Banana Wars Exhibit At The Paper Mill House

In the period of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the United States regularly intervened militarily in the affairs of Latin American countries to protect its interests, particularly the commercial interests of the American business community. After President Teddy Roosevelt’s “Roosevelt Corollary of 1904”, whenever the United States felt its debts were not being repaid in a prompt fashion, or its citizens’ business interests were being threatened, or its access to natural interests were being impeded, military intervention or threats were often used to coerce the respective governments into compliance. This made many Latin Americans wary of U.S. presence in their region and subsequently they grew hostile to the United States.

The U.S. Marines were the principal military group sent by our government to enforce businesses interests.

To further educate on the Banana Wars, the General Smedley D. Butler Detachment, Marine Corps League, prepared an exhibit on the Banana Wars to place in local museums and libraries. It is now at the Newtown Square Historical Society’s Paper Mill House.

Photo 4 is Newtown Square’s Gen. Smedley D. Butler after whom our Detachment is named.