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Nicaraguan Civil War

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Peace of Tipitapa

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40-397: Nicaraguan Civil War may refer to: Nicaraguan Civil War (1926–1927) Nicaraguan Revolution (1962–1990) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Nicaraguan Civil War . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to

80-520: A new, American-supervised election in 1928 , both sides would disarm, and a new National Guard would be established. Any soldier who turned in a rifle or machine gun would be given the equivalent of ten U.S. dollars . In all, the Liberals turned in 31 machine guns and 3,704 rifles, while the Conservatives turned in 308 machine guns and 10,445 rifles. Augusto César Sandino played a notable role in

120-519: A daughter, Lillian Somoza de Sevilla Sacasa . In 1926, Somoza joined the Liberal rebellion in support of the presidential claims of Juan Bautista Sacasa , his wife's uncle. Somoza failed to distinguish himself in battle, leading an unsuccessful attack on the garrison at San Marcos. However, as a result of being educated in the United States, he spoke excellent English and acted as an interpreter during

160-512: A deal with the Conservatives; thus, he faced no opposition. This left him free to amass a huge personal fortune. On 21 September 1956, he was shot by poet Rigoberto López Pérez . Mortally wounded, he was flown to the Panama Canal Zone where he died a week later. His eldest son Luis Somoza Debayle , who was Speaker of the House at the time of Somoza Garcia's death, took over as acting president and

200-541: A former Nicaraguan dictator, who is entombed in Miami.) Although Somoza was recognized as a ruthless dictator, the United States continued to support his regime as a non-communist stronghold in Nicaragua. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) supposedly remarked in 1939 that "Somoza may be a son of a bitch , but he's our son of a bitch." According to historian David Schmitz, however, researchers and archivists who have searched

240-445: A government attack on their position on Mount Yucapuca in a seven-hour battle. The Conservatives numbered four hundred and were armed with six machine guns. Sandino scored another victory when he and two hundred followers attacked the city of Jinotega on the 28 March 1927 and captured it "[a]fter a day of fierce fighting," while serving on José María Moncada's right flank. However, Moncada had no love for Sandino and ordered him to take

280-476: A left-wing Mexican-backed regime rise to power in the region. Díaz appealed to American fears of communism by saying the rebels were Bolshevist in nature. Marine reconnaissance aircraft flying for the Conservatives were already occasionally receiving fire from Liberal forces, although the more "[r]esponsible" rebel officers tried to prevent a clash with the Americans. To put an end to the civil war without using

320-431: A member of one of Nicaragua's wealthiest families, daughter of Dr. Luis Henri Debayle Pallais and wife Casimira Sacasa Sacasa, daughter of Roberto Sacasa Sarria , 44th and 46th President of Nicaragua, and wife and cousin Ángela Sacasa Cuadra. After returning to Nicaragua, he was unsuccessful as a businessman. He married Salvadora Debayle in 1919. They had two sons, Luis Somoza Debayle and Anastasio Somoza Debayle , and

360-504: A national airline ( LANICA , short for Líneas Aéreas de Nicaragua) and a new container port on the Pacific near Managua, which he named Puerto Somoza. (After the Sandinistas came to power they renamed it Puerto Sandino ). He also acquired properties in the United States and Canada. In 1955, the constitution was amended to allow Somoza to run for another term. Shortly after being nominated, he

400-623: A safe-conduct agreement. Sandino's assassination was followed by the murder of former Sandino supporters by the National Guard. In 1936, Somoza staged a coup with the National Guard, forcing Sacasa to resign in June. Carlos Alberto Brenes ruled for the remainder of the year and in December, Somoza was elected president reportedly with 64,000 of the 80,663 votes cast He took office on New Year's Day 1937. Somoza, popularly known as "Tacho", amended

440-638: A source of stability. His daughter Lillian Somoza Debayle, born in León, Nicaragua, on 3 May 1921, married Guillermo Sevilla Sacasa , Nicaraguan Ambassador to the United States during his brother-in-law's rule. He also had a son named José R. Somoza, born to an unknown mother. Somoza is entombed with his oldest son at Cementerio Occidental in the National Guard Mausoleum in Managua, Nicaragua. (He should not be confused with his son, Anastasio Somoza Debayle, also

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480-528: A wealthy coffee planter, Somoza was educated in the United States. After his return to Nicaragua, he helped oust President Adolfo Díaz . He became the foreign secretary and took the title of "General". With the help of the US Marine Corps , which occupied Nicaragua at the time, Somoza became the head of the National Guard . This gave him the power base to remove his wife's uncle, Juan Bautista Sacasa , from

520-590: The Battle of La Paz Centro on the 16 May 1927. Two Americans were fatally wounded and at least fourteen Nicaraguans perished in the firefight. Augusto César Sandino viewed the peace settlement as treasonous and would fight a guerrilla war against the Marines and Nicaraguan National Guard until 1933. The first battle of his rebellion took place at Ocotal on the 16 July 1927. Anastasio Somoza Garc%C3%ADa Anastasio Somoza García (1 February 1896 – 29 September 1956)

560-637: The Conservative Party , launched a coup d'état when his "ultra-conservative partisans" seized Loma Fortress, the military building "dominating Managua " (the Nicaraguan capital), forcing Solórzano and Sacasa to flee the country. He also removed all liberals from the Nicaraguan Congress. The United States refused to recognize Chamorro's regime, since it had come to power through "unconstitutional means". The situation deteriorated into civil war on

600-686: The Constitutionalist War , broke out after a coup d'état by Emiliano Chamorro , a member of the Conservative Party , removed Nicaragua 's democratically elected government, resulting in a rebellion by members of the Liberal Party . The conflict came to an end after a military and diplomatic intervention by the United States resulted in the Pact of Espino Negro , which began the Peace of Tipitapa. Although

640-562: The Dominican Republic . It should be further noted that this statement has been attributed to a variety of United States presidential administrations in regard to foreign dictators. Thus the statement remains apocryphal at this point, though Roosevelt and later presidents certainly supported the Somoza family and their rule over Nicaragua. Andrew Crawley claims that the Roosevelt statement is

680-578: The United States Marines . After waging a bitter, six-year struggle with the forces of General Augusto César Sandino , in January 1933, the Marines evacuated the country following the election of Juan Bautista Sacasa as president. At the urging of the U.S. Ambassador Matthew E. Hanna, Somoza García was appointed as director of the National Guard. During peace talks, Somoza ordered the assassination of General Sandino on 21 February 1934 in violation of

720-428: The 2 May 1926 when a group of Liberal exiles landed at Bluefields . Soon, the east coast of Nicaragua was ablaze with rebellion. Liberal forces wore red hatbands, while the Conservatives donned blue ones. However, many soldiers carried both colors in case they were wounded and required medical attention from the enemy's side. The primary commander of the Liberals on this coast was José María Moncada , who fought to make

760-611: The Constitution to centralize all power in his hands. Family members and key supporters monopolized key positions in the government and military. During World War II , the government confiscated the properties of Nicaragua's small, but economically influential German community and sold them to Somoza and his family at vastly lowered prices. By 1944, Somoza was the largest landowner in Nicaragua, owning fifty-one cattle ranches and forty-six coffee plantations, as well as several sugar mills and rum distilleries. Somoza named himself director of

800-480: The Marines to actively fight the Liberals, Coolidge sent Henry L. Stimson to negotiate an end to hostilities. Traveling across the war-scarred Central American nation, Stimson met Moncada at the town of Tipitapa , which sits along the river of the same name , on the 4 May 1927. Here, Moncada agreed to the Peace of Tipitapa , ending the conflict. The conditions of the peace were that Adolfo Díaz would remain president until

840-636: The National Guard to secure his election. Somoza intended for Argüello to be a mere puppet and to keep real power in his own hands until he could run again in 1952. However, upon being sworn in as president in May 1947, Argüello displayed considerable independence, attempting to reduce the power of the National Guard and the control of Somoza and his associates over the economy. Less than a month later, Somoza orchestrated another coup, naming one of his wife's uncles, Benjamín Lacayo , as president. This definitively ended any hopes for further democratization in Nicaragua under

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880-585: The Nicaraguan government, allowing his country to legally provide military aid to the Conservatives. Moncada's forces began marching westwards towards Managua, defeating Conservative forces along the way. Meanwhile, Liberals led by Gral Francisco Parajón Montealegre struck at the city of Chinandega , causing one of the most destructive battles of the war, the so called Battle of Chinandega, which raged from 6 to 9 February 1927, and saw 500 Conservative defenders face off against between 600 and 2,000 Liberal attackers, with "hundreds [being] killed on each side." During

920-659: The Pacific Railroad, linking Managua to the nation's principal port, Corinto , which moved his merchandise and crops for free and maintained his vehicles and agricultural equipment. He also made substantial profits by granting concessions to foreign (primarily U.S.) companies to exploit gold, rubber, and timber, for which he received 'executive levies' and 'presidential commissions.' He passed laws restricting imports and organized contraband operations, which sold merchandise through his own stores. He also extracted bribes from illegal gambling, prostitution, and alcohol distilling. By

960-439: The Somoza regime. When the administration of U.S. President Harry Truman refused to recognize the new government, a Constituent Assembly was convened, which appointed Somoza's uncle, Víctor Manuel Román y Reyes , as president. In another heavily rigged election, Somoza García again became president in 1950. In the 1950s, he reorganized and streamlined his business empire, founding a merchant marine company, several textile mills,

1000-424: The U.S.-brokered negotiations between the warring parties. In the government of President José María Moncada , to whom he was distantly related, he served as governor of the department of León , Nicaraguan Consul to Costa Rica , and Foreign Minister. Despite his limited military experience, Somoza was able to rise through the ranks of the National Guard ( Guardia Nacional ), the constabulary force organized by

1040-479: The archives of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library have found no evidence that Roosevelt ever made this statement. The statement first appeared in the 15 November 1948 issue of Time magazine and was later mentioned in a 17 March 1960 broadcast of CBS Reports called "Trujillo: Portrait of a Dictator". In this broadcast, however, it was asserted that FDR made the statement in reference to Rafael Trujillo of

1080-451: The city of Boaco , apparently neglecting to warn him about the strong government garrison there. After observing Boaco's defenses for himself, Sandino decided not to attack and to tag along with Moncada instead. Sandino would consider the latter a traitor after he agreed to the Peace of Tipitapa. Despite an end to the fighting, American Marines would face renegade Liberals, possibly led by Francisco Sequeira ("General Cabulla"), in combat at

1120-415: The civil war as a general on the Liberal side. His first battle saw him and twenty-nine of his followers try to take the town of El Jícaro , which was held by a force of two hundred Conservatives, on the 2 November 1926. Sandino's men managed to kill "some" of the defenders (while suffering no fatalities), but failed to capture the village. Later, in early March 1927, he and one hundred men managed to repulse

1160-667: The civil war came to an end, one Liberal general, Augusto César Sandino , refused to lay down his arms and waged the Sandino Rebellion against the Nicaraguan government and the US Marine Corps until 1933. Nicaragua had been occupied by one hundred American Marines since the former country's civil war of 1912 . The Nicaraguan presidential election of 1924 brought a coalition government to power, with Conservative Carlos Solórzano being president and Liberal Dr. Juan B. Sacasa being vice president . On 27 January 1925, Emiliano Chamorro , former president of Nicaragua and member of

1200-675: The end of the decade, he had acquired a fortune estimated to be US$ 400 million. Though Nicaragua received Lend-Lease aid in World War II, the unwillingness of Nicaragua to actually fight meant it was given obsolete equipment (most of it being either purchased from Russia , Spain and Portugal or captured German equipment) and no Western training. In 1944, under pressure from the U.S., Somoza agreed to liberalize his rule. Unions were legalized, and he agreed not to run for re-election in 1947. The Nationalist Liberal Party nominated an elderly doctor named Leonardo Argüello , with Somoza using

1240-436: The exiled Dr. Sacasa president. Another Liberal general was Anastasio Somoza García , who led an army in the southwestern part of Nicaragua. American Marines and sailors were sent to occupy the country's ports to establish "neutral zones", which would prevent fighting in these areas and push the Liberal rebels inland. The United States was deeply concerned with matters in Nicaragua, since the left-wing government of Mexico

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1280-474: The fighting, much of the city was destroyed by fire. The blaze was "probably" caused by Liberal soldiers or "civilian looters", but many blamed two American airmen flying for the Conservative government. Eventually, the rebels were driven from the city after some bitter house-to-house fighting . With the Liberals advancing on Managua, the United States found itself on the verge of war. It couldn't afford to let

1320-416: The intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nicaraguan_Civil_War&oldid=1223575861 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Nicaraguan Civil War (1926%E2%80%931927) The Nicaraguan Civil War of 1926–1927 , or

1360-410: The presidency, and make himself president in 1937. In 1947, an ally nominally succeeded him, but he retained power. A month after his successor had been inaugurated, Somoza used the military to carry out a coup. The president was declared 'incapacitated' by Congress and Somoza served in his stead. Returning to power in his own name in 1950, he maintained an iron grip on his own Liberal Party while making

1400-465: The reins of power. On 14 November Adolfo Díaz , who was referred to as "our Nicaraguan" by the United States, became president and was recognized by the U.S. Dr. Sacasa returned to Nicaragua on the 1 December 1926, arriving at the port of Puerto Cabezas and proclaiming a rival government, which was only recognized by Mexico. In January 1927, U.S. president Calvin Coolidge lifted the arms embargo on

1440-664: Was born in San Marcos , Carazo Department in Nicaragua, the son of Anastasio Somoza Reyes, a wealthy criollo coffee planter, and Julia García, and a grandson of Anastasio Somoza Martínez and Isabel Reyes. As a teenager, he was sent to live with relatives in Philadelphia , where he attended the Peirce School of Business Administration (now Peirce College ). While living in Philadelphia, he met his future wife, Salvadora Debayle Sacasa,

1480-472: Was elected in his own right in 1957. He served as president until 1963, and as the power behind puppet presidents until his death in 1967. His son, Anastasio Somoza Debayle was elected to serve until 1972, then served as the real power behind a nominally bipartisan junta until being reelected in 1974. Somoza Debayle was forced to resign in 1979 and was assassinated in exile in Paraguay the following year. Somoza

1520-456: Was shot on 21 September 1956 by the poet Rigoberto López Pérez in the city of León , and died several days later in a Panama Canal Zone hospital. Somoza's sons, Luis and Anastasio Somoza Debayle , ruled the country directly or through figurehead politicians for the next 23 years. Despite widespread corruption and repression of dissent, they were able to receive support from the United States, which viewed them as anti-communist stalwarts and

1560-475: Was supplying the rebels with arms. To try to put an end to the conflict, the United States arranged a truce and had Lawrence Dennis oversee Conservative and Liberal representatives at a meeting aboard the USS Denver on the 1 October 1926. Nothing came out of the conference and fighting resumed shortly afterwards. On the 11 November 1926, Chamorro resigned from the presidency, leaving Sebastián Uriza holding

1600-460: Was the leader of Nicaragua from 1936 until his assassination in 1956. He was officially the 21st President of Nicaragua from 1 January 1937 to 1 May 1947 and from 21 May 1950 until his assassination on 29 September 1956, ruling for the rest of the time as an unelected military dictator. He was the patriarch of the Somoza family , which ruled Nicaragua as a family dictatorship for 42 years. The son of

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