Program Type
Undergraduate
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Micheal Tarver
Document Type
Presentation
Location
Face-to-face
Start Date
25-4-2023 2:45 PM
Abstract
This presentation briefly explores diplomatic relations between the United States and Venezuela during the period 1945 and 1948. While these years may seem arbitrary to United States historians, within Venezuela the three years were noted for a brief period of democracy, sandwiched between two periods of authoritarian rule. Known as the Trienio in Venezuelan history, the national government was headed by Rómulo Betancourt from October 1945 to February 1948 and Rómulo Gallegos from February to November 1948. Within the United States, this time period corresponds with parts of the first and second administrations of Harry S. Truman. This time period is fundamental to understanding modern Venezuelan politics, as it was during the short-lived democratic Trienio that Venezuela underwent significant political change. New parties were formed; and democracy became institutionalized by universal, direct, and secret balloting. The undergraduate researcher aspect of this project focused on the examination of primary and secondary source materials, including government documents and newspaper articles. The student-conducted research was empirical, thus there were no specific questions guiding the analysis. Details were recorded and summaries were created of the examined documents, using a revised instrument from the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. In consultation with the Project Director, analysis was undertaken of the collected data. The preliminary findings of the project support the position that although during the years under review the United States was primarily interested in hemispheric security, the various nations of Latin America were more concerned with maintaining political stability and obtaining financial and military assistance from the United States.
Recommended Citation
Seidenschwarz, Ross and Linn, John, "Harry and the Rómulos: Relations between the United States and Venezuela, 1946-1948" (2023). ATU Research Symposium. 68.
https://orc.library.atu.edu/atu_rs/2023/2023/68
Included in
Diplomatic History Commons, Latin American History Commons, Political History Commons, United States History Commons
Harry and the Rómulos: Relations between the United States and Venezuela, 1946-1948
Face-to-face
This presentation briefly explores diplomatic relations between the United States and Venezuela during the period 1945 and 1948. While these years may seem arbitrary to United States historians, within Venezuela the three years were noted for a brief period of democracy, sandwiched between two periods of authoritarian rule. Known as the Trienio in Venezuelan history, the national government was headed by Rómulo Betancourt from October 1945 to February 1948 and Rómulo Gallegos from February to November 1948. Within the United States, this time period corresponds with parts of the first and second administrations of Harry S. Truman. This time period is fundamental to understanding modern Venezuelan politics, as it was during the short-lived democratic Trienio that Venezuela underwent significant political change. New parties were formed; and democracy became institutionalized by universal, direct, and secret balloting. The undergraduate researcher aspect of this project focused on the examination of primary and secondary source materials, including government documents and newspaper articles. The student-conducted research was empirical, thus there were no specific questions guiding the analysis. Details were recorded and summaries were created of the examined documents, using a revised instrument from the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. In consultation with the Project Director, analysis was undertaken of the collected data. The preliminary findings of the project support the position that although during the years under review the United States was primarily interested in hemispheric security, the various nations of Latin America were more concerned with maintaining political stability and obtaining financial and military assistance from the United States.