Dominican Civil War

The Dominican Civil War, also called the April Revolution, was a violent conflict in the Dominican Republic. It occurred in the capital city of Santo Domingo between April 24 and September 3, 1965. The war began due to deep political divisions regarding how the country should be governed. At its heart, the conflict was a struggle to restore democracy after a period of military rule.

This event eventually drew in international forces, including the United States and several other nations through the Organization of American States (OAS).

The roots of the war trace back to 1963. Juan Emilio Bosch Gaviño was the first democratically elected president of the country. He took office on February 27, 1963, and attempted to pass social reforms. These changes angered business leaders and members of the military. On September 25, 1963, a group of 25 senior military commanders led by General Elías Wessin y Wessin removed Bosch from power. They installed Donald Reid Cabral as the new president. Because Reid lacked popular support, various groups began planning to change the government again.

On April 24, 1965, the civil war officially began when Constitutionalists rose up against Reid. The Constitutionalists were rebels who wanted to reinstate Bosch to the presidency. This group included 1,500 members of the military and 5,000 armed civilians. They seized the Radio Santo Domingo building to broadcast their messages. In response, General Wessin y Wessin organized military forces known as the Loyalists to fight the rebels. The fighting was intense, involving planes, tanks, and heavy artillery in the streets of Santo Domingo.

The conflict expanded when the United States decided to intervene. U.S. Ambassador William Tapley Bennett reported that the situation was dangerous for American citizens. He also suggested that the rebels were communists. To prevent what he saw as a second Cuban Revolution, President Lyndon Johnson authorized Operation Power Pack. This was the first major U.S. military intervention in Latin America in over 30 years. On April 30, 1965, the 82nd Airborne Division landed at San Isidro Air Base.

As the fighting continued, the Organization of American States (OAS) stepped in to manage the crisis. The OAS established an International Security Zone to protect foreign embassies. They also created the Inter-American Peace Force (IAPF) to act as a peacekeeping group. This force consisted of 1,748 troops from Brazil, Paraguay, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Honduras. General Hugo Panasco Alvim of Brazil led this multinational group. Their mission was to oversee peace and distribute food and medicine to the citizens.

Despite the peacekeeping efforts, significant battles still occurred. In mid-June, the Constitutionalists launched a final attempt to expand their territory. This led to the bloodiest battle of the entire intervention. Rebels used mortars, rocket launchers, and even tanks to attack U.S. outposts. During this period, the 82nd Airborne faced heavy combat, resulting in five deaths and 36 wounded soldiers. The Constitutionalists also suffered heavily, with 67 people killed and 165 wounded in that specific battle.

The war reached its conclusion through a series of agreements. A ceasefire was reached on August 31, 1965. This allowed for the establishment of a provisional government on September 3, 1965. The presence of foreign troops began to fade, with U.S. forces gradually withdrawing from the island. By July 1, 1966, the country held its first postwar elections. Joaquín Balaguer won the presidency in that election. The war remains a significant event that shaped the political history of the Dominican Republic and its relations with the rest of the Americas.