In 1891, a bar fight in Chile nearly sparked a war with the United States
What began as a typical shore leave for American sailors in Valparaiso quickly escalated into a deadly international crisis that brought the United States and Chile to the brink of a full-scale naval war.
In October 1891, over 100 sailors from the USS Baltimore stopped at the True Blue Saloon during a shore leave in Chile. Tensions were already high because the U.S. had supported the recently deposed Chilean president. A brawl broke out between the sailors and local citizens, resulting in two American deaths and dozens of injuries.
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