South American Independence 235
at the bottom, the people were moved only by nationalistic
feeling, embodied chiefly in the attraction and magnetism
of strong personalities.
We must now devote some attention to the international
factor in the explanations of the War of Independence.
The decisive influence attributed to the invasion of Spain
by Napoleon in 1808 can be explained only by the absolute
disregard of the essential facts of the South American
Revolution. The invasion of Spain by Napoleon aroused
a feeling of loyalty toward the King, both in Spain and in
South America. The inauguration of patriotic committees,
or juntas, in Spain to fight against the invasion contributed
with its example to a similar movement in South America,
and these South American juntas, in spite of their loyalty
to Ferdinand, were without doubt the initiation of the
revolution. So this fact and the economic independence
of the colonies established as a consequence of the over-
throw of Ferdinand were the only results of the Napoleonic
invasion. It is unnecessary to insist in affirming that the
Juntas failed in their attempts, and we have proof already
that economic independence, however great its importance,
was not a creative or decisive factor.
During the occupation of Spain by the French, South
American loyalists succeeded in suppressing the revolution-
ary movement. As soon as Spain was free, she sent a for-
midable expedition led by Morillo, the largest army that
had ever crossed the Atlantic. The real War of Inde-
pendence began, as we have said, after 1814, when Spain
enjoyed the most favorable diplomatic condition in Eu-
rope. France was bound to support her, and England, in
spite of her economic interest in free trade with South
America, adopted an attitude of neutrality, fostering a