The Salvador option : the United States in El Salvador, 1977-1992

El Salvador's civil war between the Salvadoran government and Marxist guerrillas erupted into full force in early 1981 and endured for eleven bloody years. Unwilling to tolerate an advance of Soviet and Cuban-backed communism in its geopolitical backyard, the US provided over six billion dollars in military and economic aid to the Salvadoran government. El Salvador was a deeply controversial issue in American society and divided Congress and the public into left and right. Relying on thousands of archival documents as well as interviews with participants on both sides of the war, The Salvador Option offers a thorough and fair-minded interpretation of the available evidence. If success is defined narrowly, there is little question that the Salvador Option achieved its Cold War strategic objectives of checking communism. Much more difficult, however, is to determine what human price this 'success' entailed - a toll suffered almost entirely by Salvadorans in this brutal civil war. -- Amazon.com Part I. El Salvador in the Cold War -- Farabundo Martí, la matanza, and a stolen election -- The United States in Latin America -- American military mission in El Salvador -- A divided nation: military traditions, democratic third way, and liberation theology -- Guerrillas are born -- Part II. Jimmy Carter -- Revolution and counterinsurgency in Guatemala -- Mass organizations -- Carter arrives -- Carter and the Sandinista Revolution in Nicaragua, 1979 -- An October coup -- Carter engages Salvador -- Archbishop Romero -- Land -- The American churchwomen -- Arming the rebels -- Guerrilla final offensive, January 1981 -- Death squads -- Part III. Ronald Reagan -- Reagan arrives -- Reagan and Salvador -- El Mozote -- Another Vietnam -- Solidarity -- Troop cap and certifying human rights -- Reagan gambles on elections, 1982 -- The Shultz Doctrine -- Human rights -- Henry Kissinger -- Contras -- "Elections yes, dialogue no," 1984 presidential election -- La Palma -- Esquipulas -- Counterinsurgency I -- Counterinsurgency II -- Zona Rosa -- Air war -- José Napoleón Duarte -- Iran-Contra -- Part IV. George H.W. Bush -- Elusive justice -- Pessimism -- Bush arrives -- Bush, Cristiani, and the 1989 vote -- Guerrilla "second" final offensive, 1989 -- Jesuit killings -- Sams -- United Nations and peace -- Demobilization -- Part V. Post-war -- Post-war Salvador -- Concluding thoughts Part I. El Salvador in the Cold War Farabundo Martí, la matanza, and a stolen election The United States in Latin America American military mission in El Salvador A divided nation: military traditions, democratic third way, and liberation theology Guerrillas are born Part II. Jimmy Carter Revolution and counterinsurgency in Guatemala Mass organizations Carter arrives Carter and the Sandinista Revolution in Nicaragua, 1979 An October coup Carter engages Salvador Archbishop Romero Land The American churchwomen Arming the rebels Guerrilla final offensive, January 1981 Death squads Part III. Ronald Reagan Reagan arrives Reagan and Salvador El Mozote Another Vietnam Solidarity Troop cap and certifying human rights Reagan gambles on elections, 1982 The Shultz Doctrine Human rights Henry Kissinger Contras "Elections yes, dialogue no," 1984 presidential election La Palma Esquipulas Counterinsurgency I Counterinsurgency II Zona Rosa Air war José Napoleón Duarte Iran-Contra Part IV. George H.W. Bush Elusive justice Pessimism Bush arrives Bush, Cristiani, and the 1989 vote Guerrilla second final offensive, November 1989 Jesuit killings SAMs United Nations and peace Demobilization Part V. Postwar Postwar Salvador Concluding thoughts.