The Nicaraguan Revolution Flashcards
Augosto Caesar Sandino
A liberal general and farm owner who refused to lay down his arms until the US left Nicaragua. Seen by US as bandit leader but Latin Americans saw him as nationalist hero. After US left in 1933, wanted Sacasa as president. Killed in 1934 by Somoza’s National Guardsmen after a meeting with Sacasa.
Liberals and Conservatives
Citizens of Leon as liberals, citizens of Granada as conservatives. Liberals recruited William Walker and his mercenaries during the 1855 civil war.
William Walker
Adventurer from Tennessee and mercenary who fought in 1855 Nicaraguan Civil War on the side of the liberals. Declared himself president of Nicaragua after victory and was driven out in 1857. Killed in Honduras in 1860
Foreign Interest
Conservative party helps foreign markets by forcing peasants to work as laborers harvesting cash crops such as coffee and mahogany for Europe and the US.
Zelaya
Liberal party general elected to presidency in 1893, seen as dictator or nationalist. Wanted to deal with Britain and Japan to make canal through country, US encourages conservatives to rebel. Forced to resign in 1909.
National Guard
Organized in the 1920s. Trained and equipped by the US. Supposed to be loyal to democratic system, but was not.
Anastasio Somoza Garcia
Chosen by US to lead National Guard. Nicknamed Tacho. In 1936 he used the National Guard to install himself as president. Assassinated by a Nicaraguan poet in 1956.
Luis Somoza Debayle
Succeeded Tacho, his father, in 1956. Died in 1967 of natural causes.
Anastasio Somoza Debayle
Nicknamed Tachito. West-Point educated. Succeeded his older brother in 1967 and ruled until 1979 when he was forced to flee. Fled to US and then Paraguay where he was assassinated in 1980.
Sandanista Front For National Liberation (FSLN)
Founded in 1961 by a group of anti-Somoza militants including Carlos Fonseca, Tomas Borge, and Silvio Mayorga. Saw Somozas as a puppet of the US. Got name from Sandino. Wanted a socialist revolution. Were dissident Elites. Split between 1975 and 1977 but reformed in 1978/1979.
Carlos Fonseca
Prime mover of FSLN and poor son of a single mother. Joined Nicaraguan Socialist Party when he was at university. Died in combat against Somoza forces in 1976.
Prolonged People’s War
Distinct faction of FSLN. Led by Borge and Henry Ruiz. Said rural warfare was key to success.
Proletarians
Distinct faction of FSLN. Led by Jamie Wheelock. Thought urban working class would lead to success.
Third Force
Also known as Insurrectionists and the Christian Wing. Led by Daniel and Humberto Ortega. Expanded their ranks with non-Marxist socialists. Recruited everyone and were much more successful with organizing widespread insurrection.
Clergy
Began to tell poor people that education, medical care, and decent wages were rights to which they were morally entitled to.
Managua Earthquake
1972 Earthquake that hit the Capitol city of Managua. Relief aide came in to help country rebuild but Tachito and National Guard used that for their own advantage.
Permissive World Context
Jimmy Carter elected in 1977 and said if you don’t stop suppressing people, we stop giving you money. Tachito didn’t stop.
Pedro Jauquin Chamorro
Conservative party editor of the newspaper La Pensa who spoke out against Somoza. Killed on January 10,1978.
Revolutionary Books/Newspapers
La Pensa Newspaper by Pedro Chamorro, Barricada Newspaper by Carlos Chammoro, and Psychological Techniques of Guerrilla Warfare which was given to the US backed Contras.
Bill Stewart
ABC news reporter killed by Somoza’s National Guard on June 20, 1978.
Organization of American States (OAS)
Organization of Latin American and South American States. Voted to demand Somoza’s resignation in June 1978.
MDN
Nicaraguan Democratic Movement, headed by Robelo Callejas
Violeta Barrios de Chamorro
Widow of Pedro Chamorro
Goals of Revolutionary Government
- Maintain a mixed economy and encourage investment in the private sector
- Political pluralism for everyone
- Diplomatic relations with as many nations as possible
World Health Organization
Declared Revolutionary Nicaragua a model for primary healthcare
Superior Council of Private Enterprise (COSEP)
Opposition to FSLN. Objected literacy, many people siding with revolutionaries, and that National Guard was led by FSLN
Sandanista Defense Committees
Revolutionary neighborhood committees
Carter Administration Objectives in Nicaragua
- Assist pluralism and capitalist ideas
- Deny them an enemy so that they wouldn’t rely on Soviet Union or Cuba
- Good relations so that the US would still be powerhouse
Contras
Counterrevolutionaries who operated out of Honduras and supplied by the CIA. Former officers of Somoza’s National Guard and their family members and relatives. Also included many affluent business people.
Eden Pastora
Founder of the Democratic Revolutionary Alliance (ARDE) contra. Refused to help CIA.
Nicaraguan Democratic Force (FDN)
Group of many contras joined together. Assisted by mercenaries from Honduras, Chile, and Argentina and paid for by the CIA
National Opposition Union (UNO)
Selected Violeta Chamorro to be president in 1990.
Daniel Ortega
Founder of the Third Force along with his brother Hamberto. Elected president of Nicaragua in 1984, 2006, and again in 2011. Up for election in 2016.
Hamberto Ortega
Founded the Third Force of the FSLN along with his brother Daniel. Commander of the Armed Forces of Nicaragua under Violeta Chamorro.
