Armies, Politics and Revolution

Chile, 1808-1826

First Edition

Juan Luis Ossa Santa Cruz

Liverpool University Press

Liverpool Latin American Studies LUP

New interpretation of Chilean Independence from the perspective of the military
Political study of the role of armies in the building of the Chilean republic
New views of the role of counter-revolutionary governments in the period 1814-1817 in Chile

Armies, Politics and Revolution

Chile, 1808-1826

First Edition

Juan Luis Ossa Santa Cruz

Liverpool University Press

Liverpool Latin American Studies LUP

Description

This book studies the political role of the Chilean military during the years 1808-1826. Beginning with the fall of the Spanish monarchy to Napoleon in 1808 and ending immediately after the last royalist contingents were expelled from the island of Chiloé, it does not seek to give a full picture of the participation of military men on the battlefield but rather to interpret their involvement in local politics. In so doing, this book aims to make a contribution to the understanding of Chile's revolution of independence, as well as to discuss some of the most recent historiographical contributions on the role of the military in the creation of the Chilean republic. Although the focus is placed on the career and participation of Chilean revolutionary officers, this book also provides an overview of both the role of royalist armies and the influence of international events in Chile.

Armies, Politics and Revolution

Chile, 1808-1826

First Edition

Juan Luis Ossa Santa Cruz

Liverpool University Press

Liverpool Latin American Studies LUP

Abbreviations
Maps

Introduction
I. Themes and hypotheses
II. Book structure
III. A note on sources and terminology

Chapter I: Building up a revolutionary army in Chile, 1808-1814
I. 1808-1810: internal responses to imperial crisis
II. A conflict of politics, a conflict between provinces
III. Revolutionary warfare in Chile
IV. The political legitimization of a revolutionary movement

Chapter II: Political and military counterrevolution in Chile, 1814-1817
I. Mariano Osorio's political and military behaviour
II. Francisco Marcó del Pont: alienating internal inhabitants, facing an external threat
III. Was it possible to re-conquer Chile?

Chapter III: Mendoza: the preparation of a South American army, 1814-1817
I. Chilean émigrés in a foreign territory
II. The Army of the Andes and the militarization of civil society
III. Chileans in the Army of the Andes. Spies, military intelligence and the guerra de zapa
IV. Crossing the Cordillera

Chapter IV: The establishment of a military regime in Chile, 1817-1823
I. Ruling over an unruly population
II. Maipú: battle for territorial dominance
III. Irregular warfare in the south of Chile
IV. The personalization of politics

Chapter V: Becoming a Chilean army. The Ejército Libertador del Perú, 1818-1823
I. The organization of the Ejército Libertador del Perú and the first Chilean navy
II. Lima: royalist stronghold
III. Internal conflicts, external consequences
IV. Becoming a Chilean army

Chapter VI: The political role of the military in the making of the Chilean republic, 1822-1826
I. The revival of Concepción and the Army of the South
II. The political role of the military in the 1820s. The case of Francisco Antonio Pinto
III. Politicizing the army in the Chilean Congress
IV. Chiloé: capitulation of revolutionary warfare

Conclusion
References
Index