The Sparrow and the Hawk: Costa Rica and the United States During the Rise of Jose Figueres - Tapa blanda

"Richly documented and effectively argued, Longley's study offers an adroit presentation of the complex processes of confrontation and accommodation that marked the metropole-oriented policies of Jos Figueres. The study makes a significant addition to the existent literature on U.S. relations with Costa Rica." --Richard V. Salisbury, Western Kentucky University ..". this is an excellent book which deserves a wide readership and should be read by all students of Latin American and interamerican affairs." --The Americas "Longley makes a valuable contribution to the historiography of US-Central American relations. His utilisation of primary sources in both the USA and Costa Rica add credibility to the thesis that Washington did not always have its way south of the Rio Grande River and that small countries on the periphery are capable of pursuing independent foreign policies vis-a-vis Washington." --Journal of Latin American Studies

Using Costa Rica as a example, Longley carefully examines the development of the successful relationship between a nonindustrialized country and the United States, revealing the complex forces at work in resistance and accommodation. During World War II and the immediate postwar era, both the United States and Costa Rica experienced dramatic changes. The United States assumed world leadership and the accompanying responsibilities; Costa Rica encountered far-reaching difficulties that culminated in the Civil War of 1948 and the rise to power of Jos Figueres. Longley examines why the United States supported Figueres and emphasizes the history and role of Costa Ricans, primarily the figueristas, in maintaining good relations in such a difficult era. Figueres implemented economic and political nationalism, which produced domestic and international tensions, and in spite of its rejection of similar policies in Guatemala and Iran, the United States supported Figueres against domestic and foreign threats.