It wasn't until nearly sixty years after the slave revolution in Haiti that the U.S. recognized Haiti's independence.
In 1915, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson sent forces to Haiti to prevent Germany or France from taking control of the nation. The U.S. pressured Haiti into signing a Disadvantageous Treaty, which legitimized a U.S. occupation that lasted until 1934 and placed Haitian finances and government under U.S. control for twenty years.
According to Greg Guma, what happened in 1915 "led to the destruction of Haiti's democratic potential, the creation of a repressive police apparatus, and a climat e of exploitation, repression, and racism that set the stage for much of what followed."
Guma's explanation of what happened features Marine hero Smedley Butler. It's possible that Haiti was one instance where Butler learned firsthand that war was a racket:
"Haiti's constitution was later revised to remove a prohibition against land ownership by foreigners. US investors would henceforth be able to purchase fertile areas and go into business with plantations producing sugar cane, cacao, banana, cotton, tobacco, and sisal. This legal reform made possible the full consolidation of the Haitian oligarchy during the succeeding decades, and set the stage for a Black nationalist revolt, manipulated by the devious and brutal doctor-turned president-for-life, Francois Duvalier."
Forty thousand Haitians rebelled against a U.S.-instigated law requiring forced labor. The rebellion took over much of the northern mountainous region of Haiti. U.S. forces repressed the rebellion in March of 1919 and, for the first time ever, airplanes were used to provide support for U.S. ground forces.
Thirteen U.S. soldiers died and over 3,000 Haitians were killed.
The U.S. appointed a new U.S. representative, Louis Borno, who admired Mussolini, to be the new president and replace Sudre Dartiguenave, who would not sign an agreement to repay debts to the U.S.-owned National City Bank (Citibank), which controlled Haiti's national bank and its railroad system.
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