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.

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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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