Date of Award

1-1-2013

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School/Department

Department of Latin American, Caribbean and U.S. Latino Studies

Program

Spanish

Content Description

1 online resource (v, 283 pages) : illustrations (some color)

Dissertation/Thesis Chair

Walter Little

Committee Members

Susan Gauss, Jefferson C Boyer

Keywords

Central America, Cold War, Conflicts, Hegemony, Honduras, Resistance

Subject Categories

Latin American History | Latin American Studies

Abstract

During the Central American Conflicts of the 1970s and 1980s, Honduras played a central role by becoming both the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) lead training ground for the Nicaraguan Contras and the American central command of all major military operations to suppress revolutionary movements in Central America and the Caribbean. While never formally at war with a seemingly democratic political system post 1981 presidential elections, the life of the broader Honduran population was very much impacted by the 1970s and 1980s Central American conflicts. The people's experiences show a reality very similar to that of a country at war. However, very little is known about the internal political and social effects the wars had on the Honduran population, and popular perceptions of this period are absent from scholarly works. Scholarly work has so far largely ignored this aspect of Honduran history, and has based historical accounts solely on facts and events officially documented by the media and governments. This not only leaves Honduran history incomplete, but it also obviates the implications of the Central American conflicts of the 1970s and 1980s on today's political landscape, and leaves room for misinterpretations of current political events by the international community. The common stories of the Honduran citizens who lived during the Central American conflicts are an integral part of the country's national identity today and need to be incorporated into the larger hegemonic national narrative. This untold story will contribute to placing Honduras in a larger and balanced Central American historical account by adding another important chapter on contemporary Latin America history.

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