Tuesday, September 04, 2012

Haiti: The Tumultuous History-From Pearl of the Caribbean to Broken Nation

 This book was an incredible overview from the revolution and creation of Haiti to its current state.  Girard does not hold back in placing the blame for Haiti's current situation squarely on the backs of Haiti's failed governmental leadership.  He spends much time detailing also how the US "invasion" of Haiti was less than beneficial.  I felt like this was a great introduction to the history of Haiti and I was shocked to hear in detail about the brutality of prior dictators.  Also, I was shocked to read about how Haiti was incredibly prosperous early in its history.  I would definitely recommend this book for anyone wanting to gain a good understanding of the history of Haiti and how it effects the current culture of Haiti today.

Buy this book at Amazon.com

From Amazon.com
Why has Haiti been plagued by so many woes? Why have multiple U.S. efforts to create a stable democracy in Haiti failed so spectacularly? Philippe Girard answers these and other questions, examining how colonialism and slavery have left a legacy of racial tension, both within Haiti and internationally; Haitians remain deeply suspicious of white foriegners' motives, many of whom doubt Hatians' ability to govern themselves. He also examines how Haiti's current political instability is merely a continuation of political strife that began during the War of Independence (1791-1804). Finally, Girard explores poverty's devastating impact on contemporary Haiti and argues that Haitians--particularly home-grown dictators--bear a big share of the responsibility for their nation's troubles.

Praise for Clinton in Haiti by Philippe Girard:

"An engaging and wonderfully readable account of the circumstances leading up to the U.S. invasion of Haiti in 1994, and its restoration of Jean-Bertrand Aristide as Haitian president."--Elizabeth Abbott, Trinity College, University of Toronto

"This is an extraordinarily well written account that places Clinton's Haitian foreign policy in historical perspective. Linguistic wit and analytical sophistication prevail as Girard skillfully weaves readers through the complexities and tragedy of Haiti's history and the highly touted, but unsuccessful aftermath of the 1994 "invasion" by U.S. troops to restore Aristide and democracy to this Caribbean republic. Until Clinton administration classified documents become available this will remain the standard account and an object lesson for all future American cut-and-run attempts at peace-keeping and nation-building."--Joan Hoff, Montana State University, Bozeman

"Written by an outstanding young French scholar of recent American history, this examination of U.S. intervention in Haiti under Bill Clinton probes the motivations behind an unnecessary military action and explains the ways in which objective failure is translated into political success. The author's finely-calibrated sense of irony makes his work as entertaining as it is instructive."--Alonzo L. Hamby, Ohio University, and author of For the Survival of Democracy: Franklin Roosevelt and the World Crisis of the 1930s

About the Author

Philippe Girard is an Assistant Professor of Caribbean History, McNeese State University of Louisiana.

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