Anyone live through Trujillo's Tyranny?

I am eager to get some first hand information about life under the Trujillo dictatorship. I recently read Julia Alvarez' book "In the Time of the Butterflies" which perked my interest in this era of Dominican History.

I visited the DR in the summer of 96, and grew to love dominicans and their fun loving nature. Were things much different culturally in the 40s, 50s and 60s?

I did......sorry I cannot answer your questions, Dolores doesn't like me talking about historical events.

Indeed....
If your memory fails you, you should check your files.
In late August 1998 you wrote to me: "although quite interesting your historical facts and foreign countries' material are not within the scope of this message board, so, I will ask you to refrain from using them..."

You should read La Fiesta del Chivo by Mario Vargas Llosa.

I as a child made the remark,"mingun mal dura cien anos", and was given the warning would you like to keep your head atached to your body. My parents and several family member started to leave one at a time. My father name is Juan Antonio Rodriguez, not Juancito, but that did not keep us from worrying about his safety during that dangerous period. They would kill you, and then worry about identity. Once dead there was nothing you could do about it. Once out every time they had a feast day mass, you went to that to make sure you family that was still in DR was safe from political fallout. There where many political death in New York City during this period. I am still not sure if these two family are the same, one of the descendant claims that it is.

Trujillo's legacy is much more complex than one might think. Although he was the devil to so many, he was god-like to many dominicans also, especially the poor. To this day, many old timers in the DR remember Trujillo's rule with fondness- zero crime, more to eat, more order and respect, ect. ect. As an American living in the DR, this has always fascinated me. It obviously runs counter to all we Americans have been brought up to believe. You might read" The life and times of a Caribbean dictator"-- an excellent history of his long regime. The dictator's ruthluss terror was often aimed more at people of some influence, as opposed to the poor, those of the campo. They were of no threat to his regime.

You are right the aveage person did live better than now sugar was three cents or white and brown two, rice was about the same. The DR peso was worth one twenty US. The population was smaller, Santo Domingo was a small city. I remember The World Fair its was the outshirts of the city. There were very few tall buildings then. I remember going up into these building to see the city and sea. One thing which is still true today you could not say anything to critize the system, not even about the electric or water company, it was very easy to get into trouble, there where spies everywhere, or your friends and neighbor could turn you in.

You say that it is still true today that it is unwise to criticize the system - what do you mean by that? What would happen nowadays if someone bad mouthed the government for, lets say, providing reliable electricity to the Faro a Colon while much of the rest of the country suffers through apagones or other problems that people feel are inadequately addressed?

if you can find it read "Trujillo, the life and times of a Caribbean didtator by Robert D. Crasweller.