Leo T. reviewed The Big Truck That Went By: How the World Came to Save Haiti and Left Behind a Disaster on + 1775 more book reviews
The author is a longtime journalist, employed by the Associated Press and assigned to Haiti on the day of the earthquake (1/12/2010); there were no other reporters there. I found it of special interest because he is a good observer and has a heart. On the other hand, he tends to blame Uncle Sam for most of the ills of the Republic of Haiti. "I wanted to write this book to understand how a massive humanitarian effort, led by the most powerful nation in the world--my country--could cause so much harm and heartache in another that wanted its help so badly." Mr. Katz mentions remittances early on and I hope he will discuss the brain drain (did Haitians abroad return to rebuild their stricken country) and the fact that remittances (see the many reports of the amounts published in Los Angeles' La Opinion and the Asian Journal for example) are funds that could have been invested in the country where these people are working.
His book is well written beginning with an example of the poorly constructed buildings (collapse of a for profit school owned by Reverend Fortin Augustin) and on to the earthquake (with his own experiences on that day intertwined). Sadly, overpopulation is hardly mentioned as the US is blamed (mostly) for the ineffective government and rapid increase of the capital's shanty towns.
The shortcomings of the aid delivered ("more than half of American adults gave money for Haiti, part of a global response"), including President Clinton's efforts, will be detailed as well as the cholera epidemic. He does admit that the Red Cross specializes in immediate, not long term, aid and hopefully will admit if the Haitians could run their own affairs there would have been no UN peacekeepers there.
As is common among present day historians, the USMC did nothing but evil during the occupation--Mr. Katz does not even mention the installation of the telephone system.
Unlike storms that besiege Haiti from time to time, the earthquake hit hard at both rich and poor. The next morning, Katz and photographer awakened from sleeping on the floor of an US Embassy outbuilding: "My funds came to two crumpled bills totaling 100 gourdes, about $2.50, and our possessions and supplies to what was piled in the back of Evens' car. He was right--all we could do now was work and hope that, by day's end, we'd have somewhere to sleep, something more to eat, and a way of getting out information. As we drove west, back toward the city, the scenes got worse. Cracked houses gave way to fallen roofs and then city blocks obliterated in full. Mounds of concrete, rock, and twisted rebar bore no sign of the barbershops and boutiques that had stood eighteen hours before."
There are several examples (from thousands) of how the media who came publicized only a few disaster sites while others a few miles away remained out of luck. "The coverage of those few featured rescue sits provided a much-needed uplift for viewers abroad. Their miracles were flotsam hope in a sea of sadness and desolation."
As in many other disaster areas, there actually was not much disorder, looting, etc. This makes me reconsider the reports of looting in the US Virgin Islands a few years ago....
Index, simple maps (national and city) good endnotes, and well chosen photos.
His book is well written beginning with an example of the poorly constructed buildings (collapse of a for profit school owned by Reverend Fortin Augustin) and on to the earthquake (with his own experiences on that day intertwined). Sadly, overpopulation is hardly mentioned as the US is blamed (mostly) for the ineffective government and rapid increase of the capital's shanty towns.
The shortcomings of the aid delivered ("more than half of American adults gave money for Haiti, part of a global response"), including President Clinton's efforts, will be detailed as well as the cholera epidemic. He does admit that the Red Cross specializes in immediate, not long term, aid and hopefully will admit if the Haitians could run their own affairs there would have been no UN peacekeepers there.
As is common among present day historians, the USMC did nothing but evil during the occupation--Mr. Katz does not even mention the installation of the telephone system.
Unlike storms that besiege Haiti from time to time, the earthquake hit hard at both rich and poor. The next morning, Katz and photographer awakened from sleeping on the floor of an US Embassy outbuilding: "My funds came to two crumpled bills totaling 100 gourdes, about $2.50, and our possessions and supplies to what was piled in the back of Evens' car. He was right--all we could do now was work and hope that, by day's end, we'd have somewhere to sleep, something more to eat, and a way of getting out information. As we drove west, back toward the city, the scenes got worse. Cracked houses gave way to fallen roofs and then city blocks obliterated in full. Mounds of concrete, rock, and twisted rebar bore no sign of the barbershops and boutiques that had stood eighteen hours before."
There are several examples (from thousands) of how the media who came publicized only a few disaster sites while others a few miles away remained out of luck. "The coverage of those few featured rescue sits provided a much-needed uplift for viewers abroad. Their miracles were flotsam hope in a sea of sadness and desolation."
As in many other disaster areas, there actually was not much disorder, looting, etc. This makes me reconsider the reports of looting in the US Virgin Islands a few years ago....
Index, simple maps (national and city) good endnotes, and well chosen photos.
