Historical Background of the War of the Pacific

The war had started on the pretext of disagreements between Chile, Peru, and Bolivia about who owned certain areas. These arguments were mostly about territorial acquisition, namely the control of a region known as the Atacama Desert.

Chile, Bolivia, and Peru all wanted control over the Atacama Desert because of the huge availability of natural resources. But they couldn’t agree on who it belonged to.

Bolivia’s step was to intervene and charge Chilean companies more money to work there which worsened the situation. Peru also became involved due to its historical ties with Bolivia and its economic interests in the region.

Attempts to resolve the disputes through diplomatic means were unsuccessful. Chile took a step to renegotiate borders and tax agreements with Bolivia but was met with resistance. Several treaties were formed between these countries. These were as follows:

The Boundary Treaty of 1866

This treaty was signed between Chile and Bolivia.

• It aimed to establish the boundary between the two countries in the Atacama Desert.
• However, the treaty didn’t settle the dispute over the region’s mineral-rich territory, leading to further tensions.

Secret Treaty of Alliance of 1873

This treaty was signed between Peru and Bolivia.

• It formed a secret military alliance between the two countries against Chile.
• The treaty aimed to counter Chilean expansionism and protect their shared interests in the Atacama Desert.

Boundary Treaty of 1874

This treaty was signed between Chile and Bolivia.

• It aimed to redefine the boundary between the two countries in the Atacama Desert following the discovery of valuable nitrate deposits.
• The treaty granted Chile mining rights in the disputed territory, exacerbating tensions between Chile, Peru, and Bolivia and eventually leading to the War of the Pacific.

The War of the Pacific was fought primarily between Chile and Bolivia over taxation. In 1878, increased taxation was imposed on a mining company in Chile. This taxation went against the 1874 Boundary Treat, signed by the Bolivian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mariano Baptista and the Chilean Minister Carlos Walker Martinez.

Chile and Bolivia fought over land in the Atacama Desert. Chile won the war and took control of land that was rich in resources from both Bolivia and Peru. This article will discuss the causes, summary, and outcome of the War of the Pacific in detail.