Peruvian-Bolivian Confederation War
The Peruvian-Bolivian Confederation War ( Guerra de Confederación Perú-Boliviana ) took place from 1836 to 1839.
The Bolivian general Andrés de Santa Cruz invaded Lima , Peru on August 15, 1836 . He divided Peru into a northern and southern state. The north was ruled by the former president of all of Peru, Luis José de Orbegoso, who was allied with Santa Cruz, and the south by General Ramón Herrera. General Santa Cruz set himself up as protector and supreme ruler of the newly formed Peruvian-Bolivian Confederation , which consisted of Bolivia and the two Peruvian states.
The USA, Great Britain and France recognized the new confederation. However, the project, which was based on the territorial expansion of the former Inca Empire, aroused concern among the conservative governments in Chile and Argentina , as they felt that their stability was threatened by Santa Cruz. Ultimately, this led to preventive strikes against the new regime from abroad, which were supported by the numerous internal Peruvian opponents of the Confederation (the so-called Restorationists ).
In 1837, Argentine army units were the first to try to overthrow Santa Cruz, but they failed. In October 1837 2,800 Chilean soldiers landed in the port of Islay in southern Peru and captured the city of Arequipa . Diseases weakened the Chilean troops and forced them to make a peace treaty with Santa Cruz on November 17, 1837 with the Treaty of Paucarpata. Chile broke the treaty and landed on August 6, 1838 under General Manuel Bulnes Prieto in the city of Ancón north of Lima . The Chilean fleet blocked the Peruvian port of Callao .
In November 1837, the Peruvian ships Socabaya , Confederación and Congreso attacked the Juan Fernández Islands , as well as the Chilean port cities of Talcahuano , Huasco and San Antonio . In addition, the Peruvian troops landed in San Antonio and Caldera .
In October 1838 Lima fell into Chilean restorationist hands. Santa Cruz then sent large units of troops, the Chileans and Restorationists withdrew from Lima to Huasco . But Santa Cruz did not succeed in defeating the opposing forces decisively.
On January 12, 1839, the Peruvian fleet at Casma was destroyed by the Chileans under the command of British Admiral Robert Simpson . On January 20, 1839, General Manuel Bulnes Prieto advanced with 5,400 men at Yungay against the Bolivian army and defeated the troops of Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz had to abdicate and fled to Ecuador .