John Hoagland
Encyclopedia
John Hoagland was a war photographer and photojournalist noted for his documentation of civil conflicts
in Nicaragua
, Lebanon
, and El Salvador
.
Hoagland was born in San Diego
, California
, and educated at the University of California, San Diego
. During the Vietnam War
, Hoagland applied for and received conscientious objector
status, but war was a subject that had a massive impact on his life and death. He photographed the Sandinista Revolution
in Nicaragua
, after which he moved to El Salvador
in 1979. He also photographed in Beirut
.
By 1984, Hoagland was on the "hit list" of the government death squad
s. Many of his colleagues had been assassinated
already in El Salvador. On 16 March, he was gunned down while photographing a pair of Salvadoran soldier
s. The journalist and photographer 'John Cassidy,' played by John Savage
in the 1986 movie Salvador
was loosely based on Hoagland.
Hoagland's son, Eros Hoagland, is also a photographer who currently works in conflict zones around the globe.
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
in Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, and El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
.
Hoagland was born in San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and educated at the University of California, San Diego
University of California, San Diego
The University of California, San Diego, commonly known as UCSD or UC San Diego, is a public research university located in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California, United States...
. During the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, Hoagland applied for and received conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
status, but war was a subject that had a massive impact on his life and death. He photographed the Sandinista Revolution
Sandinista National Liberation Front
The Sandinista National Liberation Front is a socialist political party in Nicaragua. Its members are called Sandinistas in both English and Spanish...
in Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, after which he moved to El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
in 1979. He also photographed in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
.
By 1984, Hoagland was on the "hit list" of the government death squad
Death squad
A death squad is an armed military, police, insurgent, or terrorist squad that conducts extrajudicial killings, assassinations, and forced disappearances of persons as part of a war, insurgency or terror campaign...
s. Many of his colleagues had been assassinated
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
already in El Salvador. On 16 March, he was gunned down while photographing a pair of Salvadoran soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
s. The journalist and photographer 'John Cassidy,' played by John Savage
John Savage (actor)
John Savage is an American film actor, producer, production manager, and composer.- Acting career :...
in the 1986 movie Salvador
Salvador (film)
Salvador is a 1986 war drama film which tells the story of an American journalist in El Salvador covering the Salvadoran civil war. While trying to get footage, he becomes entangled with both leftist guerrillas and the right wing military...
was loosely based on Hoagland.
Hoagland's son, Eros Hoagland, is also a photographer who currently works in conflict zones around the globe.
External links
- Jaffe, Maggie. "The Camera Is a Shield": John Hoagland, Combat Photographer A biography and retrospective of his works]
- Tweed, Tom. "Camera With a Conscience" A personal remembrance and tribute to my friend and long-time surf buddy, written for the students of Thurgood Marshall College in 1994.
- Hoagland, Eros. "Eros Hoagland, photographer" The work of John Hoagland's son, Eros,