In the early 1900s, the United States decided to look southward. It saw all those weak, unstable, little Central American countries and thought to itself, why don't we help them out?

And help out they did... if by "help out", one means to occupy and install puppet governments. (For example, in the Dominican Republic, the Americans deposed president (and Jew) Francisco Henriquez y Carvajal.) This led to the Banana Wars. They weren't as delicious as they sounded.

What did it all accomplish? Not much. The Americans did get the Panama Canal for a while. The puppet governments got thrown out by the mid-20s. Cuba? Let's not even bring up Cuba. The Americans left Central America... for a while.

In the 1980s, the United States decided to look southward. It saw all those weak, unstable, little Central American countries and thought to itself...