1.
Dominican Republic
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The Dominican Republic is a sovereign state occupying the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western one-third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, christopher Columbus landed on the Western part of Hispaniola, in what is now Haiti, on December 6,1492. The island became the first seat of the Spanish colonial rule in the New World, the Dominican people declared independence in November 1821 but were forcefully annexed by their more powerful neighbor Haiti in February 1822. After the 1844 victory in the Dominican War of Independence against Haitian rule the country again under Spanish colonial rule until the Dominican War of Restoration of 1865. The Dominican Republic experienced mostly internal strife until 1916, a civil war in 1965, the countrys last, was ended by another U. S. military occupation and was followed by the authoritarian rule of Joaquín Balaguer, 1966–1978. Since then, the Dominican Republic has moved toward representative democracy and has been led by Leonel Fernández for most of the time since 1996. Danilo Medina, the Dominican Republics current president, succeeded Fernandez in 2012, the Dominican Republic has the ninth-largest economy in Latin America and is the largest economy in the Caribbean and Central American region. Though long known for agriculture and mining, the economy is now dominated by services. Over the last two decades, the Dominican Republic have been standing out as one of the economies in the Americas – with an average real GDP growth rate of 5. 4% between 1992 and 2014. GDP growth in 2014 and 2015 reached 7.3 and 7. 0%, respectively, in the first half of 2016 the Dominican economy grew 7. 4% continuing its trend of rapid economic growth. Recent growth has been driven by construction, manufacturing and tourism, private consumption has been strong, as a result of low inflation, job creation, as well as high level of remittances. The Dominican Republic has a market, Bolsa de Valores de la Republica Dominicana. and advanced telecommunication system. Nevertheless, unemployment, government corruption, and inconsistent electric service remain major Dominican problems, the country also has marked income inequality. International migration affects the Dominican Republic greatly, as it receives, mass illegal Haitian immigration and the integration of Dominicans of Haitian descent are major issues. A large Dominican diaspora exists, mostly in the United States, contributes to development, the Dominican Republic is the most visited destination in the Caribbean. The year-round golf courses are major attractions, the island has an average temperature of 26 °C and great climatic and biological diversity. The country is also the site of the first cathedral, castle, monastery, and fortress built in all of the Americas, located in Santo Domingos Colonial Zone, a World Heritage Site. Music and sport are of importance in the Dominican culture, with Merengue and Bachata as the national dance and music
2.
Dominican War of Independence
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The Dominican Independence War gave the Dominican Republic autonomy from Haiti on February 27,1844. Previously known as the Captaincy General of Santo Domingo, the class within the country overthrew the Spanish crown in 1821 before unifying with Haiti a year later. Since then, Dominican-Haitian relations have been unstable, at the beginning of the 1800s, the colony of Santo Domingo, which had once been the headquarters of Spanish power in the New World was in its worst decline. Spain during this time was embroiled in the Peninsular War in Europe, with Spains resources spread among its global interest, Santo Domingo became neglected. This period is referred to as the España Boba era, the population of the Spanish colony stood at approximately 80,000 with the vast majority being European descendants and free people of color. During this period in time the Spanish crown wielded little to no influence in the colony of Santo Domingo, some wealthy cattle ranchers had become leaders, and sought to bring control and order in the southeast of the colony where the law of machete ruled the land. Haiti had been by far the richest colony in the hemisphere and was known as the Pearl of the Antilles. The population of Haiti had a ratio of 8,1 compared to the Dominican population of 1822. On February 9,1822, Boyer formally entered the city, Santo Domingo. Boyer then proclaimed, I have not come into this city as a conqueror, the island was thus united from Cape Tiburon to Cape Samana in possession of one government. Eventually the Haitian government became extremely unpopular throughout the country, the Dominican population grew increasingly impatient with Haitis poor management and perceived incompetence, and the heavy taxation that was imposed on their side. The country was hit with an economic crisis after having been forced to pay a huge indemnity to France. A debt was accrued by Haiti in order to pay for their own independence from the European nation, in 1838 Juan Pablo Duarte, an educated nationalist, founded a resistance movement called La Trinitaria along with Matías Ramón Mella and Francisco del Rosario Sánchez. It was so named because its nine members had organized themselves into cells of three. Many recruits quickly came to the group, but it was discovered and forced to change its name to La Filantrópica, in 1843 the revolution made a breakthrough, they worked with a liberal Haitian party that overthrew President Jean-Pierre Boyer. However, the Trinitarios work in the overthrow gained the attention of Boyers replacement, Rivière-Hérard imprisoned some Trinitarios and forced Duarte to leave the island. While gone, Duarte searched for support in Colombia and Venezuela, in December 1843 the rebels told Duarte to return since they had to act quickly because they were afraid the Haitians had learned of their insurrection plans. On February 27,1844, thereafter celebrated as Dominican Independence Day, the Haitian garrison, taken by surprise and apparently betrayed by at least one of its sentries, retreated in disarray
3.
Dominican Civil War
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The Dominican Civil War took place between April 24,1965, and September 3,1965, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. It started when civilian and military supporters of constitutionally elected former President Juan Bosch overthrew acting President Donald Reid Cabral, allegations of foreign support for the rebels led to a US military intervention in the conflict, which later transformed into an Organization of American States occupation of the country. Elections were held in 1966, in the aftermath of which Joaquín Balaguer was elected into the presidential seat, later in the same year international troops departed from the country. On 19 November 1911, General Luis Tejera led a group of conspirators in an ambush on the carriage of Dominican President Ramón Cáceres. During the shootout, Cáceres was killed and Tejera wounded in the leg, in the ensuing power vacuum, General Alfredo Victoria, commander of the army, seized control and forced the Congress to elect his uncle, Eladio Victoria, as the new president. The general was widely suspected of bribing the Congress, and his uncle, the former president Horacio Vásquez soon returned from exile to lead his followers, the horacistas, in a popular uprising against the new government. The result was several years of political instability and civil war. U. S. mediation by the William Howard Taft and Woodrow Wilson administrations achieved only a short respite each time, a political deadlock in 1914 was broken after an ultimatum by Wilson telling Dominicans to choose a president or see the U. S. impose one. A provisional president was chosen, and later the same year relatively free elections put former president Juan Isidro Jimenes Pereyra back in power, to achieve a more broadly supported government, Jimenes named opposition individuals to his Cabinet. But this brought no peace and, with his former Secretary of War Desiderio Arias maneuvering to depose him and despite a U. S. offer of military aid against Arias, Wilson thus ordered the U. S. occupation of the Dominican Republic. Marines landed on May 16,1916, and had control of the two months later. The occupation regime kept most Dominican laws and institutions and largely pacified the general population, vigorous opposition to the occupation continued, nevertheless, and after World War I it increased in the U. S. as well. There, President Warren G. Harding, Wilsons successor, worked to put an end to the occupation, the U. S. governments rule ended in October 1922, and elections were held in March 1924. The victor was former president Horacio Vásquez Lajara, who had cooperated with the U. S and he was inaugurated on July 13, and the last U. S. forces left in September. Vásquez gave the six years of stable governance, in which political and civil rights were respected. A rebellion against President Horacio Vásquez broke out in February 1930 in Santiago, Rafael Trujillo secretly cut a deal with rebel leader Rafael Estrella Ureña, in return for Trujillo letting Estrella take power, Estrella would allow Trujillo to run for president in new elections. As the rebels marched toward Santo Domingo, Vásquez ordered Trujillo to suppress them, however, feigning neutrality, Trujillo kept his men in barracks, allowing Estrellas rebels to take the capital virtually unopposed. On March 3, Estrella was proclaimed acting president, with Trujillo confirmed as head of the police, as per their agreement, Trujillo became the presidential nominee of the newly formed Patriotic Coalition of Citizens, with Estrella as his running mate
4.
Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic
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The president is the commander in chief for the military. The primary missions are to defend the nation and protect the integrity of the country. The Dominican Republics military is second in size to Cubas in the Caribbean, the Air Force operates two main bases, one in southern region near Santo Domingo and one in the northern region of the country, the air force operates approximately 40 aircraft including helicopters. The Navy maintains three aging vessels which were donated from the United States, around 25 patrol crafts and interceptor boats, there is a counter-terrorist group formed by members of the three branches. This group is highly trained in counter-terrorism missions, the armed forces participate fully in counter-illegal drug trade efforts, for this task there is a taskforce known as DEPROSER 24/7. They also are active in efforts to control contraband and illegal immigration from Haiti to the Dominican Republic, the requisition taken, the schooner Maria Luisa,3 guns, the schooner March 30,3 guns, and the schooner Hope,3 guns. These men were skilled in handling machete and spear and his deputy commander was Brigadier General Antonio Duvergé. The other expeditionary army was the Northern Borders created to defend these borders, Dominican forces come to reach a great level of organization and efficiency. This body, purely police function disappears in 1917, leading to the creation of a National Guard,631 of Rear Admiral Thomas Snowden, who was at that time the military governor of Santo Domingo. After the US military occupation in 1924, Horacio Vásquez wins the elections of that same year. Among his first decisions, decrees the change of the Dominican National Police in National Brigade, a situation that continues until 17 May 1928, when new turn changes the name of the Army by Law No. 928, but basically inheriting a structure Police, who obeyed schemes imposition of public order demanded by the country at that time, over the years and already existing National Police created by decree No
5.
Dominican Army
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The Army of the Dominican Republic or Ejército de República Dominicana, is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic, together with the Navy and the Air Force. The army is twice as large as the services, consisting of approximately 20,000 active duty personnel. It includes six infantry brigades, a support brigade, a combat service support brigade. Stationed near Santo Domingo, the first brigade has traditionally been the most powerful of the brigades, by virtue of its location, the First Brigade had five infantry battalions and a battalion of engineers. The Second Brigade and the Third Brigade are based at Santiago and Barahona and their assets are spread throughout the country, and their units are mainly focused on local issues. The Fourth Brigade, also called Armed Forces Training Center because of their training mission is at San Isidro. The Fourth Brigade controls the armored battalion and three infantry battalions, the Fourth Brigade also provided basic, advanced and specialized training. Also at San Isidro is the battalion of the army. Another independent and very powerful organization is the Combat Support Command, since 1989, assets include fourteen armored light tanks, twenty armored vehicles, and ten armored vehicles. The artillery is equipped with twenty-two 105mm Auril howitzers, organization units under the general command of the army CGE Fortress CESFRONT at Comendador, Elías Piña Province 1st GRAL Presidential Guards Regiment. 2 Infantry Battalion Francisco del Rosario Sánchez,3 Infantry Battalion MATIAS RAMON MELLA. Exploration and Recognition - equipped with soft skin vehicles, including SUVs, heavy Mortars battery - equipped with four M304.2 inch mortars. 2nd Infantry Brigade - CG santiago Infantry Battalion 5 Infantry Battalion 7, Exploration Platoon - Equipped with soft skin vehicles, including SUVs. Howitzer Battery - Equipped with four M-101 105mm howitzers, 3rd Infantry Brigade - CG San Juan de la Maguana Infantry Battalion 12. Fortaleza March 19, headquarters of Infantry Battalion 12 Azua Infantry Battalion 13, Exploration Platoon - equipped with soft skin vehicles, including SUVs. Heavy Mortars battery - ECIA equipped with four 120 mm Mortars, 4th Infantry Brigade - CG Mao Macheteros Infantry Battalion 9. Exploration Platoon - Equipped with soft skin vehicles, including SUVs, heavy Mortars battery - - ECIA equipped with four 120 mm mortars. 5th Infantry Brigade - CG Barahona 15 Infantry Battalion, Exploration Platoon - equipped with soft skin vehicles, including SUVs
6.
Dominican Air Force
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The Air Force of the Dominican Republic or Fuerza Aérea de República Dominicana, is one of the three branches of the Military of the Dominican Republic, together with the Army and the Navy. In 1932 the El Arma de Aviación del Ejército Nacional was formed as part of the Dominican Army, until 1942 only about a dozen aircraft were purchased. The service was renamed Compañia de Aviación del Ejército Nacional on October 26,1942, whilst granting base facilities to the United States during World War II the Dominican Republic received limited quantities of Lend-Lease military equipment. In 1947 a group of Dominican Republic exiles from Cuba tried to invade the country, but agents of the president managed to buy some Beaufighter and Mosquito aircraft from the United Kingdom. After signing the Rio Treaty 1947 the Dominican Republic received large quantities of aircraft, with this influx of aircraft the Compañia de Aviación expanded and became an independent service on January 15,1948, and was renamed Cuerpo de Aviación Militar Dominicana. It moved its headquarters to Base Aérea Presidente Trujillo, in the suburb of San Isidro. The Air Force underwent several changes during the 1950s, being known as the Dominican Military Aviation during 1952-55 and 1957–62. In 1962 it again became known as the Dominican Air Force, in 1952,25 Vampires and 32 North American P-51D were bought from Sweden but similar purchases from Canada and Japan were again blocked by the United States. By 1956 the Fuerza Aérea Dominicana had about 240 aircraft, during the next years most of the post-war equipment was at the end of its useful life. After the assassination of President Trujillo in 1961 funds for the Air Force decreased, during the next 15 years the number of aircraft in the Air Force declined again and only second-line material, such as training aircraft or helicopters, were acquired. In the early 1980s the Fuerza Aérea Dominicana had about 80 aircraft in five operational squadrons with most of the aircraft and helicopters operating out of San Isidro Air Base in Santo Domingo. On the 22nd of September 1998 Hurricane George struck San Isidro the main FAD base and destroyed one hangar and severely damaged another, destroying the aircraft in both hangars. The natural disaster saw the FAD new aircraft enter service such as eight ENAER T-35 Pilláns that were delivered in two batches, the first in November 1999 and the second in January 2000, during the same period three CASA 212-400 transport planes were ordered. In 2007 the Dominican Air Force announced that it will purchase 8 Embraer EMB314 Super Tucano aircraft from Brazil, by the end of 2008 the purchase was approved and the first two aircraft were delivered in 2009. The Dominican Air force recently acquired an EL/M-2106NG - Air Defense Search Radar - ADSR from Israel, in January 2015 the president of the Anti-narcotics agency announced that a Tecnam MMA will be acquired for maritime surveillance. Previous combat aircraft operated by the Air Force consisted of the P-51D Mustang, de Havilland Mosquito, PBY Catalina, B-17, A-37 Dragonfly, other retired training aircraft and helicopters were the BT-13 Valiant, T-6 Texan, Alouette II/III, Sikorsky H-19, and the Hughes OH-6. This article incorporates public domain material from the CIA World Factbook document 2003 edition, World Aircraft information files Brightstar publishing London File 342 Sheet 1 Fuerza Aérea Dominicana
7.
Santo Domingo
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Santo Domingo, officially Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic and the largest metropolitan area in the Caribbean by population. In 2010, its population was counted as 965,040, the city is coterminous with the boundaries of the Distrito Nacional, itself bordered on three sides by Santo Domingo Province. Santo Domingo is the site of the first university, cathedral, castle, monastery, the citys Colonial Zone was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Santo Domingo was called Ciudad Trujillo, from 1936 to 1961, after the Dominican Republics dictator, Rafael Trujillo, following his assassination, the city resumed its original designation. Santo Domingo is the cultural, financial, political, commercial and industrial center of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo also serves as the chief seaport of the country. The citys harbor at the mouth of the Ozama River accommodates the largest vessels, temperatures are high year round, with a cool breeze around winter time. At the time, the territory consisted of five chiefdoms, Marién, Maguá, Maguana, Jaragua. These were ruled respectively by caciques Guacanagarix, Guarionex, Caonabo, Bohechío, dating from 1496, when the Spanish settled on the island, and officially from 5 August 1498, Santo Domingo became the oldest European city in the Americas. Bartholomew Columbus founded the settlement and named it La Nueva Isabela, in 1495 it was renamed Santo Domingo, in honor of Saint Dominic. Santo Domingo came to be known as the Gateway to the Caribbean, in June 1502, Santo Domingo was destroyed by a major hurricane, and the new Governor Nicolás de Ovando had it rebuilt on a different site on the other side of the Ozama River. The original layout of the city and a portion of its defensive wall can still be appreciated today throughout the Colonial Zone. Diego Colon arrived in 1509, assuming the powers of Viceroy, in 1512, Ferdinand established a Real Audiencia with Juan Ortiz de Matienzo, Marcelo de Villalobos, and Lucas Vazquez de Ayllon appointed as judges of appeal. In 1514, Pedro Ibanez de Ibarra arrived with the Laws of Burgos, rodrigo de Alburquerque was named repartidor de indios and soon named visitadores to enforce the laws. In 1586, Francis Drake captured the city and held it for ransom, an expedition sent by Oliver Cromwell in 1655 attacked the city of Santo Domingo, but was defeated. The English troops withdrew and took the less guarded colony of Jamaica, in 1697, the Treaty of Ryswick included the acknowledgement by Spain of Frances dominion over the Western third of the island, now Haiti. From 1795 to 1822 the city changed several times along with the colony it headed. The city was ceded to France in 1795 after years of struggles, it was captured by Haitian rebels in 1801, recovered by France in 1802. In 1821 Santo Domingo became the capital of an independent nation after the Criollo bourgeois within the country, led by José Núñez de Cáceres, the nation was unified with Haiti just two months later
8.
Haiti
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Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti and formerly called Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea. It occupies the western three-eighths of the island, which it shares with the Dominican Republic, the region was originally inhabited by the indigenous Taíno people. Spain discovered the island on 5 December 1492 during the first voyage of Christopher Columbus across the Atlantic, when Columbus initially landed in Haiti, he had thought he had found India or Asia. On Christmas Day 1492, Columbus flagship the Santa Maria ran aground north of what is now Limonade, the island was named La Española and claimed by Spain, which ruled until the early 17th century. Competing claims and settlements by the French led to the portion of the island being ceded to France. The development of plantations, worked by slaves brought from Africa. Upon his death in a prison in France, he was succeeded by his lieutenant, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, the Haitian Revolution lasted just over a dozen years, and apart from Alexandre Pétion, the first President of the Republic, all the first leaders of government were former slaves. The Citadelle Laferrière is the largest fortress in the Americas, Henri Christophe – former slave and first king of Haiti, Henri I – built it to withstand a possible foreign attack. It has the lowest Human Development Index in the Americas, most recently, in February 2004, a coup détat originating in the north of the country forced the resignation and exile of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. A provisional government took control with security provided by the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, the name Haïti comes from the indigenous Taíno language which was the native name given to the entire island of Hispaniola to mean, land of high mountains. The h is silent in French and the ï in Haïti, is a mark used to show that the second vowel is pronounced separately. In English, this rule for the pronunciation is often disregarded, the name Haïti was restored by Haitian revolutionary Jean-Jacques Dessalines as the official name of independent Saint-Domingue, as a tribute to the Amerindian predecessors. The Taíno name for the island was Haiti. The people had migrated over centuries into the Caribbean islands from South America, genetic studies show they were related to the Yanomami of the Amazon Basin. They also originated in Central and South America, after migrating to Caribbean islands, in the 15th century, the Taíno were pushed into the northeast Caribbean islands by the Caribs. In the Taíno societies of the Caribbean islands, the largest unit of organization was led by a cacique, or chief. The caciquedoms were tributary kingdoms, with payment consisting of harvests, Taíno cultural artifacts include cave paintings in several locations in the country. These have become symbols of Haiti and tourist attractions
9.
Schooner
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A schooner /ˈskuːnər/ is a type of sailing vessel with fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts, the foremast being shorter than the main and no taller than the mizzen if there is one. While the schooner was originally gaff-rigged, modern schooners typically carry a Bermuda rig, such vessels were first used by the Dutch in the 16th or 17th century. They were further developed in North America from the early 18th century, the most common type, with two masts, were popular in trades requiring speed and windward ability, such as slaving, privateering, blockade running, and offshore fishing. In the Chesapeake Bay area several distinctive schooner types evolved, including the Baltimore clipper, bugeye, schooners were also popular among pirates in the West Indies during the Golden Age of Piracy, for their speed and agility. They could also sail in shallow waters, and while being smaller than other ships of the time period. Schooners first evolved in the late 17th century from a variety of small two-masted gaff-rigged vessels used in the coast, most were working craft but some pleasure yachts with schooner rigs were built for wealthy merchants and Dutch nobility. Following the arrival of the Dutch monarch William of Orange on the British throne and this vessel, captured in a detailed Admiralty model, is the earliest fully documented schooner. Royal Transport was quickly noted for its speed and ease of handling, North American shipbuilders quickly developed a variety of schooner forms for trading, fishing and privateering. According to the language scholar Walter William Skeat, the term comes from scoon. The Dutch word schoone means nice, good looking, robinson replied, A schooner let her be. The launch is variously described as being in 1713 or 1745, naval architects such as Howard Chapelle have dismissed this invention story as a childish fable, but some language scholars feel that the legend may support a Gloucester origin of the word. Other sources state the etymology as unknown and uncertain, the first detailed definition of a schooner, describing the vessel as two-masted vessel with fore and aft gaff-rigged sails appeared in 1769 in William Falconers, Universal Dictionary of the Marine. Although a schooner may have up to four masts, the schooner has only two, with the foremast shorter than the mainmast. There may be a bowsprit to help balance the rig, the principal issue with a schooner sail plan is how to fill the space between the two masts most effectively. Traditional schooners were rigged, and the trapezoid shape of the foresail occupied the inter-mast space to good effect, with a useful sail area. A Bermuda rigged schooner typically has four sails, a mainsail, a main staysail abaft the foremast, plus a forestaysail. An advantage of the schooner is that it is easily handled and reefed by a small crew. The main staysail will not overlap the mainsail, and so little to prepare the wind for the mainsail
10.
Ship commissioning
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Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its countrys military forces, the ceremonies involved are often rooted in centuries old naval tradition. Ship naming and launching endow a ship hull with her identity, the engineering plant, weapon and electronic systems, galley, and multitudinous other equipment required to transform the new hull into an operating and habitable warship are installed and tested. The prospective commanding officer, ships officers, the petty officers, prior to commissioning, the new ship undergoes sea trials to identify any deficiencies needing correction. USS Monitor, of American Civil War fame, was commissioned less than three weeks after launch, regardless of the type of ship in question, a vessels journey towards commissioning in its nations navy begins with process known as sea trials. Sea trials begin when the ship in question is floated out of its dry dock, after a ship has successfully cleared its sea trial period, it will officially be accepted into service with its nations navy. At this point, the ship in question will undergo a process of degaussing and/or deperming, once a ships sea trials are successfully completed plans for the actual commissioning ceremony will take shape. If the ships ceremony is an affair the Captain may make a speech to the audience. Religious ceremonies, such as blessing the ship or the singing of hymns or songs. Once a ship has been commissioned its final step toward becoming a unit of the navy it now serves is to report to its home port. To decommission a ship is to terminate its career in service in the forces of a nation. Decommissioning of the vessel may also occur due to treaty agreements or for safety reasons, vessels preserved in this manner typically do not relinquish their names to other, more modern ships that may be in the design, planning, or construction phase of the parent nations navy. Prior to its decommissioning, the ship in question will begin the process of decommissioning by going through a preliminary step called inactivation or deactivation. The removed material from a ship usually ends up either rotating to another ship in the class with similar weapons and/or capabilities, or in storage pending a decision on equipments fate. During this time a crew may be thinned out via transfers. When a ship finishes its inactivation, it is then formally decommissioned, often, but not always, ships that are decommissioned end up spending the next few years in a reserve fleet before their ultimate fate is decided. Commissioning in the early United States Navy under sail was attended by no ceremony, thus, the ship was placed in commission. Commissionings were not public affairs, and unlike christening-and-launching ceremonies, were not recorded by newspapers, the first specific reference to commissioning located in naval records is a letter of November 6,1863, from Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles to all navy yards and stations
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