Norte Grande insurrection
Encyclopedia
Norte Grande insurrection (December 25, 1931) was a violent (and ultimately unsuccessful) attempt against the government of Chile
an President Juan Esteban Montero
.
. Unemployment and poverty had soared, specially in the north of the country that was highly dependent of the income from the Nitrate industry, which had been highly affected by the introduction of artificial nitrates after World War I
.
By mid-December, wild rumors started to fly about an upcoming communist insurrection that was to take place in the extreme north provinces against the government of President Juan Esteban Montero
. In the cities of Vallenar
and Copiapó
the rumours were that the insurrectionists were going to take over the Esmeralda regiment barracks and the police headquarters on Christmas night, as the first step to a full fledged revolution. Authorities gave no credence to any of the rumours, precisely because they were so open and precise.
attacked the army barracks in Vallenar. The lieutenant and soldiers at the guard caught by surprise had to retreat to the infirmary where they were able to mount a hasty defense. The noise from the battle alerted the police, who arrived promptly to swell the ranks of the defenders. After more than half an hour of battle, the revolutionaries, who had suffered several casualties, escaped towards the hills.
When the news arrived to the superior authorities, a decision was made to nip the revolution in the bud. A police platoon was dispatched to capture the Communist headquarters in Vallenar. The police arrived shooting, and fire was returned from the inside. Since the policemen couldn't capture the building, they proceeded to dynamite it, killing everyone inside. Then they rounded up all the known communists they could find in the city and shot them immediately.
An investigation established that 21 people were killed, nine of them during the assault on the barracks. On the other side, three policemen and two soldiers died, plus an unarmed civilian who happened to be passing by and was hit by a stray bullet.
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an President Juan Esteban Montero
Juan Esteban Montero
Juan Esteban Montero Rodríguez was a Chilean political figure. He served twice as president of Chile between 1931 and 1932.-Early life:...
.
Background
In 1931, Chile was in the midst of a political and economic chaos that resulted from the market crash of 1929Wall Street Crash of 1929
The Wall Street Crash of 1929 , also known as the Great Crash, and the Stock Market Crash of 1929, was the most devastating stock market crash in the history of the United States, taking into consideration the full extent and duration of its fallout...
. Unemployment and poverty had soared, specially in the north of the country that was highly dependent of the income from the Nitrate industry, which had been highly affected by the introduction of artificial nitrates after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
By mid-December, wild rumors started to fly about an upcoming communist insurrection that was to take place in the extreme north provinces against the government of President Juan Esteban Montero
Juan Esteban Montero
Juan Esteban Montero Rodríguez was a Chilean political figure. He served twice as president of Chile between 1931 and 1932.-Early life:...
. In the cities of Vallenar
Vallenar
Vallenar is a city and commune in Atacama Region, Chile. It is the capital of the Huasco Province and is located in the valley of the Huasco River. Vallenar has 47,000 inhabitants. Its main activities are farming and mining...
and Copiapó
Copiapó
Copiapó is a city in northern Chile, located about 40 miles east of the coastal town of Caldera. Founded on December 8, 1744, it is the capital of Copiapó Province and Atacama Region....
the rumours were that the insurrectionists were going to take over the Esmeralda regiment barracks and the police headquarters on Christmas night, as the first step to a full fledged revolution. Authorities gave no credence to any of the rumours, precisely because they were so open and precise.
Events
The plot took place at 2 AM on the morning of December 25. At that time, communist militiaCommunist Party of Chile
The Communist Party of Chile is a Chilean political party inspired by the thoughts of Karl Marx and Lenin. It was founded in 1922, as the continuation of the Socialist Workers Party, and in 1934 it established its youth wing, the Communist Youth of Chile .In the last legislative elections in Chile...
attacked the army barracks in Vallenar. The lieutenant and soldiers at the guard caught by surprise had to retreat to the infirmary where they were able to mount a hasty defense. The noise from the battle alerted the police, who arrived promptly to swell the ranks of the defenders. After more than half an hour of battle, the revolutionaries, who had suffered several casualties, escaped towards the hills.
When the news arrived to the superior authorities, a decision was made to nip the revolution in the bud. A police platoon was dispatched to capture the Communist headquarters in Vallenar. The police arrived shooting, and fire was returned from the inside. Since the policemen couldn't capture the building, they proceeded to dynamite it, killing everyone inside. Then they rounded up all the known communists they could find in the city and shot them immediately.
An investigation established that 21 people were killed, nine of them during the assault on the barracks. On the other side, three policemen and two soldiers died, plus an unarmed civilian who happened to be passing by and was hit by a stray bullet.