1934-07-05
1934-07-05: (Franklin D.
Haitian
1934-07-05: (Franklin D. Roosevelt Visits Cap-Haïtien, the First U.S. President to Visit Haiti, a Diplomatic Gesture That Preceded the Withdrawal of the Marines by Six Weeks): On July 5, 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited Cap-Haïtien, becoming the first U.S. president to visit Haiti. The visit followed Vincent’s trip to Washington in March 1934 and was a diplomatic gesture designed to signal that the era of gunboat diplomacy was ending. Roosevelt’s Good Neighbor Policy required the appearance of mutual respect between nations, even when the underlying power dynamic remained grossly asymmetrical. The visit was a success. Six weeks later, the Marines left.