ABSTRACT
Between 1979 and 1983, at least three identifiable political agendas were being put foward by groups vying for power. The first was that of the Farabundo Marti Front for National Liberation (FMLN)-FDR, supported by a coalition of social and political forces, including organizations of labor, peasants, students, and professionals. The US agenda was partly implemented by the military-Christian Democratic junta which came to power in March 1980 and enacted an agrarian reform program, nationalized domestic private banks, and estab lished government control over foreign trade. One element in the deepening of the war is the effect of firepower used against the civilian population. Beginning in mid-1984, the Salvadoran army stepped up its search-and-destroy missions against concentrations of the civilian population believed to be supporters of the FMLN. The FMLN has responded to the increased efficiency of the Salvadoran army by reducing the size of its units and dispersing them throughout the country, reconcentrating them for large-scale operations.
