The purpose of this project is to review the history and curriculum of the School of The Americas, examine its graduates that ran oppressive regimes in four Latin American countries, and, finally, take a brief look at where the military institution is today. Throughout the Cold War, the US, in its desperation to prevent the spread of communism, intervened heavily in Latin America’s governments, installing US-trained, fascist dictators and aiding them in civil wars and genocides against their citizens; the current economic, social, and health conditions of these countries are directly tied to these times of turmoil. Through an examination of declassified US government documents, journalists’ reports, and resources from organizations that spread awareness of the human rights violations associated with the military institution, I seek to explain the consequences of the School of The Americas and US interventionism in Latin America.
