Today, Latin America is relatively peaceful, but it wasn’t always that way. From the colonization by European powers to the revolutions which shook off the overlords and the border wars after, Latin America has seen its fair share of conflict. In the book, Liberty or Death: Latin American Conflicts 1900-70 by Philip Jowett covers the conflicts that occurred in Central and South from the 1900-1970. Jowett has written various books on military history in the past including Men-at-Arms: Chinese Civil War Armies 1911–49 and Men-at-Arms: Latin American Wars 1900–1941. 

Starting with the War of a Thousand Days in Colombia and ending with Football War between Honduras and El Salvador, the reader will learn about conflicts that most people outside of the respective countries or history buffs may not know much about. The conflicts covered are not just wars between states but also civil wars and revolutions. When covering a conflict, the author gives a brief look at the politics leading up to the conflict before describing the forces and armaments of both sides, the conflict itself and the eventual outcome. It was interesting to see how many of these conflicts either ended with the status quo still in place, at times with the USA’s intervention, or became the starting point for more domestic and international turmoil that would lead to further conflict. 

What I liked most about this book was that no conflict was too big or small to be mentioned. From the big events like the Mexican and Cuban Revolution to the lesser known conflicts like the Guatemala-EL Salvador War of 1906 and a whole chapter dedicated to USA interventions, each is given some attention. The photos included in this book also helps the reader visualize the combatants and equipment used in the time period covered. If there is one downside to the book, it is that it covers a lot in such a small volume so there isn’t much a deep dive into these conflicts that would make for more involved and exciting reading. However, If you’re looking for a good reference guide to Latin American conflicts in the 20th century, I’d recommend this book as a good starting point that may lead you to further reading.

It would be impossible to list the number of revolutions, military coups, people's rebellions, American military interventions, government take-overs than occurred during this time period.  The book begins with the wars that spilled over from the nineteenth century, and ends with the American Military intervention in the Dominican Republic in the late 1960s.  

For those of us who like a concise description of who and what caused these military encounters, you will find what you are looking for.  Each war has a small narrative as to what caused the armed conflict, the different groups that were involved, major battles and their results.  An ending, such as the decision from the final treaty, are usually mentioned.