The author’s introduction states that the aim of this brief volume is not to offer another “biography” of San Martín, but rather to demonstrate the “unitary coherence” of the Liberator’s “plan of action.” Even so, anyone wishing a summary account of San Martín’s political and military career may derive some benefit from the present work. Those already familiar with the main lines of that career will be more interested in the interpretation.
Pérez Amuchástegui’s central theme is the deep commitment of San Martín to the twin goals of Spanish American independence and unity. He attributes the origin of this commitment—at least in large part—to the influence of Miranda’s revolutionary cabal. He then traces San Martín’s striving to make those goals a reality, devoting almost as much space to the years following his final departure from Peru as to the ascendant phase of his career. By organizing the work in this fashion, the author seeks to emphasize both San Martín’s continuing devotion to the cause of independence and unity and the genuine importance of his services to it. These he rendered even while living ostensibly in retirement in Europe, through personal contact with American and European revolutionaries, statesmen, and opinion-makers. Moreover, the author sees not only a perfect consistency and continuity of purpose in San Martín but an unshakable unity of objectives between San Martín and Bolívar. In the latter connection, Pérez Amuchástegui repeats his earlier conviction that the Guayaquil interview produced no really fundamental disagreement between the two leaders, and that San Martín’s subsequent withdrawal from Peru was due in final analysis not to Bolívar’s uncontrollable ambition but to developments within Peru itself.
Because of San Martín’s penchant for lodges and his generally secretive nature, perhaps some of the author’s statements should be couched in less positive terms; nor is it easy to accept the profound importance of San Martín’s services as informal American agent in Europe, when British policy alone was sufficient protection against the Holy Alliance. There are a few other minor points with which one could find fault. But this is not a pretentious volume, and essentially it does what it sets out to do.
