countries to come to Democracy, the others will soon follow as a result Haig responded “of course. I wouldn’t call it necessarily a domino theory. I would call it a priority target list, a hit lit if you will, for the ultimate takeover of Central America.
· What happened in El Mozote? Why do you think the U.S. State Department dismissed evidence of the massacre? Many civilians were slaughtered, probably because the US had been helping and did not want to withdraw help or admit to not giving enough aid.
· Why did the United States invade the island of Grenada? What were the results? They felt that now was their chance to gain a Democratic stronghold in the Carribean.
· Why did the Soviet Union provide weaponry to the Socialist countries in Central America? They wanted them to be able to defend themselves in the event of an attack from Democrats.
· What happened in the Nicaraguan elections of 1990? Why was this significant? The Sandinista leader lost which meant that the US and Democracy were winning.