The United States commences the occupation of the Dominican Republic: May 16, 1916.

 Period illustration of U.S. Marines landing under fire in the Dominican Republic.

With U.S. troops deep in Mexico, and the war in Europe growing bloodier, you would think that the US had enough on its hands already, but on this day, in 1916, the US landed Marines in the Dominican Republic.

This intervention came about due to a recent coup in the Dominican Republic and it would last until until 1924 during which period the US would make infrastructure improvements to the nation and governmental changes. The occupation was unpopular in both the United States and the Dominican Republic.

 USS Memphis, which was lost that August as part of the occupation when she was badly damaged in a storm while in harbor, costing the lives of forty-three of her crew.

The entire operation says something about the U.S.'s views about the countries to its south in this era.  It also says something about what it must have been like to be in the Marines, and what the Marines themselves must have been like.