Скачать или смотреть 🎵 War for the White Gold - Chincha Islands, 1864 (History Song)

In 1864, Spain occupied the Chincha Islands off the coast of Peru. These islands were uninhabited but covered in guano - bird droppings rich in nitrates, essential for fertilizer and gunpowder. At the time, guano was a highly valuable commodity on the global market.

Peru, no longer a Spanish colony, viewed the occupation as an act of aggression. Diplomatic efforts failed. In response, Peru declared war. Chile soon joined as an ally, followed by Ecuador. What began as a dispute over trade and sovereignty escalated into a naval conflict across the Pacific.

Spanish forces bombarded Valparaíso in Chile and Callao in Peru. South American forces retaliated at sea and along the coast. Though the war caused destruction on both sides, Spain ultimately withdrew in 1866 without achieving its goals. The Chincha Islands War, also known as the Guano War, is one of the few documented military conflicts fought primarily over access to bird excrement.

This war highlighted the strategic importance of natural resources in the 19th century and marked a rare attempt by post-imperial Spain to reassert control in Latin America.

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