Panama and the United States: The Forced AllianceAfter Panama assumed control of the Panama Canal in 1999, its relations with the United States became those of a friendly neighbor. In this third edition, Michael L. Conniff describes Panama’s experience as owner-operator of one of the world’s premier waterways and the United States’ adjustment to its new, smaller role. He finds that Panama has done extremely well with the canal and economic growth but still struggles to curb corruption, drug trafficking, and money laundering. Historically, Panamanians aspired to have their country become a crossroads of the world, while Americans sought to tame a vast territory and protect their trade and influence around the globe. The building of the Panama Canal (1904–14) locked the two countries in their parallel quests but failed to satisfy either fully. Drawing on a wide array of sources, Conniff considers the full range of factors—political, social, strategic, diplomatic, economic, and intellectual—that have bound the two countries together. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
1 Independence and Early Relations | 7 |
2 The Railroad Era | 24 |
3 The French Period | 41 |
4 Canal Diplomacy 19021919 | 63 |
5 From Gunboats to the Nuclear Age 19201945 | 84 |
6 Uneasy Partners 19451960 | 98 |
7 A Time of Troubles and Treaties 19601979 | 116 |
9 The Noriega Crisis and Bushs Ordeal | 154 |
10 Canal Ownership and Sovereignty at Last | 169 |
11 Beyond the Forced Alliance | 187 |
Notes | 205 |
| 227 | |
| 231 | |
Supplemental Bibliographical Essay for the Third Edition | 235 |
| 237 | |
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Common terms and phrases
administration agreement alliance Arias Arnulfo bases became began Bogotá British Bunau-Varilla campaign canal treaty Canal Zone Caribbean Central America chap Clayton-Bulwer Clayton-Bulwer Treaty Colombia Colón concession construction countries decade defense diplomatic Dominio y sociedad early economic Eisenhower elections elite Finally Five Frontiers force foreign French guard Ibid independence invasion Isthmian isthmus John Major Jorden labor Land Divided Latin America leaders locks Mack major manians Manuel Antonio Noriega meanwhile ment million Mireya Moscoso Moscoso negotiations neutrality Nicaragua Noriega Omar Torrijos operations Pana Panama Canal Panama City Panama Odyssey Panama Railroad Panamanian Pentagon percent Pérez Balladares Perez-Venero plans ports President region Remón Republic sea-level canal Senate ships sovereignty strategic terminal cities tion took Torrijos trade transit troops U.S. authorities U.S. Congress U.S. government U.S. military U.S. officials U.S. policy U.S.-Panamanian relations United USNA Washington Watermelon War West Indians White House York