February 14, 1879 · Bolivian coast (Atacama) Theater
February 14, 1879
When Bolivia tried to impose a new tax on the Chilean-owned nitrate company at Antofagasta — violating an 1874 treaty — and then moved to confiscate it, Chile landed troops and seized the port without a shot. The city's population was largely Chilean, and it fell into Chilean hands instantly.
Commanders