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This national holiday in Argentina honors José Francisco de San Martín, who died on this day in 1850. Born in 1778 in a town called Yapeyú, San Martín, formerly a soldier in the Spanish army in Europe, came home in 1812 to fight in the revolution against Spain. He led forces across the Andes to defeat the Spanish in Chile and Peru. The victories he led assured independence from Spain for much of the region. After passing the torch to Simón Bolívar, San Martín resigned in 1822. He left Argentina in 1824, and lived out his life in exile in France. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary