Dominican Republic and Haiti: Country Studies

Dominican troops participating in a parade
Courtesy Embassy of the Dominican Republic, Washington
Caudillo Rule, and Political Instability, ch. 1). Each of the two
generals used his position to enrich himself, his relatives, and
his followers at public expense. To deal with the national bankruptcy
caused by civil war, corruption, and mismanagement,
San tana called on Spain in 1861 to restore colonial rule. The
Dominicans soon had enough of Spanish control, and in 1865
Spain was again forced out. As a result of army restructuring
after the restoration, existing military tendencies in Dominican
society became more pronounced.
General Ulises Heureaux became president in 1882. During
his brutal, dictatorial rule, factionalism was repressed, and the
nation enjoyed relative internal peace. The army emerged as a
standing organization for the first time, based on a system of
conscription that affected mainly peasants. The number of
officers increased sharply, and military expenditures dominated
the state budget. By 1897 Heureaux was able to boast of a
disciplined army with 14,000 Remington rifles and six artillery
batteries. With the country's newly built rail lines and a modest
navy, the force had considerable mobility.
After Heureaux was assassinated in 1899, political factions
again contested for power and for access to the national treasury.
By 1904 the economy was in shambles, and foreign gov-
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