Civil War in El Salvador

1. Gabe Snodgrass Civil War in El Salvador

2. El Salvador • Located in Latin America (next to Honduras and Guatemala)

3. Key Players • Civil war between military-led government of El Salvador and Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN)

4. Background • Before the war started in 1980, there had been violence and tension between the rich and poor • Frustration from the lower class started when coffee became a major crop for El Salvador • 95% of El Salvador’s income came from coffee but all of this money went to about 2% of the people

5. Background cont. • In 1932, Augustin Farabundo Marti formed the Central American Socialist Party and led peasants against the govt. • The El Salvadoran military and death squads killed about 30,000 of those people • Marti was arrested and executed

6. Events leading up to Civil War • With the guerilla forces becoming more and more relevant, the govt. brought back the death squads to fight the rebels • In 1979, rebels overthrew the El Salvadoran government. However, they failed to do what they promised • Because of this the FMLN was formed

7. Start of the Civil War • Officially began in 1980 • The military killed anyone suspected of supporting the revolution • Often clergy, teachers, unionists, or independent farmers

8. Death Squads • Known during the war as Escuadron de la Muerte or “Squadron of Death” • Became well known after killing Archbishop Oscar Romero in 1980 • Later that year, 3 nuns and a lay worker were raped and murdered

9. Death Squads cont. • Wiped out entire villages • Along with the rest of the El Salvadoran military, death squads were funded by U.S. • All attacks by death squads were denied by El Salvadoran govt. and U.S.

10. During the War • Soon after the murder of Archbishop Romero, peaceful rallies became violent as the military fired into the crowds of unarmed people • At this point, the civil war was receiving international attention

11. FMLN • Used strategy by destroying coffee plantations, bridges, cut power lines and anything else that supported the military • To return the favor, the FMLN kidnapped and murdered government officials • Made advancements in weapons as the war went on • Refused to attend presidential elections

12. Near the End • All the countries resources were exhausted from both sides • Since the U.S. aided the military with weapons and money, they were able to continue fighting

13. The End • Fighting left 75,000 people dead, most of which were peasants and innocent people • Lasted 12 years (1980-1992)

14. U.S. Involvement • Supplied El Salvadoran military with funds and weapons • Temporarily cut funds after nuns were killed in 1980 but proceeded after Ronald Reagan took office • At the height of their aid, U.S. supplied $1.5 million to the government • Cut funds in 1990 after UN got involved • Debate still goes on today as to whether it was okay for the United States to support the military

15. Video Clip • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TixMbRPMcfg&feature=related

16. Work Cited • Christine J. "El Salvador: Contradictions of Neoliberalism and Building Sustainable Peace." Web. • "Civil War in El Salvador." Nova Online Home Page. Web. 18 Sept. 2011. <http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/evans/his135/Events/ElSalvador80/Salvador80.html>. this site will be used for more background information. • "El Salvador: 1945-92." MacroHistory : World History. Web. 18 Sept. 2011. <http://www.fsmitha.com/h2/ch24salvador.htm>. this site will be used for information on the events leading up to the start of the war. • "El Salvador Civil War." GlobalSecurity.org - Reliable Security Information. Web. 18 Sept. 2011. <http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/elsalvador2.htm>. this site will be used for info on some events that happened during the time of the civil war. • "Enemies of War - El Salvador: Civil War." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 18 Sept. 2011. <http://www.pbs.org/itvs/enemiesofwar/elsalvador2.html>. this site will be used for information on why and how the U.S was involved. • Gammage, Sarah. "El Salvador: Despite End to Civil War, Emigration Continues." Migration Information Source. Web. 18 Sept. 2011. <http://www.migrationinformation.org/Profiles/display.cfm?ID=636>. this site will be used for info on the immigration of El Salvadorians to the United States. • "Peace and Conflict Monitor, US Influence in El Salvador's Civil War." Peace and Conflict Monitor. Web. 18 Sept. 2011. <http://www.monitor.upeace.org/innerpg.cfm?id_article=591>. This site will be used for information on U.S involvement in the war and their influence. • "Salvadoran Civil War." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 18 Sept. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvadoran_Civil_War>. This site will be used for basic background info on the civil war. • "War in El Salvador." University of Michigan. Web. 18 Sept. 2011. <http://www.umich.edu/~ac213/student_projects07/transgang/war.html>. this site will be used for the causes and effects of the civil war.

17. Work Cited cont. • http://owenfranken.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Walls/G0000Zimm7TsMBI8/I0000cup2GE8lbfg • http://www.newint.org/features/2005/12/01/powerpolitics/ • http://milpubblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/aar.html • http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/press/releases/2007/elsalvador.html • http://www.seniorreligion.com/30th_anniversary.htm • http://www.cathnewsindia.com/tag/spain/ • http://www.contactpressimages.com/portfolios/rebbot/rebbot_portfolio6.html • http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=5333 • http://www.freedomarchives.org/La_Lucha_Continua/Farabundo_Marti.html • http://centralamericanpolitics.blogspot.com/2010/11/fmln-in-el-salvador.html • http://www.cja.org/article.php?list=type&type=199 • http://www.returntoelsalvador.com/blog/117