'At the time of its publication, there was no other book on the market that provided a comprehensive survey of US policy in El Salvador in the 1980s, and Crandall did us a service by assembling this one.' Erik Ching, Latin American Research Review
1. Introduction; Part I. El Salvador in the Cold War: 2. Farabundo Martí, la matanza, and a stolen election; 3. The United States in Latin America; 4. American military mission in El Salvador; 5. A divided nation: military traditions, democratic third way, and liberation theology; 6. Guerrillas are born; Part II. Jimmy Carter: 7. Revolution and counterinsurgency in Guatemala; 8. Mass organizations; 9. Carter arrives; 10. Carter and the Sandinista Revolution in Nicaragua, 1979; 11. An October coup; 12. Carter engages Salvador; 13. Archbishop Romero; 14. Land; 15. The American churchwomen; 16. Arming the rebels; 17. Guerrilla final offensive, January 1981; 18. Death squads; Part III. Ronald Reagan: 19. Reagan arrives; 20. Reagan and Salvador; 21. El Mozote; 22. Another Vietnam; 23. Solidarity; 24. Troop cap and certifying human rights; 25. Reagan gambles on elections, 1982; 26. The Shultz doctrine; 27. Human rights; 28. Henry Kissinger; 29. Contras; 30. 'Elections yes, dialogue no', 1984 presidential election; 31. La Palma; 32. Esquipulas; 33. Counterinsurgency I; 34. Counterinsurgency II; 35. Zona rosa; 36. Air war; 37. José Napoleón Duarte; 38. Iran-Contra; Part IV. George H. W. Bush: 39. Elusive justice; 40. Pessimism; 41. Bush arrives; 42. Bush, Cristiani, and the 1989 vote; 43. Guerrilla 'second' final offensive, 1989; 44. Jesuit killings; 45. SAMs; 46. United Nations and peace; 47. Demobilization; Part V. Post-war: 48. Post-war Salvador; 49. Concluding thoughts; Bibliography.