ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the relationship of Latin American soldiers to the world system. It highlights the fact that since the nineteenth century, militaries on every continent have become much more connected and similar with respect to their organization, ranks, and training methods. After independence from Spain and Portugal, military influence flowed to South America from Europe’s powerhouses: the French army, the British navy, and later the German army. The basic training enlisted soldiers receive anywhere in the world has a common purpose: socialize recruits for military life through drills, inspections, and physical training. The Cold War rivalry between the United States and the USSR brought the world’s militaries into much closer contact. Military behavior as it relates to human rights is a subject of worldwide discussion and Latin America is where major precedents were set. The United Nations Security Council deployed military observers to monitor the tense, newly established borders between Israel and her Arab neighbors in 1948.
