Dictatorship in El Salvador 1931- 1979

History, Military Rule, 1931-1979

Almost immediately, Marti led a revolt of farm workers, Native Americans, and other rural Salvadorans, armed mostly with machetes. Hernandez Martinez directed the army to put down this insurrection, which was defeated within days. The military then executed between 10,000 and 30,000 rural Salvadorans. This event, known as La Matanza (the massacre), became a turning point in El Salvador’s history. Before the uprising, the governing elite had tolerated some dissent and allowed labor organizations to form. But after the rebellion, the terrified elite turned to the military to maintain their power. The 1932 revolt also destroyed indigenous culture in most parts of El Salvador, for Native Americans had been especially targeted during the massacre. To survive, the remaining native people adopted mestizo dress and customs.

Hernandez Martinez ruled El Salvador as a military dictator, suppressing dissent, until he was overthrown in 1944 by students, workers, and progressive military officers. In the years that followed, military officers continued to control the government, but new political parties and labor unions were allowed to form, giving the urban middle class an opportunity to participate in politics.

After World War II ended in 1945, the economy became more diversified as new crops were grown for export, which helped increase the size of both the elite and the middle class. But poverty grew more widespread among the lower classes, especially rural Salvadorans who were forced off their land by the expansion of export agriculture. More export crops meant less land available for growing food, and Salvadorans became among the most malnourished people in the world.

                                                                     My summary of the research

Hernandez, who ruled El Salvador, was too controlling which caused the people to seize control. After Hernandez the military officers were in control which did benefit the urban middle class in issues such as politics. At the end of world war 2 the economy was more versatile and more food was exported, which was beneficial in the growth of the elite and middle class; however, poverty and the export of more goods than imports, caused El Salvadorians to be very malnourished.

                                                                                   resource(s):

  

"History,MilitaryRule,1931-1979."CountriesQuest.Web. <http://www.countriesquest.com/central_america/el_salvador/history/military_rule_1931-1979.htm>.