peru 20th c history

on this page

Browse down the page or just click one of these sections....

1. General

2. Political Change & growing military

involvement, 1895-1968

3. Military Control, 1968-80

4. Post 1980

Shining Path rebellion

Fujimori's Peru and beyond

Border disputes

Peru before 1900 (separate page)

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Blue Ribbon HOT site, USA
SovLit, Harvard Univ, USA

Useful English language sites on the history of Peru are limited. These links indicate some of the more valuable. I would be grateful for suggestions of others to include, in Spanish, as well as English.
lesfearns@casahistoria.net

1. General

      For extensive history links to Peru before the 20th century go to the casahistoria Peru 1 site

casahistoria: Latin America visit the casahistoria general Latin American page for many more background sites.

Simply - Peru, a history. Tongue in cheek "dummy's" guide to history of Peru (after a theme by the sixteenth century Inca-Spaniard Puma de Ayala) from the new internationalist. Published 1989 but still amusing - and a worthwhile place to start!
Timeline and Profile of Peru. Both clearly presented by the BBC.
Commanding Heights 20th century from timeline from PBS. Thorough and interactive: click on one of the subheadings at the page top and the content changes to match that category!
The Peruvians - An exhibition of photographs by Peruvian Photographers. Click on any of the thumbnail images on this page to see the photos in a humanities exhibition featuring the work of 17 Peruvian photographers was curated by Fernando Castro, organized by William P. Wright, and made available by the Texas Humanities Resource Center
History of Peruvian Photography Links and original material on the history of Peruvian photography, 1850-1950. Includes a collection of antique Peruvian postcards.Links to other sites about the history of the Latin America photography

Fototeca Andina 20,000 images of Peru from the archives of the Cabrera brothers, Miguel Chani, José Gabriel González, César Meza Salazar and Fidel Mora
Archivo Fotografico Courret Searchable archive of Eugenio Courret's photographs of Peru taken between 1863-1935.

PeruLinks Excellent set of annotated links to all aspects of Peruvian culture and life. In English and Spanish
For current developments to the national history themes:

Yahoo Peru news excellent resource for current news items (in English) on Peru

Lanic Newsroom: Texas Univ site for links to the recent news themes on Latin America in general

Peru Amnesty international report on Peru (2008). Link to all Amnesty news on Peru.

Survival report on the indigenous peoples of Peru. See also:

Uncontacted Indians

All the site images are from the excellent "The Peruvians" site.

Presented by Texas Council for the Humanities Resource Centre.

Click on any thumbnail for larger image.

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2. Political Change & growing military involvement, 1895-1968

Peru Country Study: US Library of Congress. Links to key sections:

Recovery and Growth, 1883-1930

The New Militarism, 1886-95

The Aristocratic Republic, 1895-1914

Impact of World War 1 on Peru

The Eleven-Year Rule, 1919-30

Mass Politics and Social Change, 1930-68

Impact of the Depression and World War II

Rural Stagnation and Social Mobilization, 1948-68

Eduardo Lopez de Romana, President of Peru from 1899 to 1903. One of several Presidents from the Civilista Party during the era of the "Aristocratic Republic". Bio from Mundo Andino

The Catholic Church in Peru: 1821-1985, Review article by Georgette Magassy Dorn outlining clearly the role of the Catholic Church in 19th & 20th century Peru. Book reviewed written by Jeffrey Klaber, S.J. Washington

Army, Politics and Society

The Armed Forces in Society and Politics
from Peru Country Study: US Library of Congress:

Guardian of the New Liberal Elite

Reformer and Agent of Change

Protector of Democracy

Changing Constitutional Basis

Changing Foreign Military Missions and Impacts

Revolts and rebellions:

from Armed Conflict Events Data site:

Peruvian Revolution of 1895

Peruvian APRA Rebellion 1932

Peruvian Military Coup 1939

Peruvian Naval Mutiny 1948

Military conflict with neighbouring countries

from Armed Conflict Events Data site:

Colombian-Peruvian Border Dispute 1911

Colombian-Peruvian Border 1922

Letica War 1932-33

Ecuadoran-Peruvian Border War 1941

Misc.

My First Crossing of the Andes By José Florez. Intriguing first hand account of an early trans Andean flight. and on that subject ....

Airplanes of the Peruvian Air Force Photos and history of the Peruvian airplanes since 1910 up to our days. The gallery includes combat airplanes, training airplanes, helicopters, history, links. Includes downloadable patches to fly Peruvian aircraft in MS Flight Simulator ...

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3. Military Control, 1968-80

The Military Regimes For casahistoria links to the military regimes of other Latin American states at this time

Peruvian Military Coup 1968 from Armed Conflict Events Data site

The Velasco Government outline article. By Rex A. Hudson, ed. Peru: A Country Study. Library of Congress, 1992

Peru Country Study: US Library of Congress. Links to key sections:

Military Reform from Above, 1968-80

Failed Reform and Economic Decline, 1968-85

Politics, Policies, and Economic Development in Latin America By Robert G. Wesson. Chapter on the military coup and Velascato period. Preceeded by sections on the previous government and background to the coup. This is a "full view" Google book.

The Military & Military Classes outline articles with focus on period of military rule. By Rex A. Hudson, ed. Peru: A Country Study. Library of Congress, 1992

Coping with the legacy of 12 years of military government
Peru is returning to civilian rule Michael L. Smith of the Times of London, looks back (and into the future) on the military regime in July 21, 1980. As such it provides an initial survey of the impact of the regime.

Peru: 1968–2001 An essay Fernando Castro R for Texas Council for the Humanities Resource Centre as background to the images shown on this site. includes a supplement with more detail about the photos.

Juan Velasco Alvarado biographies

Juan Velasco Alvarado - "the unofficial biography". Basic bio from Mundo Andino / Andean World

Juan Velasco Alvarado 2003 bio from the UXL Encyclopedia of World Biography. Useful and more academic than most short bios, despite some strange typos....

General Juan Velasco Alvarado Looks at the historic roots for the military seizure, going back to the 19th century. Authorship unknown...

USA and Peru

The United States and Peru By Cynthia McClintock & Fabian Vallas. Useful Google Book Preview (some missing pages but still of value). Hopefully the link is retained by Google!

Southern Cone Rendition Programme: Peru's participation. US National Security Archive essay intro & documents to show Peru's involvement, despite offical denial of Peru's involvement in Operation Condor.

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4. Post 1980

Peru Country Study: US Library of Congress. Links to key sections:

Return to Democratic Rule, 1980-85

Peru at the Crossroads

Peru: 1968–2001 An essay Fernando Castro R for Texas Council for the Humanities Resource Centre as background to the images shown on this site. includes a supplement with more detail about the photos.

The Element of Cross-Class Participation in Peruvian and Brazilian Women's Movements during Times of Political Change Women in Peru, whose political organizations usually consisted of one class, made little impact on their new government's policies. In contrast, Brazilian women who managed to maintain multi-class organizations were able to influence their government. By Erica Baca, University of Utah §

Shining Path rebellion

Sendero Luminoso Pathfinder Designed as a starting point to aid the beginning researcher in finding information on Sendero Luminoso contained on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus. It is a guide to important sources; including books, journals, reference works, government documents and electronic resources.

The Rise and Fall of Shining Path (2008) Report for Council on Hemispheric Affairs. Despite its title it does consider the recent resurgence

Shining Path's Resurgence in Peru Useful 2007 report by W. Alejandro Sanchez for Power and Interest News explains the reemergence of the group

Shining Path Rebellion 1980-Present from Armed Conflict Events Data site

Shining Path 2004 BBC overview of their history & development

Sendero Luminoso: reprint of Peru´s War by Raymond Bonner, which appeared in the New Yorker, January, 1988. Detailed analysis of Sendero Luminoso. Errors on the page, but they are only at the top...

Insurgency in Peru: the Shining Path another 1988 report (!) this time by Major James V. Huston, United States Marine Corps, for Global Security Org. Despite the "Contents List" of over 100 pages don't worry, this is a very worthy abstract of a manageable length! Click here for a brief SL outline from GSO.

Maoism in the Andes: The Communist Party of Peru-Shining Path and the Refusal of History Academic article by O Starn examines the history and ideology of the Communist Party of Peru-Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso). Journal of Latin American Studies, 1995

Hear families of Shining Path victims speak 2008 BBC TV video interview

Fujimori's Peru and beyond

Vladimiro Montesinos - Fujimori’s Rasputin: The declassifed files on Peru's former intelligence chief. From the National Security Archive, a non-governmental foreign policy documentation center at George Washington University. Good documentary evidence.

Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement Uprising and the Environment TED (The Trade & Environment Database of American University) Case Study shows how the attack on the Japanese ambassador's house in Peru by Tupac Amaru rebels was more than simply a display of terrorism and a demand for releasing Tupac Amaru prisoners. It was also a demonstration of the frustration and resentment that many people from the lower classes, rural areas, and indigenous populations felt towards the State.

Montesinos, Fujimori, Toledo y el futuro del Perú: Biografía y Análisis - Cosmopolis Article in English, by Cosmopolis (November 2000), with biographies and analysis of Vladimiro Ilyich Montesinos (former chief of the Peruvian Intelligence), Alberto Fujimori (former President) and Alejandro Toledo (today's President).

Peru: The Government of Alejandro Toledo - Cosmopolis Article by Cosmopolis (July 2001), with biography of President Alejandro Toledo, results of the legislative elections of 2001 and information about the Peruvian cabinet in 2001

Terms of Reference UN article on the social development of Peru, 1940-2002. Well detailed and supported. By Francisco Sagasti, Fernando Prada, and Mario Bazán

Rebelión en el Altiplano Feature article (2005) from the Buenos Aires Clarin: Cómo el pueblo aimara ha puesto en jaque a gobiernos y funcionarios. Los casos de Ilave y Ayo Ayo.

Peru in the Eye of the Storm - The National Security Archive Information about Peruvian Human Rights abuses & provides a brief narrative and declassified documents dealing with human rights abuses and political violence during the 1980s and 1990s. The National Security Archive.

The Fall of Fujimori Documentary based on an interview of the former President taken after his self-exile in Japan, and other interviews.

Border disputes

Ecuador-Peru Border War 1981 and Ecuador-Peru Border War 1995 from Armed Conflict Events Data site

Paquisha War Brief military clash that took place in January-February 1981 between Ecuador and Peru over the control of three watchposts that the Ecuadorian Army was setting up inside a disputed border area. From Mundo Andino

Cenepa War (January 26 – February 28, 1995), also known as the Alto Cenepa War - a brief and localized military border conflict between Ecuador and Peru. From Mundo Andino

Civil Rights

Peru Amnesty international report on Peru (2007). Link to all Amnesty news on Peru.

      For extensive history links to Peru before the 20th century go to the casahistoria Peru 1 site

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and finally: fed up looking at this screen? Try a book instead!

Use casahistoria's list of recommended reads to curl up with ...

These have all been read and are recommended by casahistoria

For a longer(!) list including several novels & fuller crits/descriptions go to



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and finally: fed up looking at this screen? Try a book instead! Use casahistoria's list of recommended reads to curl up with ...