The Bombardment of Paradise: March 31, 1866

By David Woods

The Spanish Pacific fleet bombarded the Chilean port town of Valparaiso, on 31 March 1866. In human terms, the impact was minimal. However, the destruction of property, most of it European-owned, was vast: perhaps as much as $225 million in today's money burned in the customs stores on the shore. More important, for the international standing, self-esteem and credibility of England, Spain and the United States, the fallout was immense. At least for a while, reputations, national and personal, were ruined.
"The Bombardment of Paradise" deconstructs the geopolitics, naval strategies and personal dramas behind the event. Using largely contemporary official records, newspaper accounts and other recollections, the book seeks to examine each element that contributed to what became an international cause c l bre, generating political embarrassment in London, Madrid and Washington. It looks at the lives and characters of the principal participants in the drama, paying particular attention to the roles of foreigners in Valparaiso whose property and businesses were the most damaged.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FKFN9LPX
• ISBN13: 9798294518363
• Release Date: July 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 282 Pages
• Weight: 0.84 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"