Church Teachers’ College

Course Title: Developments in Caribbean History in the 19th and 20th Centuries

Course Code: HY323SEB

Lecturer:

Student ID #: CH20067714

Student Name: Tamara Nembhard

Assignment # 1: Assess how the United States involvement with the British West Indies affected
the Socio- Economic developments of TWO of these islands to 1945

Due Date: July 25, 2017

 Assess how the United States involvement with the British West Indies affected the Socio-
Economic developments of TWO of these islands to 1945

During the periods before the Second World War, the United States interest in the Caribbean and

Central America was directed mostly towards the Spanish Speaking territories. Throughout this

period the United States showed very little interest in the English speaking territories; which

were still being run by European powers and made little attempt to become involved in its

politics. There was no need to interfere; at least not until the disturbances of the 1930s in the

region and World War II. The Americans involvement in the Caribbean at this point was

deemed necessary to ward of any threat to the stability of the Region. During World War II, a

large number of Nazi U-Boats circled the Caribbean Sea. To increase security for the British

Empire, the British and the Americans made a wartime agreement on the 2nd of September 1940.

Under the Destroyers for Bases Agreement, the British Government gave the United States

Army and Navy permission to set up bases on British territories in the Americas and in return

the Americans would give the British 50 destroyers war ships. The establishment of US bases in

the Bristish Caribbean at this point had serious social and economic implications for the islands.

The focus of this essay is to assess how the United States involvement within the British West

Indies affected the Socio- Economic developments of two of these islands to 1945. The islands to

be the focus of this essay are Trinidad and Antigua.

The Us in Trinidad

. Social Impact on Trinidad

 From a social standpoint one of the main benefits that was derived from the establishment

of the US naval base in Chaguaramas, Trinidad was the employment opportunities it provided

for the local people. “The building of the United States base in Trinidad created a strong upswing

in construction activity, directly employing approximately 30,000 workers, or between 15 and 20

percent of the country’s labor force” (Trinidad and Tobago Economy - Patterns of Development,

para. 1, 2004). It is important to note that the base not only provided employment opportunities

for locals but for other Eastern Caribbean territories as well. In addition, the establishment of the

naval base in Chaguaramas boosted the local entertainment industry especially, the calypso

sector, which grew tremendously; as it is provided a source of entertainment for both locals and

immigrants. There was also an increase in prostitution; as many of the local women offered their

services to the Americans for a cost. This was often times song about in the calypso music of the

time. Furthermore, many local residents married American nationals who worked at the US

Naval base. Even though, many locals profited from the establishment of the US Naval base

there were those who felt that the development of Port of Spain was limited because it occupied

too much land and the fact that many of local beach spots were lost during the process. Another

negative impact that was experienced during the initial stages of construction was the right to

evict people off the peninsula by Americans given to them in the Lease Land Agreement, the

Defense Regulations, and by the Trinidad Base Agreement. Governor Young clashed with the

Americans several times, not only on the issue of the villagers having to leave Chaguaramas, but

on the question of the bathing beaches being put out of bounds to holiday seekers and ordinary

villages. He did not like the idea of the Americans having Chaguaramas and wanted them to

develop the Caroni Swamp instead and establish a base there. He was overruled and eventually

sent home to England. Others resented the fact that the base became US territory where United
States law and currency were used. Also, while many Trinidadians married American nationals;

there was still however racial tension between some Americans troops and Trinidadians and

others nationals where the bases where built (Claypole and Robottom, 2001, p. 199).

Economic impact

The American Base in Trinidad had a number of positive and negative effects on the

country's economy. The building of the American base launched extensive infrastructure projects

for example construction of better roads, causing construction to more than double in over ten

years (Trinidad and Tobago By World War II History Essay, n.d.). Also, Trinidad or more

specially the areas located close to the US Naval base benefited from the presence of the United

States. The onset of World War II produced an oil boom in Trinidad as the nation fueled the

Allied forces' war efforts. This caused oil to replace sugar as the country’s most important sector

during this era. A more profound economic benefit derived from the US naval based was the

relatively high wages workers received. The Americans, having no colonial relationship with the

Trinidadians, generally saw them as their equal and were willing to pay them significant amounts

of money; which caused employment to be improved, ports were upgraded, and the economy

was stimulated by greater consumption from high wages. Higher urban wages, however,

accelerated rural-urban migration, causing a shortage of agricultural labor and sugar employment

dropped from 30,000 in 1939 to 18,000 in 1943. The diminished world trade resulting from the

war changed the production patterns in Trinidad and Tobago. Decreased markets for traditional

agricultural exports and declining food imports caused total land under food production to more

than double during the war. Although high urban wages resulting from the United States

presence were a drain on the rural labor supply, food production actually increased as output

shifted from export agriculture to domestic agriculture. Domestic agriculture was also bolstered
by guaranteed prices for farmers, price controls, and government "back to the land" slogans. The

fall in imports had a similar effect on Trinidad's small manufacturing sector, which previously

was limited to the processing of export crops. Shortages in consumer goods during the war

stimulated the import substitution of those products most easily produced domestically, such as

edible oils, fats, matches, some textiles, and other consumer necessities. 

Antigua

Antigua was among the smallest states chosen by the United States to set up its naval

base. With a population then of about 30,000 the small island was chosen for its strategic

position at the northeastern-most corner of the Antilles, where submarines were becoming an

increasing threat, and was to be a center for anti-submarine patrols.

The Effect of the US involvement on the Antiguan socio- economic development

Even though the Americans were initially greeted with optimism and open arms,

Antiguans at all levels of society quickly found that the Americans did not see their society as

they did. The Americans brought to Antigua a high level of racial discrimination and hostility,

that was far greater than what the Antiguans had known, since slavery ended. In addition, the

Garvey movement had affected the consciousness of many West Indians, including Antiguans.

This made the discrimination that the Antiguans experienced far more hurtful. In addition, where

the bases were located many of the villagers there had to be relocated. This was done by force.

On the flip side, the construction of the two naval bases in Antigua provided immediate

work for thousands of skilled and unskilled laborers, from carpenters to mechanics, and their

subsequent operation provided maintenance, artisanal, and clerical jobs for hundreds more.

Further, the Antiguans earned higher wages. Men from many villages in walking distance from

the Bases as well as from other islands, applied for jobs — not only as construction workers, but
in the many ancillary activities necessary on a working base (in laundries, in vehicle

maintenance workshops, as tally clerks, etc.). In addition, there were longer term benefits: new

skills were learned, from driver to motor mechanic to heavy equipment operator, that provided

Antiguans with marketable skills — marketable not only in Antigua, but after the war in Aruba,

Curaçao, England, and the United States.

Bibliography
Claypole, W. & Robottom, J. (2001). Caribbean Story, Volume 2 Caribbean Story History

Series. Longman

Trinidad and Tobago by World War II History Essay (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.ukessays.com/essays/history/trinidad-and-tobago-by-world-war-ii-history-

essay.php#ixzz3ny6fKYrx