Articles Index
Who Killed Pancho Villa?
When legendary warlord Pancho Villa was gunned down in July of 1923, most Mexicans suspected a conspiracy...and they were right. Who killed Pancho Villa? The conspiracy went all the way to the top: the Mexican Presidential Palace.
Armor and Weapons of the Spanish Conquistadors
With just a few hundred men, the Spanish were able to bring down and control the mighty Aztec and Inca, powerful Empires with armies in the thousands. How were they able to do it? The weapons and armor of the conquistadors had a lot to do with their success.
Unsolved Murder Mystery: The Galapagos Affair
The Galapagos Islands are famous for being remote and sparsely inhabited. They only rarely come to international attention. That all changed in 1934, when the islands were home to a scandal involving sex, lies and murder. When all was said and done, three people were dead and two more missing. Do you think you can solve a mystery that has baffled historians for almost a century?
The Ten Most Important Events in the History of Latin America
Latin America has always been shaped by events: wars, rebellions, invasions and more. Which have been the most important? My top ten are based on international and domestic impact.
Biography of Pablo Escobar
Pablo Escobar was the greatest Colombian drug lord, whose Medellín cartel once controlled 80% of the cocaine shipped illegally into the United States. Although his personal fortune reached into the billions, his crimes eventually caught up with him and he was killed in a dramatic raid by Colombian security forces in 1993.
Mexican Revolution: The Battle of Celaya
In Mexico in early 1915, two titans prepared for a face off. The famous Pancho Villa, bandit, horseman and warlord, owned the lawless north. Sent to tame him was Alvaro Obregon, the brilliant former chick pea farmer who was fast becoming one of the Mexican Revolution's best generals. They met at the town of Celaya on April 6-15, 1915, in a contest that would resonate all over Mexico.
The Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution (1910-1920) began with a contested election in 1910 and ended a decade later with hundreds of thousands dead, the country in tatters and the economy in ruins. It has become the stuff of legend, with almost mythological characters such as Pancho Villa, Emiliano Zapata and Alvaro Obregon battling one another for ownership of the rich nation of Mexico.
Biography of Alvaro Obregón
As the Mexican Revolution turned into a bloody battle for survival, one man and his army rose to the top: Sonoran Garbanzo bean farmer Alvaro Obregón.
Mexican Revolution: Biography of Pancho Villa
Few men are as legendary in Latin American History as Pancho Villa. Bandit, general, warlord, hero and murderer, Villa is a complicated and fascinating historical figure and one of the giants of the Mexican Revolution.
Cinco de Mayo/The Battle of Puebla
The famous "Cinco de Mayo" widely celebrated in Mexico is not, as many believe, Mexico's Independence day, but rather the anniversary of a battle between French and Mexican forces on May 5, 1862. The Mexicans, outnumbered and outgunned, won with determination and courage that is still celebrated today.
Cuba: The Bay of Pigs Invasion
After the Cuban Revolution, the Castro regime became increasingly hostile towards the United States and its interests. In 1961, President John Kennedy approved a CIA plan to arm and train Cuban exiles to invade Cuba and install a new government. The resulting attack, known as "The Bay of Pigs," was a total disaster for Kennedy and a great victory for Castro.
The Federal Republic of Central America (1823-1840)
For a brief time after gaining independence first from Spain and then from Mexico, the original five Central American nations (Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica) were united as one nation. The Republic of Central America lasted less than twenty years, torn apart by small-minded politicians and civil wars over the influence of the church in politics.
Biography of Alberto Fujimori
Alberto Fujimori, President of Peru from 1990-2000, is something of an enigma. Is he the one who controlled Peru's runaway economy, ending inflation and providing economic security for millions? Is he the man who ended years of terrorism in Peru by capturing leaders of the Shining Path and other terrorist groups? Or is he the one who oversaw unheard-of levels of corruption that saw $600 million in skimmed funds over ten years? The answers are not easy to find.
Biography of Hernán Cortés
A biography of Hernán Cortés, a Spanish Conquistador who, with dwindling provisions and 600 soldiers, was able to defeat the mighty Aztec Empire and its tens if not hundreds of thousands of warriors. Later, Cortes served as governor of New Spain and was given the title of Marquis by the King of Spain.
Amerigo Vespucci, Explorer and Navigator
Amerigo Vespucci was one of the most important explorers during the age of discovery. An able mariner, he made two trips to the New World and explored the coast of Brazil. It was his descriptions of the lands he found that caused a French cartographer to name them "America" in his honor.
The Unsung Ally: Mexican Involvement in World War Two
In May of 1942 Mexico formally declared war on Germany and Japan, although it had been silently assisting the Allies for some time already. Although its forces saw very little combat, Mexico was an important and valuable addition to the Allied cause.
Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino (Chilean Pre-Colombian Art Museum)
One of Santiago, Chile's best-loved and oft-visited museums, the Pre-Colombian Art Museum is a fascinating cross between a history and an art museum. There is ample information on the cultures that produced the pieces on display, but they were selected for aesthetics. It's a don't-miss when in Santiago for lovers of art, history and both.
Chile's MIR: The Revolutionary Left Movement
In the mid 1960's, young Chilean students founded the MIR, or Revolutionary Left Movement. When President Salvador Allende was overthrown in 1973 by Augusto Pinochet, the MIR fought against the dictatorship. Most of the MIR's members were arrested, killed, or exiled. Today it survives as a political party.
Biography of Vasco Nuñez de Balboa
Vasco Nuñez de Balboa (1475-1519) was a Spanish conquistador and explorer of the early colonial era. He is credited with leading the first European expedition to discover the Pacific Ocean (which he referred to as the "South Sea"). He was an able administrator and popular leader who cultivated strong ties with local tribes. He was arrested and later executed under orders from Pedrarias Davila, governor of the new Castilla de Oro territory, in 1519.
Biography of Fulgencio Batista
Fulgencio Batista was a Cuban army sergeant who took command of the military before being elected president for the term from 1940-1944. He returned to power in 1952 and is today best known as the man who was President when Fidel Castro's Cuban Revolution took place.
Cuban Revolution: The Battle of Santa Clara
In the dying days of 1958, rebel forces tightened the noose around the neck of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista. His last hope was the powerful federal garrison at the city of Santa Clara, guarding the road to Havana. Fidel Castro sent his most trusted lieutenant, Ernesto "Ché" Guevara, to capture the city. He was outnumbered and outgunned, and his shocking victory made him a legend.
Biography of Ernesto "Che" Guevara
One of the more famous (or infamous, depending on your point of view) protagonists of the Cuban Revolution, Argentine doctor Ernesto "Ché" Guevara would go on to play a key role in post-revolution Cuba. He was killed in Bolivia in 1967 while trying to stir up a Cuban-style communist revolution.
Cuban Revolution: Assault on the Moncada Barracks
In 1953, Fidel Castro kicked off the Cuban Revolution by leading an armed assault on the federal garrison at Moncada, hoping to gain weapons and recruits for an all-out war against dictator Fulgencio Batista. Although the assault was a failure, it helped lay the groundwork for the eventual success of the Cuban Revolution.
Huáscar and Atahualpa: An Inca Civil War
From 1527 to 1532, brothers Huáscar and Atahualpa were locked in a brutal civil war over who would lead the mighty Inca Empire, high in the South American mountains. Atahualpa had only a short time to savor his victory, however, as Spanish conquistadors under Francisco Pizarro arrived with their own notions of who should rule the Andes.
Huascar, Inca Emperor 1527-1532
When Inca Emperor Huayna Capac died in 1527, his sons Atahualpa and Huascar fought bitterly over his throne. Huascar held Cuzco, but Atahualpa had the army.