Nicaragua.

New York Times 100 years ago today, October 7, 1912:
    The bravery of our marines who faced the Nicaraguan machine guns at Cayotepe, and captured that rebel stronghold and Barranca, is not likely to be disputed. The men who lost their lives will be remembered as heroes. It was war, indeed, and, while it lasted, as splendid in its display of human courage and adroitness, and military skill, as war can be. But, also, it was not war. The United States is not at war with Nicaragua, or with any political party or band of citizens in that State. Our marines were landed to protect property, to save American citizens from slaughter, to restore peace. In performing their duty they were compelled to take part in a fierce and bloody battle, but technically it was not war.
    There is much virtue in that word "technical." Hold it carefully in mind and you will not be possessed of the painful idea that we have sent armed men into a country with which we are at peace to shoot its citizens. As a matter of fact, the Government has tardily done no more than its duty in thus suppressing the Nicaraguan rebellion at a loss of valuable lives and much money for which there is need at home. But if there had been no dangerous rebellion in Nicaragua, interference would not have been necessary, and there would have been none if the arming and provisioning of Central Americans on our soil were strictly prohibited.
    Mr. William Sulzer is very popular in all Latin-America because of some significant words he uttered in a speech before the Society of International Law last April. He said:

    We want peace on the Western Hemisphere. That is easy. We can have it if we want it. All we need to do is to live up to the Golden Rule of Nations, and do unto others as we would have others do unto us — that is all, and it is all so simple and easy.

    If expeditions against the United States were fitted out, financed, armed, in Central America, Mexico, or South America, we would be justly angered, and would take pains to let those nations understand that we would not tolerate such defiance of the Golden Rule and the neutrality laws. But, except for the belated guarding of our Mexican frontier, we have done little or nothing in a practical and forehanded way to prevent promoters in this country from overturning the Governments of the weaker States south of us.