A matter of perspective: United States policy toward the Caribbean basin during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, 1961--1965

This dissertation examines United States foreign policy toward the Caribbean basin during the period 1961-1965. The Caribbean basin is defined according to geographic and U.S. strategic considerations to include Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, and the Caribbean islands of Cuba and Hispaniola. In scope, the dissertation begins with the administration of John F. Kennedy and ends with the U.S. intervention in the Dominican Republic in 1965. This project examines the degree of continuity and change between the policies of the John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson administrations as they relate to the Caribbean basin and to Latin America as a whole. It emphasizes the decision-making processes and factors influencing policymakers over the implementation of specific programs, but addresses policy initiatives such as the Alliance for Progress, counter-insurgency, and U.S. intervention in the region.