War of the Pacific 1879-1884

Bolivia, Peru and Chile all sought control of the mineral rich Atacama Desert. To defend their interests against Chile, Bolivia and Peru signed a secret alliance in 1873. Meanwhile, the assets of Chilean companies engaged in mining in Peru were seized in 1875 and Bolivia followed in 1878. Chile responded on February 14, 1879 by seizing the Bolivian port of Antofagasta; it followed up by declaring war on Bolivia and Peru on April 5th.

Initially, the war was fought largely at sea, where Chilean warships took the offensive and blockaded coast ports. As a result of several naval victories, by October 1879 the Chilean navy had achieved mastery of the seas which was then used to make amphibious landings in support of their march up the coast to secure the Atacama Desert. At the Battle of Tacna, on May 26, 1880, the Chilean army decisively defeated a combined Bolivian-Peruvian army; the Bolivians practically withdrew from the war against Chile and the alliance with Peru after this defeat, remaining militarily inactive for the duration.

Peru continued to resist. The decisive campaign of the war was the Chilean advance on Lima (the capital of Peru). Starting in January13, 1880, the Chilean army fought a series of battles that resulted in the occupation of Lima on January 17th; looting and pillaging followed and the Peruvian national library was destroyed. So the Peruvians fought on, conducting a successful guerrilla resistance in the mountainous hinterlands for two and one-half years. The last major battle of the war was fought near Huamachuco on July 10, 1883, ending in a decisive Chilean victory. Peruvian military resistance began to collapse after the battle. On October 20, 1883, the Treaty of Ancon was signed ending the war. Although some Peruvians continued fighting up to the end of October, the peace held.

Defeated Peru ceded to Chile the province of Tarapaca. The terms of the treaty also provided for Chile to occupy the provinces of Tacna and Arica for 10 years, after which a plebiscite was to be held to determine their fate. But the two countries failed for decades to agree on what terms the plebiscite was to be conducted. This diplomatic dispute over Tacna and Arica was known as the Question of the Pacific. Finally, in 1929, through the mediation of the United States, an accord was reached by which Chile kept Arica; Peru reacquired Tacna and received a $6 million indemnity and other concessions.

Although militarily inactive, Bolivia remained at war with Chile. An indefinite true was only signed on April 4, 1884. Under the terms of the treaty, Chile retained control of the entire Bolivian coast (Antofagasta province), leaving Bolivia landlocked. A peace treaty was finally signed on October 20, 1904 – which made this arrangement permanent. In return Chile agreed to build a railroad connecting the Bolivian capital of La Paz with the port of Arica and guaranteed freedom of transit for Bolivian commerce through Chilean ports and territory.

References

Clodfelter, 578-81; COW64; EB - War of the Pacific; Kohn, 348.

Category

Inter-State War

Region

South America

Belligerents

Bolivia, Chile, Peru

Dispute

Territory

Initiation Date

February 14, 1879

Termination Date

April 4, 1884

Duration

5 years, 1 month, 22 days
(1877 days)

Outcome

Imposed Settlement
(Chilean victory)

Fatalities

Total: 13,868
Bolivia: 920
Chile: 3,276
Peru: 9,672

Magnitude

4.1