WI: Chile takes the Chincha Islands

Pretty strait forward; what if the Chileans had demanded and obtained the cession of the Chincha Islands from Peru, in addition to their other gains, at the end of the War of the Pacific? Chile unquestionably had the capacity to seize the islands and I don't think Peru was in a position to resist as the central government had essentially collapsed by the end of the war.

By the 1880's the guano trade was past its prime but still profitable so it could be an attractive acquisition for Chile.

What say you?



Jack
 

TFSmith121

Banned
They had the Atacama;

They had the Atacama; and although Chile won the conflict, they were as drained by it, in a lot of ways, as the Peruvians and Bolivians.

Best,
 
Exhausted as Chile was, it was in a better state than Peru which really wasn't in a state to resist Chilean demands. At the end, Peru's central government had collapsed and no longer exercised much authority over large portions of the country. Chile was basically fighting a guerrilla war against regional strongmen.

Fair point about already having the Atacama. Perhaps Chile decides to take the islands so as to deny their resources and revenue to Peru?
 
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