This episode closes out the Marine Corps' long and difficult involvement in Haiti, covering the final years of occupation, the death of rebel leader Benoit Batraville, and the ultimate withdrawal of Marines in 1934.

While Marines restored order, built infrastructure, and trained local forces, their role in suppressing rebellion and enforcing harsh policies left lasting damage. Atrocities committed during the occupation, coupled with political manipulation and economic control, raised serious questions about U.S. foreign policy and the ethical boundaries of military intervention.

This episode tells the story of one of the most daring and cinematic missions in Marine Corps history: the assassination of Haitian rebel leader Charlemagne Péralte.

Disguised as locals and guided by an undercover informant, Sergeant Herman Hanneken and Corporal William Button infiltrated six rebel outposts before reaching Charlemagne’s inner circle. In a sudden and precise strike, they killed Charlemagne and fought off repeated attacks to bring his body back as proof. Both men received the Medal of Honor for the operation. Charlemagne’s death was a major turning point in the U.S. occupation of Haiti.

It shattered the morale of the Cacos and allowed the Marines to begin restructuring the country’s military and political institutions. But the price of victory was high. Button died shortly after from malaria, and the occupation continued for more than a decade. This mission highlights the complexity, intensity, and moral weight of U.S. intervention during the Banana Wars.

In both the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, the U.S. moved from diplomatic oversight and economic leverage to full military occupations. Marines were running governments, rebuilding infrastructure, and enforcing American foreign policy at the ground level. In the Dominican Republic, the Corps faced years of ambushes, bandit warfare, and rising local resentment.

Despite improvements in health, education, and roads, the legitimacy of U.S. control was questioned domestically and abroad. Marines were overextended, tired, and caught between nation-building and counterinsurgency. Their actions brought temporary order but left lasting political scars. As the episode transitions to Haiti, we see a familiar pattern emerging: instability, economic manipulation, forced intervention, and long-term Marine presence. 

This episode highlights the peak of U.S. military intervention in Nicaragua, where the Marine Corps carried the burden of stabilizing a nation caught in continuous civil war and political breakdown. Initially sent to disarm warring factions and oversee fair elections, Marines were soon thrust into full-scale counterinsurgency against Sandino’s growing rebel force. 

Political divisions in Washington, exhaustion among American troops, and the unreliability of Nicaraguan government forces complicated the mission. By the early 1930s, U.S. leaders began shifting responsibility to the Nicaraguan National Guard. The last Marines left in 1933, ending a two-decade-long intervention.

Though the effort failed to deliver lasting peace, it solidified the Marine Corps’ identity as a rapid-response force and shaped its doctrine on small wars and irregular combat. Lessons that would carry forward into the next generation of global conflict.

This episode tracks the deepening U.S. military involvement in Nicaragua during the early 20th century. What started as a limited response to protect American property evolved into a full-scale intervention. Under officers like Smedley Butler and Joseph Pendleton, Marines carried out combat operations, secured key infrastructure, and enforced U.S. foreign policy with both force and diplomacy.

From retaking towns and railroads to battling entrenched rebels at Coyotepe Hill and beyond, the Marines showcased their rapid deployment and operational flexibility. Political corruption, civil unrest, and deep resentment toward U.S. influence continued to fuel revolution. As Nicaragua spiraled into deeper conflict, the U.S. increased its military presence, eventually committing thousands of troops, naval support, and air power.