Introduction -- Part one. El Salvador in the Cold War. Farabundo Martí, la matanza, and a stolen election -- The United States in Latin America -- American military mission in El Salvador -- A divided nation : military traditions, democratic third way, and liberation theology -- Guerrillas are born -- Part two. Jimmy Carter. Revolution and counterinsurgency in Guatemala -- Mass organizations -- Carter arrives -- Carter and the Sandinista Revolution in Nicaragua, 1979 -- An October coup -- Carter engages Salvador -- Archbishop Romero -- Land -- The American churchwomen -- Arming the rebels -- Guerrilla final offensive, January 1981 -- Death squads -- Part three. Ronald Reagan. Reagan arrives -- Reagan and Salvador -- El Mozote -- Another Vietnam -- Solidarity -- Troop cap and certifying human rights -- Reagan gambles on elections, 1982 -- The Shultz Doctrine -- Human rights -- Henry Kissinger -- Contras -- "Elections yes, dialogue no," 1984 presidential election -- La Palma -- Esquipulas -- Counterinsurgency I -- Counterinsurgency II -- Zona Rosa -- Air war -- José Napoleón Duarte -- Iran-Contra -- Part four. George H.W. Bush. Elusive justice -- Pessimism -- Bush arrives -- Bush, Cristiani, and the 1989 vote -- Guerrilla second final offensive, November 1989 -- Jesuit killings -- SAMs -- United Nations and peace -- Demobilization -- Part five. Postwar. Postwar Salvador -- Concluding thoughts.