War Against All Puerto Ricans: Revolution and Terror in America's Colony

Denis, former editorial director of Spanish-language daily newspaper El Diario, reveals the true face of American imperialism in its own backyard through the history of military occupation, economic exploitation, and weak leadership that led to the October 1950 armed revolt in the Puerto Rican towns of Jayuya and Utuado. He shares the stories of young revolutionaries, federal agents, corrupt governors, and Pedro Albizu Campos, a man born into the lowest social tier who would become the president of the Nationalist Party of Puerto Rico. Characters such as Waller Booth, an undercover agent for the OSS (the precursor to the CIA) known by locals only as the proprietor of a nameless nightclub, take on weight through Denis's firm grip on narrative and attention to detail. Structurally, however, the book is weakly organized into three parts: Facts, People and Places. Forgoing a straight chronology, the anecdotes of minor and major players are often padded with points that are repeatedly explained. Nonetheless, Denis's meticulous research reveals an often overlooked element of American history and provides context to the current status of Puerto Rico as a U.S. territory. Photos. (Apr.)