19th century settlement and land speculation deals brought tens of thousands of Americans to Chile with the rest of Central and South America.
Along with the British, Americans came to Chile to develop the country's economy and trade from the early 19th century onwards.
The relationship turned tense during the Salvador Allende era (1970–73), in which the American CIA-backed bloody coup replaced him with general Augusto Pinochet to head a right-wing military regime (1973–89).
Chilean doctor Carlos Van Buren, of American descent, was involved in medical care of earthquake victims.
Military experts from the United States and Great Britain when the British Empire peaked in the turn of the 20th century, and pre-1914 Prussia (now Germany) developed and modernized the Chilean armed forces (the army, national police, navy and air force).