Colombia's Neutrality during 1914-1918: An Overlooked Dimension of World War I

In the horrific conflict of 1914-1918 known first as "The Great War" and later as World War I, Latin American nations were peripheral players. Perhaps this lack of involvement explains why historians have paid scant attention to events in Latin America related to the war, but nevertheless, it is remarkable that Percy Alvin Martin's account, Latin America and the War first published in 1915, remains the standard text on the topic. This essay partially redresses this omission by examining Colombia's role in the war and its impact on the country's development. These findings support Martin's assertion that even those countries that were neutral in the Great War were not immune to its effects.