The Banana Men: American Mercenaries and
Entrepreneurs in Central America, 1880-1930
Lester D. Langley and Thomas D. Schoonover
University Press of Kentucky, 1995
Quick Synopsis:
Set between the late nineteenth
century and the early twentieth century,
the book The Banana Men gives an overview of American
involvement in Central
American affairs during this time. Schoonover and Langley,
the authors of the
book focus most specifically on the nations of Honduras
and Nicaragua, and the
struggles that those regions presented to the American
imperialistic campaign.
This book was unique, in that it went beyond the typical
historical account
of just names and battles, but rather gave in depth analysis
of the characters
and their inclinations against the rebel led armies of
Central America.
The book covers a fifty year period, and hence the authors
accept that the definition of
imperialism may change according to the changing motives
of the nation. In The Banana Men,
it becomes clear that the US was interested in the region
for much the same reason
it became interested in Central America as a whole, that
being for tight integration of the Central
American and U.S. economies, as Schoonover and Langley
note.
Chapter 1. The
World of the Banana Men
Chapter 2. Banana
Kingdoms
Chapter 3. The
Central American Wars
Chapter 4. The
Campaign for Nicaragua
Chapter 5. The
Campaign for Honduras