Posted on 06/22/2016 4:19:58 PM PDT by ameribbean expat
Tanks have rarely been used in battle in the Western Hemisphere — and fights between tanks are even rarer.
But the Dominican Republic in 1965 was one of the exceptions, when Constitutionalist rebels fought the armored vehicles of invading U.S. Marines in the streets of the capital city, Santo Domingo.
Stranger yet, the Dominicans were using Swedish tanks.
(Excerpt) Read more at warisboring.com ...
I remember when this took place! Didn’t know tanks were involved.
Swedish tanks? I had a 1963 Volvo 544 that could probably resist .50 Cal.
In my most recent visit, I was astounded to see a statue in a prominent intersection of Santo Domingo of a "hero" who launched a quixotic attack on the US Marines from a base in........CUBA!
OUTSTANDING, informative article by Sebastien Roblin. Thanks very much for posting. (I did not know any of that DR history)
My favorite vacation spot BUMP!
Yeah, not a fan of the author’s perspective, but it’s rare you see this discussed, so I posted it. The DR/Hispanola in 1965 has to be viewed through the lens of what was going on next door in Cuba. Anything else is irresponsible and myopic.
The Senate Internal Security Subcommittee, Sen. Judiciary Committee, held at least one hearing on communist infiltration of the Dominican Republic before and during the Juan Bosch administration.
Gen. Wesin Y Wesin testified about what he saw. I don’t have the volume in front of me but I should be able to find it tonight and will post its’ accurate title, date, etc.
There were much more communist infiltration than publicly known, and Bosch became a hardcore communist sympathizer despite the media’s attempts to portray him as just a Dominican moderate.
Bosch was actually a historical successor to President Arbenz of Guatemala who was ousted in a funny little coup in 1954 because he was appointing and letting Communists take over key positions in his government.
One of the best writers on this is the late Daniel James (A friend), who wrote a book on this very subject, which included captured communist documents (totally ignored by leftist historians today). Don’t remember the name of his book but I will try to find it.
Danny covered Latin America for decades.
Please ping me to info on the Daniel James book.
I was around at the time but don’t remember much except seeing a bit on the news.
The writer does sound anti American and pro Communist.
If a president tried to overthrow the Bill of Rights all at once, he'd be dead by supper time. But shave off a layer of the second amendment every few years, enact speech restrictions here and there; you know, for the children, and half the people won't even notice.
There is a quick line in HeartBreak Ridge where Sergeant Major Choozoo mentions Highway was in action in Dominican 1965.
Now I know what the hell he meant.
Just “Googles” “Daniel James” and his book is “Red Design for the Americas: Guatemala preclude”, 1954. If you Google his name, look at the OAC/Online Archives of California about an unpublished book he did entitled “Communism in Mexico” which I have never seen.
Just for bragging rights, other “Daniel James” personages who show up include two of my friends/acquaintances.
The first is Gen. Chappie James, USAF, Vietnam veteran. Met him at my first and only 5’oClock Folly at the Pentagon during the war. How he fit into his F105 I’ll never know.
Nice guy. Didn’t like the PR bullshit at these Follies.
The other guy, my classmate, was Gen. Daniel James, Head of the DIA, Deputy Director, CIA and Military Intelligence head in Vietnam for part of the war. Danny was cool and headed up the “Strategic Defense Initiative” program against Soviet missiles.
I helped him destroy Arthur Schlesinger’s credibility in the Wall Street Journal, about 1977. Caught Schlesinger in an embarrassing lie and we proceeded to slice and dice him into little pieces of unbelievability.
Daniel James, of Latin American journalism, was a luncheon friend of mine in the monthly McDowell Luncheon Group fest at the Emerald Chinese Restaurant in DC.
The group was a Who’s Who of American military, political, diplomatic and intelligence personnel, plus famed European leaders including Stefan Korbonski, the leader of the Free Polish Army against the Germans during WW2.
Out of that luncheon group came Accuracy in Media, the conservative watchdog that started out going after the horrible reporting of the New York Times and some Washington Post writers on the Vietnam War. (Interestingly, some of the WP VN/Asia writers/foreign policy journalists, later showed up in Marxist-oriented organizations, much to my surprise and sorrow - Peter Osnos, Chalmer Roberts, and others. Later followed by Karen De Young, the WP’s propaganda journalist for the Marxist Sandinistas.
I miss all the Danny’s mentioned above. They were brave soldiers and journalists, patriots yet humble people. Glad to have known such honorable men. They are sorely missed today.
The 82nd Airborne (or at least a brigade) was deployed to this as well and it gets brief mention in the 82nd Division chorus’s, “We Were There”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr8JgVbZzqQ
Thank you
US Military history is always fascinating.
“Violent Skirmishes”
Never heard of a nonviolent skirmish...
Interesting background info. Thanks. My cousin was involved in the Dominican Republic action.
The DR intervention was probably one of the last times (if not THE last) where M1 Garands were carried into action by the Regular Army. There are a couple of published pictures of Army snipers with scoped M1D rifles during this action.
As I recall, the US Army airborne troops had the M56 SPAT (self-propelled anti-tank) gun with a 90mm gun (no armor) and the Marines had the M50/M50A1 ONTOS anti-tank weapon with six 106mm recoilless rifles. Those Dominican tanks from Sweden were Spam in a can when the rant into a 90mm or 106mm anti-tank round. The Dominicans committed their tanks to battle in piecemeal fashion and did not use them effectively. The airborne soldiers and Marines turned them into flaming junk piles.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.