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Chilean army

Chilean Army
Ejército de Chile
Coat of arms of the Chilean Army.svg
Chilean Army emblem
Active 1603, 1810 – present
Country  Chile
Type Army
Role Land warfare
Size 50,000 (9,200 conscripts)
Part of Ministry of National Defense (Chile)
General HQ Santiago
Patron Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Motto(s) Siempre vencedor, jamás vencido ("Always Victorious, Never Defeated")
Colors Red, Grey          
March Los viejos estandartes () ("Old Banners")
Anniversaries September 19th (Army Day)
Engagements War of Arauco
Chilean War of Independence
Freedom Expedition of Perú
Chilean Civil War of 1829–30
War of the Confederation
1851 Chilean Revolution
Revolution of 1859
Chincha Islands War
Occupation of Araucanía
War of the Pacific
1891 Chilean Civil War
Chilean naval mutiny of 1931
1973 Chilean coup d'état
Beagle conflict
Website http://www.ejercito.cl/
Commanders
Current
commander
Gen. Humberto Oviedo
Notable
commanders
Bernardo O'Higgins, José Miguel Carrera, Manuel Bulnes, Manuel Baquedano, Carlos Ibáñez del Campo, Augusto Pinochet
Insignia
Flag of the Chilean Army chief Bandera Comandante en Jefe Ejército de Chile.png
Fin flash Chile Army aviation fin flash.svg

The Chilean Army (Spanish: Ejército de Chile) is the land arm of the Military of Chile. This 50,000-strong army (9,200 of which are conscripts) is organized into six divisions, a special operations brigade and an air brigade.

In recent years, and after several major reequipment programs, the Chilean Army has become one of the most technologically advanced and professional armies in America.

The Chilean Army is mostly supplied with equipment from Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United States, Israel, France, and Spain.

The Army of the Kingdom of Chile was created on December 2, 1810 by order of the First National Government Junta of Chile. The army was actively involved in the Independence War, which was fought against royalist troops in battles such as Yerbas Buenas, San Carlos, Quechereguas, Rancagua, Chacabuco and Maipú. During this period, national figures such as José Miguel Carrera, Bernardo O'Higgins and Argentinian General José de San Martín commanded the army toward definitive victory over the Spanish forces, ultimately achieving independence for the country. The Army's first commander-in-chief was José Miguel Carrera. After obtaining independence from Spain, the newly formed Republic reorganized its military structure by creating the Military Academy of Chile, which was founded by General O'Higgins in 1817.

Diego Portales set up a civil militia, the Guardia Nacional, to end one of the worst stages of militarism in Chilean history. The militia was created in 1825 but Portales developed this parallel army to compensate the army's might. The Chilean Conscription Law of 1900 marked the beginning of the end of the Guardia Nacional.


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Wikipedia

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