Jose de San Martin (South American Revolutionary) liberated his native Argentina as well as the southern half of South America from Spanish rule early in the nineteenth century. With an army rarely numbering more than ten thousand, San Martin exploited surprise attacks over terrain con­sidered to be impassable and fused alliances with fellow liberators and mercenaries to free half a continent from European control. As one of the few military leaders of his time with no political am­bitions, San Martin proved to be a selfless professional soldier in­terested only in his continent’s freedom.<\/p>