Abstract
This examines the central importance of Chaguaramas to identity formation and governance of the emerging young nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It appeared that the American maintenance of the Chaguaramas military base during the Cold War also operated as a strategy of imperial imposition. The American insistence on maintaining the base coincided with a period of heightened nationalism in Trinidad. The chapter follows this nationalistic trend led by Eric Williams and the succesful conclusion to a campaign that culminated in American withdrawal from the base in 1967.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
Bibliography
Primary Sources
Newspapers
Advocate, 1960.
Jamaica Gleaner, (1957–59).
Stabroek News, 2010.
The Daily Gleaner, (1957–59).
The Guardian UK, 2001.
The West Indian, 1959.
Trinidad Chronicle, (1958–59).
Trinidad Express, (2002–2011).
Trinidad Guardian, (1958–61).
Trinidad and Tobago Newsday, 2010.
Archival Sources
“Cypher Telegram from Sir Hubert Young to Secretary of State for the colonies,” December 19, 1951.In Compulsory Service: Proposed Introduction of Legislation to Provide for Compulsory Service in Trinidad. UK, Colonial Office, 295/626/17. British National Archives, Kew, London.
“Extract from discussions with government officials on the Scope of the Leased Bases Agreement.” Jul 1959. In, Alleged Radiation From U.S. Chaguaramas Base in Trinidad. UK, Colonial Office, 1031/2021. British National Archives, Kew, London.
“Extract from Letter from J.E Marnham to Alec Lovelace,” September 21, 1959. In U.S. Bases-Trinidad Establishment of Guided Missile Station within the Leased Area in Trinidad.UK, Colonial Office 1031/2021. British National Archives, Kew, London.
“Extract from the Secretary of State’s Own Information,” 1959. In, Alleged Radiation from U.S. Chaguaramas Base in Trinidad. Alleged Radiation From U.S. Chaguaramas Base in Trinidad. UK, Colonial Office, 1031/2021. British National Archives, Kew, London.
“Meeting held by Dr. Solomon and Mr. O’Hallaran,” June 15, 1959. In Alleged Radiation From U.S. Chaguaramas Base in Trinidad, 1959. UK, Colonial Office 1031/2068. British National Archives, Kew, London.
“My Talks with Dr. Eric Williams On Chaguaramas,” October 8, 1959. In Joint Control of Chaguaramas Base By the United States, Great Britain and the West Indies. UK, Colonial Office, 1031/2066. British National Archives, Kew, London.
Secondary Sources
Books
Boxhill, Ian. Ideology and Caribbean Integration. Kingston: University of the West Indies Press, 1993.
Brereton, Bridget. A History of Modern Trinidad 1783–1962. Kingston: Heinemann Publishers, 1981.
British Information Services. Trinidad and Tobago: the Making of a Nation. New York: British Information Services, Reference Division, 1962.
Clarke, Colin.Decolonizing the Colonial City: Urbanization and Stratification in Kingston, Jamaica. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006.
Day, Richard B. Cold War Capitalism: The View From Moscow, 1945–1957. New York: M.E Sharpe, 1995.
Etzioni, Amitai. Political Unification Revisited: On Building Supranational Communities. Boston: Lexington Books, 2010.
High, Steven. Base Colonies in the Western Hemisphere. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009.
Howard, Michael. Public Finance in Small Open Economies: The Caribbean Experience. Westport: Connecticut, Praeger, 1992.
MacDonald, Scott. Trinidad and Tobago: Democracy and Development in the Caribbean. New York: Praeger, 1986.
Mawby, Spencer. Ordering Independence. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012.
Palmer, Colin A. Eric Williams and the Making of the Modern Caribbean. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2009.
Robinson, Arthur Napoleon Raymond. The Mechanics of Independence: Patterns of Political and Economic Transformations in Trinidad and Tobago. Kingston, Jamaica: University of the West Indies Press, 2001.
Rotherman, Dietmar. The Routledge Companion to Decolonization. New York: Routledge, 2006.
Sandison, David. Che Guevara. London: Octopus Publishing Group, 1997.
Sewel, Bevan. “National Security Act (July 26, 1947).” In The Cold War: Essential Reference Guide. Edited by James Arnold, Roberta Wiener, 149. Santa Babara: ABC-CLIO, 2012.
Trinidad and Tobago Office of the Premier. The Annexation of Chaguaramas: Historical Documents of Trinidad and Tobago. Port-of-Spain: Government Printing Office, 1963.
Williams, Eric. From Slavery to Chaguaramas. Trinidad and Tobago: Chaguaramas Development Authority, 2000. Journals
Journals
Weisskopf, Thomas. “Theories of American Imperialism: A Critical Evaluation,” Sage Journals 42 (1979): 41–60. Accessed April 12, 2016, doi:10.1177/048661347400600303.
Unpublished theses and dissertations
Gopaul-Maharajh, Vishnoo. “The Social Effects of the American Occupation in Trinidad during World War Two 1939–1945.”
Chapters and Parts of Books
Baptiste, Fitzroy. “United States-Caribbean Relations from World War II to the present: The Social Nexus.” In U.S.-Caribbean Relations: Their Impact on Peoples and Culture, edited by Ransford Palmer, (8–41). Westport Connecticut: Praeger, 1998.
Campbell, Horace. “C.L.R James, Walter Rodney and the Caribbean Intellectual.” In C.L.R James: His Intellectual Legacies. Edited by Selwyn Reginald Cudjoe and William E. Cain, (405–7). Massachusetts: University of Massachusetts Press, 1995.
Francisco, Slinger.“Jean and Dinah.”In, One Hundred and Twenty Calypsoes to Remember by the Mighty Sparrow, (2). (Port-of-Spain: Caribbean Printers, 1963.
Karras, Alan. “Colonists and Settlers, British in the Caribbean.” In Britain and the Americas: Culture, Politics and History: A Multidisciplinary Encyclopaedia. Edited by Will Kaufman and Heidi Macpherson, (246–247). California: ABC-CLIO, 2004.
Williams, Eric. “We are Independent.” In Forged From the Love of Liberty: Selected Speeches of Dr. Eric Williams, Paul Sutton, (314–318). Port-of-Spain, Longman Caribbean, 1981.
Websites
Neptune, Harvey. “The Twilight Years: Caribbean Social Movements, 1940–1960.” Accessed February 10, 2016. http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africanaage/essay-caribbean-40.html14/12/2015.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Jahgoo, D. (2017). Challenging a “Strategy of Imperialism”: Chaguaramas and the Quest for American Security. In: Pantin, S., Teelucksingh, J. (eds) Ideology, Regionalism, and Society in Caribbean History. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61418-2_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61418-2_8
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-61417-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-61418-2
eBook Packages: HistoryHistory (R0)