When mark danner s reconstruction of these events first appeared in the new yorker, it sent shock waves through the news media and the american foreignpolicy establishment. Mark danner subtitles his chilling account of the massacre of hundreds of men, women and children by the salvadoran armys americantrained atlacatl battalion in december 1981 a parable of the cold war. Rufina amaya, who had heard the screams of her husband and other children as they were murdered, managed to slip away. Both before and after the massacre, the soldiers killed civilians in other villages. A parable of the cold war published by vintage books, a division of random house. A parable of the cold war is a remarkable piece of longform journalism. Central america, the us and clintons trade initiative cnn 1993. A parable of the cold war, which was published in 1994. In 1981, the farabundo marti national liberation front was formed after several leftwing guerilla groups coalesced. He attempted multiple times to dissuade colonel domingo monterosa to spare the victims. What was the certification process and why was it controversial. When crimes are allowed to go unpunished, everyone is at risk and human rights are in crisis. However, we do require that you cite it properly using the citation provided below in mla format ultius, inc. To his credit, his narrative doesnt flinch or turn away.
This blog post is provided free of charge and we encourage you to use it for your research and writing. Her testimony of the attacks, reported shortly afterward by two american reporters but called into question by the u. On the afternoon of december 10, 1981, units of the salvadoran armys atlacatl battalion, which was created in 1980 at the u. Monterrosa was allegedly seen arriving by helicopter by a local guide prior to the start of the massacre, as told by reporter mark danner. To a degree it is, in the sense that the ideological fervor of the early 1980s provided a rationale for the tangled web of halftruths, obfuscations and moral spinelessness that still clings. Now danner has expanded his report into a brilliant book, adding new material as well as the actual sources. The book comes highly acclaimed from sources such as the washington post and new york times.
School of the americastrained salvadoran army unit known as the atlacatl battalion. In the midst of a civil war and at the approaching peak of american military funding, government forces waged a war on insurgent forces, lead by the renowned colonel monterrosa. While the massacre itself is painted in steady, measured prose, theres no moralizing. Page 8 of 12 bonner and meiselas, and guillermoprieto, describe the trip in the same way. Why would some people suggest that congress was hypocritical p. Craig whitney, then the deputy foreign editor, and the deskmen managed to rush bonners slightly shorter article, headlined massacre of hundreds reported in salvador village, into the papers late edition.
371 279 295 1243 60 667 370 999 439 1039 250 304 1303 1299 36 1394 1572 1 524 1544 1143 208 760 261 232 410 329 1109 1205 1007 578 1492 1320