Argentina's 1880s Desert Campaign: Conquest of the Pampas

When Julio Argentino Roca launched his 'Conquest of the Desert' in 1879, he wasn't just fighting the Mapuche and Ranquel peoples — he was reshaping Argentina's future. This episode explores how the military campaign opened millions of hectares for cattle and wheat, but at a staggering human cost. We follow the general turned president, the native leaders like Namuncurá and Pincén who resisted, and the aftermath that created modern Argentina's landed elite. Lucas and Luna discuss the ambiguity of the word 'desert' — a land that was anything but empty — and how the campaign echoes in Argentina's present-day conflicts over land and memory.

#ConquestOfTheDesert #JulioArgentinoRoca #Mapuche #Ranquel #Namuncurá #Pincén #Pampas #Patagonia #ArgentineHistory #1879 #Genocidio #Frontier #LandOwnership #Argentina #SouthAmerica #IndigenousHistory #History #FexingoHistory

Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo