ABSTRACT
The Salvadoran armed forces of more than 55,000 were the stronger force, but had been unable to defeat the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front forces decisively. The Salvadoran armed forces leadership was relatively flexible and followed the leadership of President Cristiani and the army high command throughout the 1990-1991 negotiations. The Salvadoran political parties also played a positive role in promoting successful negotiations. The Salvadoran government had maintained from the outset of negotiations that the basic socioeconomic system was something for the elected government to decide and thus was not a subject for negotiations. Several American analysts have speculated that the peace agreement in El Salvador was the result of a reluctant US government conclusion that the war in El Salvador could not be won and of US government and congressional pressure on a recalcitrant Salvadoran government and armed forces to end the war.
