The Banana Wars E77 Blood, Medals, and Morality: The Haiti Intervention Begins

This episode tells the story of one of the most daring and cinematic missions in Marine Corps history: the assassination of Haitian rebel leader Charlemagne Péralte.

Disguised as locals and guided by an undercover informant, Sergeant Herman Hanneken and Corporal William Button infiltrated six rebel outposts before reaching Charlemagne's inner circle. In a sudden and precise strike, they killed Charlemagne and fought off repeated attacks to bring his body back as proof. Both men received the Medal of Honor for the operation. Charlemagne's death was a major turning point in the U.S. occupation of Haiti.

It shattered the morale of the Cacos and allowed the Marines to begin restructuring the country's military and political institutions. But the price of victory was high. Button died shortly after from malaria, and the occupation continued for more than a decade. This mission highlights the complexity, intensity, and moral weight of U.S. intervention during the Banana Wars.

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