It came as a huge shock to the country in May of 1958 – a vice-President; Richard Nixon was attacked by angry mobs in Venezuela while on tour of Latin America.
Screaming, jeering mobs of teenagers stoned and spat on President Nixon, grabbed at Mrs. Nixon and beat in the doors and windows of their cars during a visit to Caracas. It was the most furious anti-United States demonstration of their South American tour. Nixon was lucky to escape un harmed.
His limousine was badly dented and its windows broken. A youth dented the door of Mrs. Nixon’s car. The U. S. flags on both cars were ripped from their standards. Lt. Col. Vernon Walters, a translator riding with Nixon, was hit by glass from a broken window, and his mouth cut. Nixon was hit by glass but was unhurt.
Six Americans in all were injured. Secret serviceman John T. Sherwood, who suffered a chip ped tooth in the stoning at Peru last Thursday, twice pulled his gun, but did not use it. ‘. Venezuela’s foreign minister, himself hurt by ‘ splintered glass from the windows of Nixon’s car, apologized for the outburst on the spot.
Mrs. Nixon sat looking straight ahead as her car was dented with stones and its windows smeared with eggs and spit.
President Eisenhower, aroused by the mob action in Venezuela, rushed paratroopers and Marines to the Caribbean. In a surprising show of force, the Defense Department announced that two companies of airborne troops and two of Marines were being flown to U. S. bases in the Caribbean area, which Venezuela adjoins. Altogether the four companies added up to about 1,000 troops.
The Defense Department called this only a precautionary measure, undertaken so as to be in a position “to cooperate with the Venezuelan government if assistance is requested.” In the memory of old-time observers here, it was the first instance where a goodwill mission by an American leader resulted in calling out Marines and troops.
This episode of the CBS Radio program Radio Beat, a number of reporters and observers gathered to talk about this latest flap in American Foreign policy and what was the cause, real or imagined – which naturally was laid at the feet of The Kremlin and gave further evidence the Cold War was alive and kicking.
Here is that broadcast from May 15, 1958 as heard over the CBS Radio Network. (with huge thanks to Dave Goldin)
