U.S. Marines in Haiti, circa 1919; Wikimedia Commons.
In the early 20th Century, the United States was concerned about its political and economic control over the Caribbean. With frequent assassinations and exiles, Haiti appeared unstable and under the influence of a small group of German nationals who wielded disproportionate economic power.
When an anti-American revolt threatened U.S. business interests in 1915, President Woodrow Wilson ordered U.S. Marines to occupy Haiti. The occupation lasted until 1934 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered complete disengagement.