1879 – 1884
A war for the world's richest deserts. When a tax dispute over Atacama nitrate escalated, Chile went to war with Peru and Bolivia, first winning command of the sea in the ironclad duels off Iquique and Angamos, then conquering the coast and capturing Lima itself. Chile emerged the dominant power of the Pacific coast — and left Bolivia landlocked to this day.
Chapter-by-chapter narrative with maps, primary sources, and key events.
Explore battles on a live map with a timeline slider and territory overlays.
Deep-dive into every major engagement — commanders, casualties, significance.
Biographical flip cards with real portraits, facts, and full biography pages.
Trace each figure's full life journey — birth, education, battles, and death — on a live map.
Scroll-driven visualization of casualties — each dot a thousand lives.
Weapons, war machines, and the military innovations that defined how this conflict was fought.
Cause-and-effect chains tracing the war's long shadow on history.
A war for the world's richest deserts. When a tax dispute over Atacama nitrate escalated, Chile went to war with Peru and Bolivia, first winning command of the sea in the ironclad duels off Iquique and Angamos, then conquering the coast and capturing Lima itself. Chile emerged the dominant power of the Pacific coast — and left Bolivia landlocked to this day.
The War of the Pacific was fought from 1879 to 1884.
The War of the Pacific was fought between Chile and Peru & Bolivia.
An estimated 70,000 people died in The War of the Pacific, including roughly 55,000 military and 15,000 civilian deaths. Figures are scholarly estimates and vary by source.
Major engagements included Battle of Chorrillos, Battle of Tacna (Alto de la Alianza), Battle of Miraflores, and Battle of Arica (Morro de Arica).