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I'll admit to being skeptical, too, but I seem to recall reading that people thought that the US was not going to be able to finish the original canal and that

by prewett 11y ago

I'll admit to being skeptical, too, but I seem to recall reading that people thought that the US was not going to be able to finish the original canal and that the whole project was foolhardy. I think the US was just more tenacious than France before it (also people had learned about the role of mosquitoes in disease and sprayed the mosquitoes) China has a very long history of massive building projects, so if Nicaragua is willing, and the similar sentiment as the first canal makes me hesitant to dismiss it.

pchristensen 11y ago
The book The Path Between The Seas is an incredible history of the Panama Canal. http://www.amazon.com/The-Path-Between-Seas-1870-1914-ebook/dp/B002FK3U4Q/ http://www.amazon.com/The-Path-Between-Seas-1870-1914-ebook/... Short version: the French tried to build it as an investment, but the vision they could sell (sea level canal) couldn't be built. USA took over and muscled through because it was strategically important to the govt and it was a huge jobs program and stimulus to American companies selling food, transportation, steel, construction equipment, medicine, etc to the 30k+ workers. Also gave electrical projects to a young GE!