THE WarofParaguay it was a conflict that took place from December 1864 to March 1870 and pitted Paraguay against Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. The war was the result of the clash of political and economic interests that the platinum nations had during the 1860s. Throughout the years of conflict, the biggest loser was Paraguay, which had its economy devastated. It is estimated that the death toll according to different statistics is between 130,000 and 300,000 dead.
What were the reasons that started the Paraguay War?
Unlike what was believed until the mid-1990s, the Paraguayan War it was not the result of British imperialism. This interpretation of the conflict was overcome by new studies carried out in the area that led historians to a new understanding. The conflict today is understood as the result of the dispute of interests between the Platinum nations in that period of the 19th century.
Paraguay, previously seen as a nation with a unique economic and industrial development model, has come to be seen, with the new studies, as an agrarian nation that had undergone modernization exclusively in the army and was dependent on capital and technicians. English. Furthermore, it was governed in a way
dictatorial per FranciscoSolanoLopez, who used his function to enrich his family illicitly.The reasons for the conflict started in 1862, when Francisco Solano López took over as Paraguayan president. The Paraguayan president and dictator put into practice a policy of approximation with the federalists de Urquiza – opponents of the government of Buenos Aires – and with the white Uruguayans – adversaries of the Argentine and Brazilian governments.
The approximation with the white it was important for Paraguay because it would guarantee an outlet to the sea. However, internally, Uruguay was going through a period of great political turmoil because of the power struggle between white and colorado. You colorado, led by Venancio Flores, fought against the country's president, the white Bernardo Berro.
This political dispute had repercussions in Brazil when the Brazilian government began to be pressured by ranchers from Rio Grande do Sul to defend their interests in Uruguay. The Brazilian government has supported the colorado and showed interest in intervening militarily in Uruguay.
The Brazilian interest did not please the president of Paraguay, who had been convinced by his allies – the white – that the Brazilian interference was part of a project to annex Uruguayan territory and, in the near future, Paraguay. Brazil, however, interfered in Uruguay only to guarantee its economic interests and did not have expansionist interests.
The Brazilian action generated a response from the Paraguayan government, which in August 1864 issued an ultimatum for Brazil not to intervene in the Uruguayan conflict. The Paraguayan ultimatum was ignored by the Brazilian government, which invaded Uruguay in September 1864 and placed the colorado in the power.
In retaliation for Brazilian interference, Francisco Solano López authorized the attack on Brazil and, in December of the same year, a Brazilian vessel sailing the Paraguay River was imprisoned. Then, the province of Mato Grosso was invaded by Paraguayan troops. The war has started.
What were the main events of the conflict?
After the start of the Paraguay War, the conflict can be divided into two distinct moments, one of which is characterized by the predominance of offensive actions by Paraguay. This period, however, was short-lived and was soon replaced by the predominance of offensive actions by members of the Triple Alliance (Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina).
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After the invasion of Mato Grosso, the Paraguayan army coordinated military offensives that led to the invasion of RiverGreatofSouth and from the Argentine province of Currents. The invasion of the province of Corrientes was responsible for Argentina's entry into the war. The entry of the Argentines enabled the formation of the TripleAlliance, formalized on May 1, 1865 and made up of Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.
The invasion of Rio Grande do Sul and Corrientes were major failures of the Paraguayan army, which was forced to retreat back to its territory and position itself defensively. This started the second phase of the conflict, in which the Triple Alliance countries took over the major offensive actions.
During this period, the BattleNavalinRiachuelo (June 1865), in which the Brazilian Navy achieved a very important victory. In this battle, the Paraguayan Navy was almost entirely defeated and a naval blockade was imposed on Paraguay, which was prevented from receiving provisions for the remainder of the war.
Another highlight can be made for the BattleinCurupaiti, characterized by a great defeat of the armies of the Triple Alliance. It is estimated that between 4,000 and 9,000 soldiers (among Brazilians, Argentines and Uruguayans) have died in that battle.
A key victory for the Triple Alliance armies took place during the achievement ofstrengthinhumaita, in 1868. The Fortress of Humaitá was a strategic point of the Paraguayan defense, and its conquest opened up room for new conquests. The weakening of Paraguay's defenses after losing Humaitá allowed Brazil and its allies to conquer Asunción, the Paraguayan capital, in 1869.
The prominent battles after the conquest of Asunción were, first, the BattleinThe coastNaked, famous for the fact that the Paraguayan army that fought in it was made up of teenagers under 15 years old. Paraguay's final defeat came in battle ofhillKorah, in March 1870, when Francisco Solano López was killed by Brazilian soldiers.
What were the consequences of the war?
In the case of Paraguay, the war wreaked havoc on the country's fragile infrastructure and economy and caused a large number of deaths. In the Brazilian case, the war contributed to the strengthening of the army as an institution and to the weakening of the monarchic political system, which came to be questioned. In addition, economically, the war was disastrous for Brazil.
In the case of Argentina and Uruguay, the impacts of the war were much smaller, which shows the low level of involvement of both in the conflict. On the political side, the war guaranteed the end of the political conflicts that took place in both countries (federalists vs. Unitarians, in the Argentine case, and white x colorado, in the Uruguayan case). Furthermore, the Paraguayan War contributed to the enrichment of the mercantile class of Buenos Aires.
*Image credits: Boris15 and Shutterstock
By Daniel Neves
Graduated in History
