Do you think…
History can be coloured by different perceptions?
Side note…this is mostly what I learned and discovered on my walking tour
Let’s set the stage….back in 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt signed a Treaty with Panama that gave the United States (in perpetuity) sovereignty over the portion of the newly formed country of Panama which would become the Panama Canal.
This allowed the US to have army bases along the Canal Zone and many Americans resided in this zone with the American flag flown proudly….right in the middle of a split Panama. These residents were referred to as ‘Zonians’.
In 1963, U.S. President John F. Kennedy agreed to fly Panama’s flag alongside the US flag at all non-military sites in the Canal Zone but he was assassinated before that came to fruition. Next it was decreed by the Canal Zone Governor that US flags wouldn’t be flown in the canal zone, but neither would Panamanian flags. This infuriated the ‘Zonians’ and they disregarded the decree and flew their flags anywhere and everywhere they could.
The ‘Zonian’ students walked out of class and raised a US flag at their Canal Zone public school and most Zonian adults supported their students. Of course this was a slap in the face and frustrated the Panamanian students who in turn marched into the Canal Zone, carrying their school’s Panamanian flag, to protest that the Panamanian flag must also be flown along side the US flag.
The Panamanian students informed their school principal and the Canal Zone authorities of their plans before they started their march. Their intention was to raise the Panamanian flag on the Balboa High School flagpole with the US flag in a peaceful protest.
Let me ask you this…
Can the heroes for one side be the villains for another?
At Balboa High, the Panamanian students were met by Canal Zone police and a crowd of Zonian students and adults. After negotiating with the police, a small group of Panamanian students were permitted to approach the flagpole, while police kept the main group back.
The small group of Panamanian students, carrying their flag, approached the flagpole and in response to the Panamanian students arrival the Zonians surrounded the flagpole and refused to allow the Panamanian flag to be flown. A scuffle broke out and the Panamanians were driven back by the Zonian civilians and police and the Panamanian flag was torn.
Which story is true?
There are conflicting claims about how the flag was torn
American Perspective: Canal Zone Police Captain who was in charge of the police denied American fault. He claims that the Panamanian students stumbled and tore their own flag.
The Embassy had been stoned by a huge mob, and the US Information Service Library burned down, the Pan American Airlines office was sacked, and the Chase Manhattan Bank and the Goodyear plant were both seriously damaged. They are burning American cars and attacking Americans in the streets…
Another report said that the rioting ended January 12 with four American soldiers killed and twenty Panamanian rioters dead. It was also suggested that it appeared that Fidel Castro had helped the rioters with supplies and propaganda tools.
Panamanian Perspective: A Panamanian student said that the police were shoving them and were trying to take the flag from them. It was reported that a policeman swung his club and ripped their flag.
In a legal court case report <download PDF> In defense of the right to life, liberty and security…“The troops and police of the Government of the United States of America, stationed at the Zone of the Panama Canal, violated this right when opening fire on the defenseless Panamanian civil population, in both the cities of Panama and Colon, resulting in 15 deaths. In causing these deaths, the military and police forces of North America used .38 calibre, Smith & Wesson Special, and 7 mm., 7.62 mm. projectiles.”
In another excerpt regarding the right that everyone has the right of freedom of peaceful assembly and association. It was argued that…“On the 9th, 10th and 11th January, 1964, the Panamanian population made a peaceful use of this right in their own territory and the North American military and police fired small arms and teargas shells for the purpose of preventing the free use of such a right.”
Who is Who?
Which story is fact and which is fiction?
On January 9,1964, grievances between native Panamanians and Americans residing within the US controlled Canal Zone boiled over into a series of events which led to an evacuation of the US embassy in Panama City and ultimately paved the way for a major shift in control of the Canal Zone.
This uprising eventually led to the renegotiation of the original treaty and this important historical event is honoured annually in Panama as Martyr’s Day. The beginning of the end of the American rule over the Panama Canal Zone.
Please note that I have not received these products for free or at a discounted price in exchange for my opinion. There may be links that are affiliate links but at the time of posting this review, I have not received any monetary kickbacks.