Books by Brian Vale

This book is about the naval war and its international repercussions, and describes the struggle between Brazil, a maritime power with a huge Navy and an extensive sea borne commerce, and Argentina, which had tiny naval forces but a huge international trade carried mostly in British and American ships.

Set against the background of Brazilian politics and Brazilian foreign policy interests, this is a detailed account of the operations of the Brazilian navy during the transition to independence.

The story of the naval war in the Pacific is an exciting one. Under Cochrane's audacious leadership, Chile and Peru gained their freedom from Spain, while he enhanced his reputation and made a fortune in pay and prize money. The accepted story of the war has been based on Cochrane's own version of events. But how accurate is Cochrane's account?