The Alleged Death of the Monroe Doctrine: Panama as a Case Study, 1977-1999
Abstract
On 14 December 1999, in the shadow of the Miraflores locks, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso presided over a crowded ceremony symbolizing the transfer of canal responsibility to the Panamanian government. The U.S. Senate had made the transfer possible twenty-one years earlier, after ratifying the Panama Canal treaties with just one vote to spare. The narrow margin of ratification indicated measurable opposition. In 1977, more Americans opposed the treaty than favored it, and for those opposed to the treaty, the most popular reason was that the U.S. had built and paid for the canal. Statistics supporting the popular sentiment fueled the ratification debate. During the construction of the canal from 1904 to 1914, the U.S. spent $352 million and 5,609 lives, or more than $7 million and 112 lives for every mile. For those opposed to "surrendering the canal," these facts justified the popular claim, ,We bought it. We built it. It's ours and we are going to keep it.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA401520
Entities
People
- James P. Isenhower Iii
Organizations
- Duke University