This is the only comprehensive case study in English of the highly complex Peruvian military and its place in Peruvian society. Covering the early 1930s to present, it is based on extensive Latin American and U.S. archival sources and personal interviews. Emphasis is placed on the impact of French and U.S. military theory; revolutionary politics up to and including Sendero Luminoso; the rationale behind General Alvarado's reforms (1968-75); Velasco's legacy; and an examination of the Soviet Union's involvement in Peru. For students and scholars of contemporary Latin America.