Les Cayes massacre

The Les Cayes massacre, also known as the Marchaterre massacre, was a massacre on 6 December 1929 in Les Cayes perpetrated by U.S. Marines against Haitians protesting the United States occupation of Haiti. The massacre was instrumental in placing pressure on the federal government of the United States to end the occupation.

At the time of the massacre, the United States had invaded Haiti over fourteen years earlier in 1915, with the Marines occupying the country through a military regime on behalf of American business interests. By October 1929, Haitians grew increasingly angered with the American occupation and protests broke out, resulting in a general strike. Such demonstrations culminated with the massacre, which resulted in international condemnation and later the end of American occupation.