Chile’s Army On The Eve Of The Pacific War: A View From The Troops

Abstract

This article unpacks a theme rarely studied in historiography;
the life of the Chilean army during the Chincha Islands War
(1865-1866) and the War of the Pacific (1879-1884). First, the
objective is to answer questions about this military body using
the perspective of troop distribution. Second, this study analyzes
changes of the army’s troops within the National Guard.
Lastly, the recruitment process in the beginning of 1879 is also
outlined. Based on the perspective of the troops, Chile did not
prepare for a specific war against Peru and Bolivia. However
as a country, implicit development of an expansionism —both
economic and social— existed in Antofagasta.

Keywords: Chilean Army, Pacific War, military training, troop’s
strength.