Chapter 1: Pre-war & The Origins of the War

El Salvador’s civil war has its roots in the deeply unequal social structures established during the 16th century Spanish colonization of Central America.

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Chapter 2: Rural Organizing & Repression

The 1970s saw escalating tensions and growing violence in El Salvador.

Leaving Home

Watch on YouTube Leaving Home

Hermelinda remembers being pregnant the first time people in Arcatao left their homes, around 1980, when generalized repression began against the civilian population and everyone had to leave town.

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Chapter 3: The Years of "Guindas"

During the 1980s, thousands of people were displaced from their homes by violence in rural El Salvador.

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Chapter 4: Refugee Experiences

Faced with overwhelming violence, displaced populations faced difficult decisions about whether to leave El Salvador, and when to return. Some people sought safety elsewhere within the country.

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Chapter 5: Guerrilla Experiences

Salvadorans who supported the guerrilla groups had a wide range of reasons for doing so, and varied experiences in the movement.

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Chapter 6: Resettlement & the "Desembarco"

Many Salvadorans returned from refugee camps in Honduras in the late 1980s, but faced continued repression upon their return. Refugees were stigmatized as guerrilla supporters.

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Chapter 7: Peace Accords & Post-War

El Salvador’s civil war officially ended in 1992, but the country continues to experience deep divisions and ongoing issues of inequality, insecurity, violence, and lack of access to justice.

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Chapter 8: The Struggle for Justice

Today, survivors of grave human rights violations committed during El Salvador’s civil war continue to struggle for truth and justice.

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