tirofijoisback has left 8 comments

tirofijoisback comments on New Book on British Volunteers who fought under Bolivar

jb-fastpitch: Several of the British volunteers were veterans of the Napoleonic Wars, partricularly Wellington´s Peninsular Campaigns and the 100 days (Waterloo, Quatre Bras). Compared to their experiences in these conflicts the wars of Liberation (which Bolivar himself dubbed War to the Death) were merciless indeed. British and French officers often enjoyed truces or exchanged pleasantries on the battlefield in the European conflict, but such behaviour was unheard of in SOuth America were no quarter was given and all prisoners (as well as numerous civilians) were routinely executed. Some historians have written (see Lynch´s BolivAR a life) that as many of 200,000 of Venezuela´s population of 900,000 died between 1810 and 1821. The numbers were not as huge as in the American Civil War but proportionally the figures were even more horrific.

tirofijoisback comments on New Book on British Volunteers who fought under Bolivar

Cochrane led the Brazilian Navy breifly too.

tirofijoisback comments on teaching english.....need info.

You'll find a job no problem. Within one week you'll be working. My advice is to wait until you get out there before you agree to anything. People who sign contracts from the states or the U.K. generally get worse pay and conditions than those who find work once they reach South America. I have worked in Colombia and Chile and found work in both places within a week.

tirofijoisback comments on

I agree CeeTeeEnn. The cultural differences are fairly superficial when put in a global context. They boil down to closer families, more emotional responses, little sense of time, a natural aversion to drugs and a happy ability to chat inanely for hours on end and let their hair down at will. Without the use of alcohol.

tirofijoisback comments on Legionarios Britanicos en la Gest Boliviriana

Kalder - "didn't fire a shot' is not quite right - Eoin O'Duffy's men had a fight with some troops on the way to the front line at the battle of Jarama. It turned out they were a facist Falangist unit on thier own side. Four Irish died and several Spaniards.

tirofijoisback comments on Legionarios Britanicos en la Gest Boliviriana

Markobhoy - Ireland was part of Britian at the time and the upper classes who joined Bolivar as officers were happy to be reffered to as (and thought of themselves as?) English. Educated in England and mixing with the ruling classes they were certainly more British than Irish. Rooke spent many years of his life in England - several years living near Oxford - and the rest on campaign with the British army or imprisoned in Verdun. His father's family were from Gloucestershire. Also as regards the Spanish Civil War - more Irish (700) fought on Franco's side than on the Republic's (277) - perhaps swayed by Catholic propoganda? - Have you ever heard of Eoin O'Duffy? Jaramillo - O'Leary was in charge at the Battle of Santuario. It was him who ordered Hands to kill Cordova as he had rebelled against Bolivar. Many of the Irish did not distinguish themelves. About 400 of the Irish Legion mutinied at Riohacha in 1820. Rupert Hand had his balls blown off in a duel fought at Maturin in November 1819.

tirofijoisback comments on Legionarios Britanicos en la Gest Boliviriana

Thanks Jaramilo - that's great!

tirofijoisback comments on se acuerdan?

Wilfrido Vargas es lo mejor. El Jardinero es la obra de un genio.