Case 208 - The Dominican Intervention of 1965

Flanagan, Linda Head and William Rosenau

This case study examines the 1965 U.S. intervention in the Dominican Republic from the military’s point of view. At first, U.S. troops were expected to actively oppose rebel forces; yet they were soon required to shift their mindset and become impartial guardians of order--that is, to engage in “stability” operations. The case’s focus on military missions and rules of engagement provides an excellent, pedagogically useful counterexample to the U.S.-led, United Nations-sanctioned international intervention in Somalia (1992-1994). It could also be used to examine U.S. policy in the developing world, particularly Latin America, or issues surrounding peacekeeping operations. The case can be usefully assigned along with its companion study, “The Troubles: The British Army in Northern Ireland, 1969-1970” (Case Study 229). Other case studies that may be useful include “Operation Restore Hope: The Bush Administration's Decision to Intervene in Somalia” (Case Study 210) and “Key Decisions in the Somalia Intervention” (Case Study 211).