United States occupation of the Dominican Republic ( 1965 – 66 ) The second United States occupation of the Dominican Republic began when the United States Marine Corps entered Santo Domingo on April 28 , 1965 in the Dominican Civil War . They were later joined , beginning the following day , by most of the United States Army ' s 82nd Airborne Division and its parent XVIIIth Airborne Corps . It was called " Operation Power Pack . " The intervention ended in September 1966 when the 1st Brigade of the 82nd Airborne , the last remaining American unit in the country , was withdrawn . Background . After a period of political instability following the assassination of long - time Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo in 1961 , candidate Juan Bosch , a founder of the anti - Trujilloist Dominican Revolutionary Party ( PRD ) , was elected President in December , 1962 and inaugurated in February 1963 . The hierarchy of the Catholic Church also resented the secular nature of the new constitution , in particular its provision for legalized divorce . The hierarchy , along with the military leadership and the economic elite , also feared communist influence in the republic , and they warned of the potential for " another Cuba " . The result of this concern and opposition was a military " coup d ' état " on September 25 , 1963 . The coup effectively negated the 1962 elections by installing a civilian junta , known as the " Triunvirato " , dominated by the Trujullistas remnants . The initial head of the Triumvirate was Donald Reid Cabral . The Triumvirate never succeeded in establishing its authority over competing conservative factions both inside and outside the military ; it also never convinced the majority of the population of its legitimacy . The widespread dissatisfaction with Reid and his government , coupled with lingering loyalties to Bosch , produced a revolution on May 16 . Elías Wessin y Wessin controlled the Centro de Entrenamiento de las Fuerzas Armadas ( Armed Forces Training Center or " CEFA " ) , an elite group of about 2 , 000 highly trained infantry . Stationed at the San Isidro Air Base , it was unlike the regular army units : it was supplied with tanks , recoilless rifles and artillery , as well as its own attack aircraft . It was a quasi - independent organization , originally established by Ramfis Trujillo , the son of the former dictator , and was formed to protect the government and keep watch over the national guard , navy and air force . Elías Wessin had stated : " The Communist doctrine , Marxist - Leninist , Castroite , or whatever it is called , is now outlawed . " Subsequently , power was turned over to a civilian triumvirate . The new leaders quickly abolished the constitution , declaring it " nonexistent " . The two years that followed were filled with strikes and conflicts . Donald Reid Cabral , who now found himself at the head of the junta , was unpopular with most of the high - ranking officers in the military for his attempt to cut back on their privileges . He suspected that some or all of these officers would try to overthrow him in the spring of 1965 . Hoping to forestall a coup , Reid , on 24 April 1965 , dispatched his Army Chief of Staff General Marcos Rivera to cancel the commissions of four conspirators . The four officers not only failed to surrender , but seized a military camp northwest of Santo Domingo , and captured the Chief of Staff . Armed clashes . Immediately the Dominican Revolutionary Party and 14th of June Revolutionary Party put large numbers of armed civilians into the streets , resulting in the creation of unruly armed squads , known loosely as " Comandos " . Well - armed bands of teenagers ( Los Tigres ) swarmed through Santo Domingo shooting at the police . The Dominican Popular Movement distributed Molotov cocktail s to the crowds , and the rebel military established defensive positions at the Duarte Bridge . The pro - Bosch rebels , known as " Constitutionalists " for their focus on restoring the constitutionally elected president , took to the streets , swiftly seizing the national palace and the government radio and television stations in the capital , Santo Domingo and demanding Bosch ' s return . Colonel Francisco Caamaño and Colonel Manuel Ramón Montes Arache were the leaders of the Constitutionalists . Reid was captured at the presidential palace by rebel forces commanded by Francisco Caamaño . Chief of the Armed Forces General Wessin now stepped into Reid ' s vacant position and became the de facto head of state . Bosch , still in exile in Puerto Rico , was able to convince José Rafael Molina Ureña , a party leader , to become the provisional president until Bosch could return to the Dominican Republic . The military loyal to the Reid junta and opposed to the Constitutionalists adopted the word Loyalist . In the days that followed , Constitutionalists clashed with internal security agents and the right - wing military elements of the CEFA . By 26 April 1965 , armed civilians outnumbered the original rebel military regulars . Radio Santo Domingo , now fully under rebel control , began to call for more violent actions and for killing of all the policemen . Both sides were heavily armed and civilians were caught in the crossfire . Washington began immediate preparations for the evacuation of its citizens and other foreign nationals who might wish to leave the Dominican Republic . The extent of participation by " communists or Castroites " , including the Dominican 14 June Revolutionary group , has been disputed . Constitutionalist Provisional President Molina Urena and Colonel Caamaño asked the US ambassador for US intervention to stop the Dominican Air Force attacks on the Constitutionalist - held areas . The US ambassador refused . Utterly dismayed by this rejection , Molina Urena relinquished his position as Provisional President to Colonel Caamaño . In San Isidro , Loyalists generals chose Air Force Colonel Pedro Bartolome Benoit to head a new Loyalist junta . On 28 April the Dominican Air Force resumed its bombing of rebel positions in Santo Domingo and armed rebel civilians overran a police station and summarily executed the policemen . Of the 30 , 000 Dominican soldiers , airmen and police at the start of the civil war , General Wessin now commanded less than 2 , 400 troops and only 200 national police . Initial US military action was limited to the evacuation by United States Marines of U . S . and other civilians from the city of Santo Domingo . A landing zone was established at the Hotel Embajador in the then Western outskirts of Santo Domingo for this purpose . The Loyalists failed to regain control of Santo Domingo , and a demoralized CEFA retreated to its base at San Isidro on the east side of the Ozama River . General Wessin and the last leader of the deposed governing regime , Donald Reid - best known as " El Americano " ( The American ) – both requested U . S . intervention . Occupation . U . S . President Lyndon B . Johnson , convinced of the defeat of the Loyalist forces and fearing the creation of " a second Cuba " on America ' s doorstep , ordered U . S . forces to restore order . The decision to intervene militarily in the Dominican Republic was Lyndon Johnson ' s personal decision . All civilian advisers had recommended against immediate intervention hoping that the Loyalist side could bring an end to the civil war . President Johnson took the advice of his Ambassador in Santo Domingo , W . Tapley Bennett , who pointed out the inefficiency and indecisiveness of the Dominican military leaders . Bennett suggested that the US interpose its forces between the rebels and those of the junta , thereby effecting a cease - fire . The United States could then ask the Organization of American States to negotiate a political settlement between the opposing factions . Chief of Staff General Wheeler told CINCLANT General Palmer that " Your unannounced mission is to prevent the Dominican Republic from going Communist . " Citing as an official reason for the invasion the need to protect the lives of foreigners , none of whom had been killed or wounded , a fleet of 41 vessels was sent to blockade the island , and an invasion was launched by Marines and elements of the United States Army ' s 82nd Airborne Division on 29 April . U . S . Also , around 75 members of E company of the 7th Special Forces Group were deployed . Ultimately , 42 , 000 soldiers and marines were ordered to the Dominican Republic . The United States along with the Organization of American States ( OAS ) formed an inter - American military force to assist in the intervention in the Dominican Republic . The Constitutionalist forces resisted the invasion . By mid - afternoon of April 29 , a cease - fire , facilitated by the Papal Nuncio , was negotiated . On May 5 the Act of Santo Domingo was signed by Colonel Benoit ( Loyalist ) , Colonel Caamaño ( Constitutionalist ) and the OAS Special Committee . The Act provided for a general cease - fire , recognition of the International Security Zone , agreement to assist relief agencies , and the sanctity of diplomatic missions . The Act set the framework for later negotiations but failed to stop all of the fighting . Constitutionalist snipers continued to shoot at US forces , however , major fire fights between the Dominican factions did subside for a time . Denied a military victory , the Constitutionalist rebels quickly had a Constitutionalist congress elect Caamaño president of the country . US officials countered by backing General Imbert . On May 7 , Imbert was sworn in as president of the Government of National Reconstruction . The next step in the stabilization process , as envisioned by Washington and the OAS , was to arrange an agreement between President Caamaño and President Imbert to form a provisional government committed to early elections . However , Caamaño refused to meet with Imbert until several of the Loyalist officers , including Wessin y Wessin , were made to leave the country . On 13 May General Imbert began Operation LIMPIEZA ( Cleanup ) and his forces were successful in eliminating pockets of rebel resistance outside Ciudad Nueva and silencing Radio Santo Domingo . Operation CLEANUP ended on 21 May . By May 14 the Americans , in establishing a " safety corridor " connecting the San Isidro Air Base and the " Duarte " Bridge to the Embajador Hotel and United States Embassy in the center of Santo Domingo , had essentially sealed - off the Constitutionalist area of Santo Domingo . Road blocks were established and patrols ran continuously . Some 6 , 500 people from many nations were evacuated to safety . In addition , the US forces airlifted in large relief supplies for Dominican nationals . By mid - May , a majority of the OAS voted for Operation PUSH AHEAD , the reduction of United States forces and their replacement by an Inter - American Peace Force ( IAPF ) . Inter - American Peace Force ( IAPF ) was formally established on May 23 . The following troops were sent by each country : Brazil - 1 , 130 , Honduras - 250 , Paraguay - 184 , Nicaragua - 160 , Costa Rica - 21 military police , and El Salvador - 3 staff officers . The first contingent to arrive was a rifle company from Honduras which was soon backed by detachments from Costa Rica , El Salvador , and Nicaragua . Brazil provided the largest unit , a reinforced infantry battalion . Brazilian General Hugo Alvim assumed command of the OAS ground forces , and on 26 May the US forces began to withdraw . Truce ( August 1965 ) . The fighting continued until 31 August 1965 when a truce was declared . Most American troops left shortly afterwards as policing and peacekeeping operations were turned over to Brazilian troops , but some U . S . military presence , including a headquarters and the 1st Brigade of the 82d Airborne Division remained until August 1966 . One battalion of that brigade remained until September 1966 . Facing ongoing threats and attacks , including a particularly violent attack at the Hotel Matum in Santiago de los Caballeros , Camaaño accepted an agreement imposed by the USA government . The Dominican Provisional President , García Godoy , sent Colonel Caamaño as the Military Attaché to the Dominican Embassy to the UK . In 1966 , former President Joaquín Balaguer ( Trujillo ' s 4th puppet president ) was elected over Juan Bosch - with the overt support of the Johnson administration . Bosch would never regain power . Relative political stability followed as the initially oppressive yet highly politically crafty Balaguer would go on to dominate Dominican politics for twenty - two years .