Haiti, April 24, 1970
probably not happen as described in the Wiki Pedia teacher, but the reality is no less curious. But first let us briefly in a position ...
Haiti was the first independent republic in the Caribbean, and the second of the Americas, second only to USA, for something less than 30 years. From birth to independence, Haiti has had a very turbulent historical development. The wars with the eastern part of the island of Santo Domingo, which today is the Dominican Republic were frequent, leading to political instability. So much so, that as a good power, came to have an Emperor, Faustino I (tried to get the president is a puppet of the military and I left the backfire). But the imperial adventure was not there, as we shall see.
This situation was exploited by the U.S. to restore order as only they know, invading the country. The occupation lasted from 1915 to 1934, and by that time still did the right thing, brought to the island an apparent economic and political tranquility (which is understandable, you are mentoring the greatest power in the area, at least ship at the time). During this invasion was the second imperial acclamation in Haiti, one of the U.S. officials on the island, called Faustin Wirkus, for the island of La Gonave (the large island off the west coast of Haiti), was hailed as the reincarnation Faustino Emperor ... after the vision, probably induced by drugs, a witch on the island. However, do not let you mount a bar itself, and Faustino II's reign was not successful.
Back then, the U.S. withdrawal in 1934 led the country into chaos again. The presidents succeeded one another at high speed, and was increasing instability. Until, in 1957 was elected as President Dr. François Duvalier, known as "Papa Doc " (to distinguish you from his son and successor, Jean-Claude Duvalier, "Baby Doc "), and as the creator T onton Macoute. Haiti has always been proud of being the first black republic in the world, and certainly in Duvalier father found one of the best known cases of "racism black ", to call it somehow.
Duvalier succeeded entrench themselves in power despite international pressure (the Kennedy Administration was in the spotlight, by shamelessly appropriating international aid sent to the country) making himself president for life (or, in Christian dictator) in 1964, after winning the 1961 elections. In this era created the Tonton Macoute , a paramilitary force of defense (militias half and half "secret police", by that of repression), whose characteristic was not expenses caused to the state budget: is subsidizing themselves with what expropriated, stolen or extorted. He also created the Presidential Guard, with obvious functions.
Like any good dictator, Papa Doc suffered many attacks, some frustrated, others almost successful. And so we come to, in my opinion and for the moment, most ridiculous attack in history. April 24, 1970, outside Port-au-Prince. Octave Cayard, commander of the Coast Guard, starts a riot with which manages to mobilize the troops he commanded. And here begins the surreal: Cayard, in spite of its flamboyant title, had only three ships, if that word did not come very large, poorly armed, small-caliber guns obsolete and antiaircraft weapons. I'll bet they were coastal patrol boats during the Second World War, if not earlier, sold by U.S.
Cayard fleet then headed to the nearby presidential palace and opened fire. All the information I found about this fact is limited to that shot, and:
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struck some trees, after "spending the entire day attacking" 1.
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Again, the firing failed and slammed into civilian homes, leaving an undetermined number of civilian casualties 2.
After that, it seems that Cayard and his family went to Cuba. Their families and other seamen not paid the consequences.
However, the description of the riot told the English Wikipedia is much more wit. Matches, except at the time (unspecified) to the "bombardment" naval. The grotesque air of theatricality takes hit when he tells us that all that was done to combat the uprising was ordered off the portentous national air force, consisting of a single plane ... Wiki Pedia says, erroneously, that was a "P-54" of the war, but "that does not exist. Almost certainly it was a P-51 Mustang, with a clear "Made in USA" on the fuselage. But is not there, the story says that the pilot tried to engage in combat with three ships, on which made at least a couple of passes, with no success. After covered with glory, returned to base, almost certainly damaged.
Let's review: three boats, outdated, obsolete, with no firepower, try to bombard the presidential palace with little success, and the only opposition is made up of the Air Force to complete , a propeller plane, at least 20 years, who can not do anything except almost certainly get hurt.
Future opponents, take note! As president of the World Life and uprisings want! But do not expect a similar response xD.
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