Panama Canal

[buzzy]

Anyone been there?  Or know the history of the Canal?  I met a guy from Colombia today who commented that the U.S. took that stretch of land from Colombia by military force in the early 1900's.  I plan on researching the matter but really I am totally ignorant about the Canal's history.  I didn't dispute his statement.  Also anyone know how it is as  a travel destination?  TLC is heading to Panama City  in a few months.  I may go.

[Pete E]

... in response to Panama Canal, posted by buzzy on Jun 9, 2001

Buzzy,
When Jimmy Carter wanted to give the canal back to Panama(which we eventually did)There was a debate on the issue.California had a US senator named S.I.Hiyakawa.His comment was "its ours,we stole it fair and square".When Teddy Roosevelt couldn't make a deal with Colombia to buy rights to the canal we made a deal with some rebels in the area of northern Colombia that is now Panama.Revolt and we will support you,then we will pay you (probably a whole lot less than Colombia wanted)for the Canal.US warships were sent to Northern Colombia with orders to support the revolution.The admiral wired back"there is no revolution going on".He was wired back "wait".
I'm sure every Colombian kid knows this story but I think they like us anyway.We are the provider of movies and and TV programs and seem like rich uncle Sam.I think the parts of the world that don't look up to us at least respect us
for our economic success.

Pete

[DallasSteve]

... in response to Panama Canal, posted by buzzy on Jun 9, 2001

I saw somewhere recently that after we sponsored the revolt to break apart Panama from Colombia that Teddy Roosevelt said something about it in public.  When the Colombians heard this they caused a stink and the US paid them millions to be quiet.  Maybe someone has more details.  

Just to make things more interesting, consider this:  If the rebels win control of Colombia some day, a la Fidel Castro, how long before they try to take back the Panama Canal and what would the US do then?

[Jeff S]

... in response to Re: Panama Canal, posted by DallasSteve on Jun 11, 2001

I'll guarantee the US wouldn't let something as strategically vital as the canal, both militarilly and economically, fall into unfriendly hands.
-- Jeff S.

[denvermike]

... in response to Panama Canal, posted by buzzy on Jun 9, 2001

Hi,

I made a trip to Panama last August.  I went to Panama City.
I visited the canal one day. There is nice display of the canal and how it works at the Miraflores locks. You would be surprised how narrow the canal is. My general impressions of the place is good. It is relatively inexpensive to visit.  They use the US dollar as currency.  It is very hot and humid.  The ecomomy has gone down hill ever since the US pulled out of the canal. A fair number of people speak English.  Lots of Colombians have escaped to Panama.

take care,
mike

[Hamlet]

... in response to Panama Canal, posted by buzzy on Jun 9, 2001

As the other respondents have indicated, this history is fascinating.  Regarding Panama's tourism potential, it is high on my list of countries to visit in Latin America (second after Cuba).  The Lonely Planet guide has whipped up my enthusiasm to see Panama, as has the movie "The Tailor of Panama" with Pierce Brosnan which I saw last week.

One of the women I am going to meet in Panama City told me that she got to kiss Brosnan on the cheek when he was filming there.

[jim c]

... in response to Panama Canal, posted by buzzy on Jun 9, 2001

Panama was part of Grand Colombia. We had warships at the location while the residents revolted and we had already agreed to recognize them. All this to get the land for the canal cheaper, in fact the contract was already drawn up. You should read some of the quotes from Roosevelt calling the colombians thugs and animals etc. We never have been nice guys in this hemisphere. But,they do not tend to put this info in people magazine.

[Michael B]

... in response to Re: Panama Canal, posted by jim c on Jun 9, 2001

You're right Jim, except you didn't go quite far enough. We didn't just tacidly sit by and 'recognize' them when the revolt was finished. Colombia refused to grant the US the right to build a canal, so Olie North's precedicesor clandestenly recruted insurgents and supplied them with arms and ammo and THEN recognized them after they won with our help. 'Uncle Gringo' has a long history of doing things like this in LA, in the whole world, as a matter of fact. There IS a reason why they say "Yankee go home".

[jim c]

... in response to Re: Panama Canal, posted by jim c on Jun 9, 2001

PS you should read how much we screwed the cubans.  we invaded them 7 times. When they were about to win their revolution after 15 years, we entered the war and stole the country. We did not even invite them to the spanish surrender. We then invaded the country every time we did not approve of the government and had a right to by treaty.

PS some of the black guys should read the life story of Antonio Maceo the black cuban general, he was really cool. His statue is on the Malecon in Havana.