Name
Institution
Baltimore Crisis
The Baltimore crisis was a political episode that took place between the United States and Chile after the Chilean Civil War of 1891. The major cause of the crisis was a rising influence of the United States in the Pacific Coast region of Latin America in the 1890s. The crisis was because of the death of two navy sailors from the USS Baltimore who were stabbed to death and the wounding of 18 others. (Farrar, 1998, p.345) The crisis marked a significant shift in the relationship between the United States and Chile. As a result, it is significant to evaluate the events that resulted to the Baltimore Crisis. …show more content…
In 1884, Chile emerged from the war of the Pacific as a possible threat to the supremacy of the United States. The Chilean navy, the strongest fleet in the Pacific at that time was able to confront the American policy. (Goldberg, 1984, p.123) Finally, in 1888 Chile annexed Easter Island located 2000 miles west of Valparaiso and by occupying Easter Island, Chile was able to join the imperial nations.
By 1891, The United States become more powerful and it had significant influence in Latin America (The Black Pages, 1988, p.86). During the Chilean Civil war, the American government supported the forces of President Jose Manuel Balmaceda and barred the insurgents from exporting , this troubled relationship between the United States and the former victorious