Jim;

Some other "war like events" in Panama:

There was a television movie a couple of years ago that was about the military events in Panama involving Noriega. I can only recall the incident at the airport where several Americans were killed and “we won the war”, etc. It depicted our brave men out numbered and in trouble but they saved the mission. Perhaps the truth was being shown during the commercials and I missed it. All this occurred at night and in the dark.

It was a short event according to the movie version. If you went to the kitchen to make popcorn you might have missed the whole thing. It does not matter what you do as long as you are in power and “win”.

Some events I have read about in Panama:

1. There was a British presence and railroad from the Atlantic to the Pacific in the area we today call “Panama”.
2. The United States used a battleship to destroy the British Fort, which was located on the Atlantic side, by shelling it to pieces, and took over the railroad. I believe this occurred around 1850, during the Gold Rush in California.
3. The French tried to build the first cannel (1882) but gave up (1888).
4. The Americans bought out the French.
5. No one thought to discuss any of this with Columbia who owned the land.
6. President Roosevelt secretly supported a Panamanian revolution in 1903.
7. The battle of Panama lasted only a few hours. Colombian soldiers in Colon were bribed $50 each to lay down their weapons. The U.S.S Nashville was sent down to lend support.
8. A treaty was signed between the United States and the new republic of Panama, which gave the U.S. complete rights to the Canal Zone.
9. Today, China controls the Canal Zone.

An aside:
The City of San Francisco had a celebration for the opening of the Panama Cannel, called The 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition. The house I was raised in was built in 1912 and the lady who owned it won first prize for her roses for the Exposition. The back yard of the house was filled with her roses and one survives today. By the way it is an outstanding rose.

Tom