# Would Peru and Chile Actually Go To War? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 25, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-peru-and-chile-actually-go-to-war/494348 "2009-04-25T21:40:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-peru-and-chile-actually-go-to-war/494348/1 "2009-04-25T21:40:22Z")
I was browsing youtube, and a saw something that I thought very strange…all kinds of video clips projecting a war between Chile and Peru. Why would such a war take place? As I recall, the last conflict was in 1881 (the so-called birdshit war). I don’t get it-the border area between the two nations is pretty much desert, and I don’t see what the dispute would be over. Anway, Chile seems a wealthier nation than Peru-who would be the winner? ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-peru-and-chile-actually-go-to-war/494348/2 "2009-04-25T21:55:51Z")
The Arica Desert is the richest area in the world for naturally occurring nitrates; there are a few lesser mineral resources, too. It’s not “desert=worthless” but “desert=arid source of concentrated mineral wealth.” Note that Bolivia has an interest too – one of Chile’s northern provinces was before the 1881 war Bolivia’s seacoast. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-peru-and-chile-actually-go-to-war/494348/3 "2009-04-25T22:19:45Z")
Real chances of all-out war or even a skirmish are, for the time being at least, nill. Chile has been trying to tone down their military There is a legal dispute over the border. Thre is a microscopic “problem” in land (less than1 sq. km). The problem is at sea, the disputed area in thousands of square kilometres and full of fish. Bolivia plays a spoiler role here, at least for Peruvians. They want an oultet to sea, but, if Chile wants to give through formerly-Peruvian land (the most obvious way), peru has to approve and the Chilean government wisely plays that card against Perusayijng the cannot help Bolivia because Peru vetoes it. When the court reaches a decision, then we will see some sabre-rattling. Fighting against Chile has always been a successful political excuse for anything in Peru. “Birdshit war” is not very kind :mad: (no biggie) and also untrue. It was mostly about mineral nitrates rather than guano. We prefer “War of the Pacific” or Markham’s “War between Peru and Chile”. ---
**Author:** ![Camus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ba8739/32.png) [@Camus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Camus)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2009, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-peru-and-chile-actually-go-to-war/494348/4 "2009-04-26T08:13:14Z")
Peru lost some land, but Bolivia lost much more in the war. If anything, Bolivia would go to war with Chile sooner than Peru - both for practical reasons (regaining access to the sea) and national pride reasons. There was a NY Times article a few months back (sorry, can’t find a link) that featured some Bolivian Navy officers who, despite having only some river boats, had many more sailors than really necessary as they waited for the day when they could man ocean-going ships again. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2009, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-peru-and-chile-actually-go-to-war/494348/5 "2009-04-26T18:24:43Z")
The South American states are in the process of forming their own version of the European Union, the [Union of South American Nations.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_American_Union) AFAIK, it has not yet been used as a diplomatic forum for heading off potential military conflicts, but obviously it has that potential. At least Colombia and Venezuela haven’t gone to war **yet,** despite lots of saber-rattling. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2009, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-peru-and-chile-actually-go-to-war/494348/6 "2009-04-26T23:24:58Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Why would such a war take place? If you asked my wife, she’d tell you it’d be over Chile trying to claim the [origins of pisco](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pisco#Dispute) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-peru-and-chile-actually-go-to-war/494348/7 "2009-04-27T01:34:30Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Why would such a war take place? Most likely than not, the results of a football match.