Pacific War (1879-1884): Campaigns, Causes, and Consequences
Campaigns of the Pacific War (1879-1884)
Occupation of Antofagasta (1879): 2,000 Chilean soldiers, commanded by Colonel Emilio Sotomayor, took control of Antofagasta, Tocopilla, Mejillones, and Calama. Bolivia’s Cobija was blockaded, leaving it without Pacific access. Chile gained control of the region’s nitrate industry.
Maritime Campaign (May-October 1879): The navies of Chile and Peru clashed in several key battles:
- Naval Battle of Iquique (May 21): The Chilean corvette Esmeralda fought the Peruvian ironclad Huáscar. Peru was victorious.
- Punta Gruesa Combat (May 21): The Chilean ship Covadonga engaged the Peruvian armored ship Independencia. Chile won.
- Angamos Combat (October 8): The Chilean ships Cochrane and Blanco Encalada fought the Peruvian ironclad Huáscar. Chile won, crippling Peru’s fleet and gaining control of the South Pacific. Arturo Prat became a Chilean national hero.
Tarapacá Campaign (Late 1879): 10,000 Chilean soldiers landed in Pisagua. After the Battles of Dolores (November 19) and Tarapacá (November 26), they secured the province for Chile, giving it control over the Peruvian nitrate zone. This led to internal unrest and political crises in Bolivia and Peru.
Tacna and Arica Campaign (March-June 1880): Chilean troops under General Manuel Baquedano took Tacna and besieged Arica. General Pedro Lagos led the capture of Morro de Arica (July 7). This victory secured the campaign for Chile. The Arica Conference (October 22-27) attempted a diplomatic solution with US mediation, but failed as Chile’s demands were not accepted by Peru and Bolivia. Bolivia withdrew from the conflict after the Battle of Tacna. Chile expressed its intent to permanently occupy the nitrate-rich provinces of Antofagasta and Tarapacá.
Lima Campaign (November 1880-January 1881): 25,000 Chilean soldiers landed in Pisco and advanced on the Peruvian capital. After the Battles of Chorrillos (January 13) and Miraflores (January 15), Lima surrendered. The Chilean army occupied the city and established an interim government led by Patricio Lynch. Peruvian authorities and forces retreated to the mountains to continue resistance. Chile controlled the Peruvian capital and installed a Chilean government.
Sierra Campaign (June 1881-July 1883): Peruvian resistance forces launched a guerrilla war from the mountains around Lima. Key battles included Sangra (June 26, 1881), La Concepción (July 9, 1882), and Huamachuco (July 10, 1883), where Chile decisively defeated the Peruvian forces, ending the war with Peru. The war with Bolivia ended in 1884.
Background
Bolivia violated the 1874 Treaty by increasing the salt tax. Knowledge of a secret 1873 military assistance treaty between Peru and Bolivia prompted Chile to declare war on both nations.
Impact
Chile Annexed Territories: Chile gained control of the Atacama Desert and its mineral deposits.
Economic Shift: Chile transitioned from a livestock-based economy to a mining-based economy.
Population Movement: Many peasants and war veterans moved north to work in the mines.
Civil War (1891): The nitrate-fueled economic boom led to disputes among the ruling class over the use of the new wealth.
International Consequences:
- Bolivia: Continues to seek access to the sea.
- Peru: Filed a lawsuit against Chile in 2009 at the International Court in The Hague regarding the northern sea boundary.
- Argentina: The border demarcation in the Patagonia area remains pending.
Incorporation of Easter Island.
Treaties Ending the War
Ancón Treaty (1883): Tarapacá Province was ceded to Chile. Tacna and Arica would remain under Chilean control for 10 years, after which a plebiscite would determine their fate. Despite the treaty, Chilean troops occupied Tacna and Arica until 1884.
Truce with Bolivia (1884): Established a definitive cessation of hostilities. Chile gained control of the territory up to the Loa River, with Antofagasta Province fully under Chilean sovereignty. Tariff privileges were granted to Bolivian products, and transit facilities to the Pacific coast were provided.
Both treaties were revised and modified in the early 20th century with the signing of the Treaty of Lima (1929) and the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, and Commerce with Bolivia (1904).