The Contras As a U.S. Political Instrument and Their Impact on Central American Countries

Abstract

In Nicaragua, after the Sandinista overthrow of the Somoza dictatorship, a Marxist-Leninist government was established. The new government became a threat not only to the neighboring countries but also to the United States national interests of keeping the peace and promoting democracy in the area and stopping the Soviet ideological expansionism in the region. The United States decided to use the Contras (Nicaraguan Resistance) as a political instrument in order to overthrow the regime or compel it to come back to a democracy. The purpose of this study is to examine the dimensions of this strategy and its impact on Central American countries.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 11, 1990
Accession Number
ADA222900

Entities

People

  • Jose N. Lara

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Central America
  • Congress
  • Department Of State
  • El Salvador
  • European Communities
  • Governments
  • Hispanics
  • House Of Representatives
  • International Relations
  • Political Systems
  • Social Problems
  • South America
  • Terrorists
  • United States
  • United States Government
  • War Colleges

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.
  • Strategic Security Studies