Part 1 : 1821-1939. Historical dimensions of public violence in Latin America -- Binding hatreds : public violence, state, and nation in Central American history -- Guatemala : organizing for war -- El Salvador : a democracy of violence -- Honduras : caudillos in search of an army -- Nicaragua : a new army finds its caudillo -- Costa Rica : caudillos in search of a state -- Part 2 : 1940-1960. Transformations -- Defining collaboration : the United States and Central America -- Guatemala : "Showcase of Latin America" -- El Salvador : distrustful collaborator -- Honduras : remaking an "armed rabble" -- Nicaragua : "Ready to receive orders from Uncle Sam" -- Costa Rica : an army renamed -- Conclusions -- Statistical appendix -- Notes.