Editing Scorched earth (section)

===South American War of Independence===
In August 1812, [[Argentina|Argentine]] General [[Manuel Belgrano]] led the [[Jujuy Exodus]], a massive forced displacement of people from what is now [[Jujuy Province|Jujuy]] and [[Salta Province|Salta]] Provinces to the south. The Jujuy Exodus was conducted by the patriot forces of the [[Army of the North]], which was battling a [[Royalist (Spanish American Revolution)|Royalist]] army.

Belgrano, faced with the prospect of total defeat and territorial loss, ordered all people to pack their necessities, including food and furniture, and to follow him in carriages or on foot together with whatever cattle and beasts of burden that could endure the journey. The rest (houses, crops, food stocks and any objects made of iron) was to be burned to deprive the Royalists of resources. The strict scorched-earth policy made him ask on 29 July 1812 the people of Jujuy to "show their [[heroism]]" and to join the march of the army under his command "if, as you assure, you want to be free". The punishment for ignoring the order was execution, with the destruction of the defector's properties. Belgrano labored to win the support of the populace and later reported that most of the people had willingly followed him without the need for force.

The exodus started on 23 August and gathered people from [[San Salvador de Jujuy|Jujuy]] and [[Salta Province|Salta]]. People travelled south about 250&nbsp;km and finally arrived at the banks of the Pasaje River, in [[Tucumán Province]] in the early hours of 29 August. They applied a scorched-earth policy and so the Spaniards advanced into a wasteland. Belgrano's army destroyed everything that could provide shelter or be useful to the Royalists.{{sfn|Thomas|2015}}