How the US Stole Central America (With Bananas)

The more I learn about American history, the more shocked I am on how hypocritical America is. And how shameless they are in trying to frame and shame other countries to once again exploit others.

As a Guatemalan, this is probably one of the saddest moments in our history, we were finally becoming a democracy, well ahead of other latin countries, 2 democratic presidents elected in a row, improving infraestructure, and a Banana Company destroyed it all in a couple of months, we only got a democraticly elected president in 1986

As a Guatemalan citicen, I have to say that you have explained this part of my culture in a very incredible way. It is very sad to think that Guatemalan workers still have to suffer through the consecuences of this horrible banana importation. You dont have to searche for long to finde an indegenous person struggeling to survive because of this. You have done an amazing job of explaining this topic. Make sure to enjoy your Gros Michel banana.

As a Honduran (THE banana Republic), I thank that some people like you open English-speaking peoples' eyes about such a terrible issue many today ignore. There's a book from Honduran author Ramón Amaya Amador called "Prisión Verde". He describes this issue perfectly. PD: The absolute worst part of the issue is that the US, up to this point, has done NOTHING to pay us. The Rosario Mining Company near Tegucigalpa also exploited our gold and silver reserves, representing centuries of development lost. The godamn giant hasn't repayed us for it. Typical US.

As a colombian, I'm glad that you're using this platform to bring the bananas massacre into light (I feel like this sounds like a white savior thing but honestly I'm glad). It has been such a big issue here, because the goverment doesn't acknolowge it, to this day there are still people in power who dare to say that it never happened, completely stepping over the hundreds of lost lives. So yeah, you did a great research and I'm grateful for this video.

Would love to see a video like this about coffee!

I’ve always questioned this about the Banana Republic clothing stores, like “that’s a very very bad thing, do they want us to know they are exploiting child labor in the countries they make their clothes??”😂

I guess not many American nowadays sit back and ask why and how they enjoy their current quality of life. They probably thinks it is all their own hard work!

The combination of government, environment, business, and cultural perspectives put into Johnny's videos are insane. So many different angles thrown at it. Love it.

My mom was born in a United Fruit company port “town” in Panama. My family was one of the higher ups who were given a whole mansion and wild benefits like ice skating and bowling and movie theaters in the middle if nowhere panama. They actually blame the unions for ruining something they considered idyllic, not caring that the whole thing was basically built on the blood of locals. They brag about having servants, knowing they weren’t being paid with money. The town is a ghost town now but most structures are still there so you can see the mansions of the higher ups in the company and the shacks where their unpaid servants lived. Thanks so much for this video! I’d always wondered how this was even allowed to exist in the first place. I’m not close to my fam obviously 🤣 they never grew out of the chiquita fruit company mindset.

I lived in Guatemala for two years when I was 19. I heard many of these sad stories first hand. Especially from the area of Esquintla

Despite having spent countless hours on this platform, I do not always feel as though I wasted my time here. Although that does admittedly still occur at times, it occurs infinitely less often than with other similar "social media" apps. It is informative content like this manifested by exceptionally talented creators who strive for quality in their works that truly make this platform great. Thank you for this beautiful video!

Damn, this dude dropping crazy quality content non stop, props to you man, doing what you love and enjoying life, keep doing what you doing, the support will only rise ✌🏻

As a Guatemalan I'm more than glad that you are spotlighting these historical events that scarred my country and even today we are still living some of it's consequences. Spreading this type of content is a must. Thank you for putting so much time an effort in your videos.

My grandmother is Guatemalan, but was already living in the U.S. in the 1950s. However, she still had family in Guatemala when all this went down. One of her cousins and his daughter were guerilla fighters and were kidnapped. Neither of them were ever seen again. Our family still does not know what became of them.

In a banana market in South India a few years ago, I remember being amazed at the variety, and variations in flavour and texture, of the dozens of types of bananas on offer. Yet another example of how huge, multi-national corporations have become such a toxic influence on our way of life. Privatizing profits, while socializing ALL negative costs, will be our ultimate folly.

"I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism ... I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street ... I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903." -- General Smedley Butler Bananas are a footnote in American imperialism.

i will never get tired of Johnny's videos. top of the class video production, super interesting topics, it's a 10/10 for me.

I appreciate your honest journalism….The 🌎 needs more of you✌️

What’s incredibly paramount after watching this and a lot of your other videos is how the taught history in mainstream schools is closer to that of propaganda not so much different in principle to that of nefarious governments in past such as the nazi’s, Stalin etc. I’m horrified that even in Caribbean and Central American schools what is taught is essentially American propaganda…….speaking as someone who grew up in the Caribbean