Chile: Defense and International Relations

• Main Author: Hills, Thomas W.
• Other Authors: NATIONAL WAR COLL WASHINGTON DC
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2002
• Subjects: Government and Political Science; Military Forces and Organizations; *CHILE; FOREIGN POLICY; LEADERSHIP; GOVERNMENT(FOREIGN); MILITARY FORCES(FOREIGN); POLITICAL ALLIANCES; HISTORY; INTERNATIONAL TRADE; INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS; CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS; Pacific; Aconcagua; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA442350; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA442350

Chile is a nation of extremes and opposites. Its geography includes the world's most arid desert in the north to Antarctica in the south. The Andes and the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere (Mount Aconcagua 22,840 feet) mark one of the longest national borders in the world, while the immense coastline provides Chile with a commanding presence in the Pacific Ocean. Often described as an island, Chile's geographic extremes have been fundamental to the nation's history. The Spanish conquered Chile in 1536 and established the Santiago in 1540. Chile remained an insular backwater colony until the 18th century when growing resentment over Spanish-imposed trade restrictions led Chile to press for self-government. The first independent government was established on September 18, 1810 but fell once again to Spanish control in 1814. Final victory from Spain was achieved in 1818 after which followed ten years of virtual anarchy. Diego Portales, who served as the nation's first effective ruler until his assassination in 1837, brokered a constitutional compromise between the various fractions of the oligarchy in 1829. Mr. Portales created a strong central government and his constitution of 1833 remained in force until 1925. The framework of this constitution created the stability that allowed Chile to escape the political turmoil that beset most of Latin American throughout the 19th century. Chile established a parliamentary democracy in the late 19th century that was predisposed to the interest of the ruling oligarchy. The growing middle and working classes finally became powerful enough by the 1920s to elect more reformist candidates. However, a conservative congress continually frustrated these efforts. Economic development exacerbated the gap between the rich and poor, while the political left and right slowly polarized. These irreconcilable differences soon brought the state to a systemic breakdown. The original document contains color images.