▁its ▁north , ▁Chile ▁im posed ▁its ▁domin ance ▁by ▁elimin ating ▁the ▁threat ▁pos ed ▁by ▁the ▁union ▁of ▁Boliv ia ▁with ▁Peru ▁during ▁the ▁War ▁of ▁the ▁Confeder ation ▁( 1 8 3 6 - 1 8 3 9 ), ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁con quest ▁of ▁these ▁countries ' ▁min eral - rich ▁territ ories ▁in ▁the ▁At ac ama ▁during ▁the ▁War ▁of ▁the ▁Pacific ▁( 1 8 7 9 - 1 8 8 4 ) — in ▁the ▁process ▁leaving ▁Boliv ia ▁land locked ▁and ▁pill aging ▁the ▁Per uv ian ▁capital . ▁To ▁its ▁south ▁and ▁east , ▁Chile ▁used ▁military ▁force ▁and ▁colon ization ▁to ▁occup y ▁Ara uc an ía ▁( 1 8 6 1 - 1 8 8 3 ) ▁and ▁successfully ▁dispute ▁Argent ine ▁claims ▁over ▁western most ▁Pat ag onia ▁and ▁the ▁Stra it ▁of ▁Mag ellan — the ▁out break ▁of ▁war ▁only ▁narrow ly ▁avoided ▁in ▁multiple ▁occasions . ▁Chile ' s ▁expansion ist ▁drive ▁pract ically ▁cul min ated ▁with ▁E aster ▁Island ' s ▁an nex ation ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 8 , ▁but ▁v estig es ▁of ▁it ▁continued ▁well ▁into ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century — e . g ., ▁the ▁country ' s ▁claim ▁over ▁Ant ar ctic ▁territory ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁ ▁Although ▁Chile ▁did ▁not ▁ful fill ▁all ▁of ▁its ▁territorial ▁amb itions , ▁its ▁relative ▁success ▁attract ed ▁the ▁attention ▁of ▁the ▁Western ▁Hem is phere '