A man of humble origins, the Peruvian army officer General Juan Velasco Alvarado (1910-1977) seized power in 1968 and launched a sweeping but ill-fated reform program.

Juan Velasco Alvarado was born at Piura, on Peru's north coast, on June 16, 1910. Among 11 children of a minor civil servant, he described his youth as one of "dignified poverty." After attending public schools in his hometown, Velasco stowed away on a coastal steamer that took him to Lima in 1929. He joined the army as a common soldier and the next year won admission to the military academy. He graduated at the head of his class four years later. Velasco advanced steadily through the ranks, becoming a division general, the highest regular grade, in 1965. During his career he represented Peru on the Interamerican Defense Board in Washington, served as superintendent of the military academy, became commanding general of the army and, finally, was made...