Panama and the United States: The Forced AllianceThe second edition of Panama and the United States examines how relations between Panama and the United States have always pivoted on the issue of transportation across the country's narrow isthmus and delves into the future of those relations now that Panama controls the canal. 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 (1904-1914) locked the two countries in their parallel quests but failed to satisfy either fully. Michael L. Conniff explores the implications of Panama's newly acquired opportunities and how events since the 1989 U.S. invasion have provided a rich environment for the emergence of new parties, a new generation of politicians, and more democratic business procedures. Panama is now able to re-create its own nationhood relatively free from outside pressures. Drawing on a wide array of sources updated for this edition, Conniff considers the full range of factors--political, social, strategic, diplomatic, economic, intellectual--that have bound the two countries together. He conveys the viewpoints of leaders in each country but also follows the shifting currents of public opinion. As he shows, the many layers of decision making, opinion, communication, and administration that affected the construction, operation, and turning over of the canal have made relations slow and sometimes impenetrable. |
Contents
The Railroad Era | 24 |
The French Period | 41 |
Canal Diplomacy 19021919 | 63 |
From Gunboats to the Nuclear Age 19201945 | 84 |
Uneasy Partners 19451960 | 98 |
A Time of Troubles and Treaties 19601979 | 116 |
Treaty Implementation 19791985 | 140 |
The Noriega Crisis and Bushs Ordeal | 154 |
Canal Ownership and Sovereignty at Last | 169 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
alliance American canal Araúz 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 Congress countries defense diplomatic Dominio y sociedad early economic Eisenhower election elite Finally Five Frontiers force foreign French guard Ibid independence invasion Isthmian isthmus John Major Jorden labor Land Divided Latin America leaders Mack major manians meanwhile ment million Mireya Moscoso Moscoso negotiations Nicaragua Noriega Omar Torrijos operation Pana Panama Canal Panama Canal Zone Panama City Panama Odyssey Panama Railroad Panama Route Panamanian Panamanian Politics Pentagon percent Pérez Balladares Perez-Venero Porras President Remón 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.-Panamanian relations United USNA Washington Watermelon War West Indians White House William workers York