"Paraguayan War Explained" Topic

"The Paraguayan War, also known as the War of the Triple Alliance and the Great War in Paraguay, was a South American war fought from 1864 to 1870 between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, the Empire of Brazil, and Uruguay. With an estimated 400,000 deaths, the war was the deadliest and bloodiest in Latin America's history.[3] It particularly devastated Paraguay, which suffered catastrophic losses in population, almost 70% of its adult male population died, according to some counts, and was forced to cede territory to Argentina and Brazil. According to some estimates, Paraguay's pre-war population of 525,000 was reduced to 221,000, of which only 28,000 were men.[4]


The war began in late 1864, as a result of a conflict between Paraguay and Brazil caused by the Uruguayan War. Argentina and Uruguay entered the war against Paraguay in 1865, and it then became known as the "War of the Triple Alliance".

The war ended with the total defeat of Paraguay. After it lost in conventional warfare, Paraguay conducted a drawn-out guerrilla resistance, a disastrous strategy that resulted in the further destruction of the Paraguayan military and much of the civilian population through battle casualties, hunger and diseases. The guerrilla war lasted 14 months until President Francisco Solano López was killed in action by Brazilian forces in the Battle of Cerro Corá on 1 March 1870. Argentine and Brazilian troops occupied Paraguay until 1876. Estimates of total Paraguayan losses range from 21,000 to 200,000 people. It took decades for Paraguay to recover from the chaos and demographic losses…."
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Amicalement
Armand

Something very fishy about those numbers …

"Paraguay's pre-war population of 525,000 was reduced to 221,000, of which only 28,000 were men"

So you ended up with 7 women for every guy? Definitely a disaster.

"Estimates of total Paraguayan losses range from 21,000 to 200,000 people"

The spread between those last two figures makes one (or both) of the estimates highly suspicious. Also, the difference between 525,000 and 221,000 is way more than the higher casualty figure given above, of 200,000. Looks to me like someone was (or is being) very liberal with their counting, and hoping that no one does the math.

Is this one of those situations where, when in doubt, just add one or two zeros to the number, just to be safe?

Dan

Dany… the numbers are right… 7 x 1 counting with kids as "men"… so, the government allow on those days to have more than one "wife"… they promote the pregnancies… even with those soldiers (brazilians) who occupied the country for a while…. o any traveler who decided to visit it…

Having said that … mortality on male population was not only on battlefields… there were a sistematic way to kill them by the ocupation troops who hunt Solano Lopez throughout his country … the town that he arrived, he declared it as "Capital of Paraguay" … when he retreated … the troops in pursuit completely destroyed that town killing the male population regardless of his age ….

It was a genocide….

Amicalement
Armand

Geesh, what a mess!

Dan

Una verdadera masacre!…. y lo peor… unos años después sufrieron la Guerra con Bolivia….

Amicalement
Armand

La del Chaco?

Dan

"It was a genocide…"

Rubbish! No, it was not a genocide. Didn't you read "Maldita Guerra", Tango? These are your own words about the book: "Actually, I'm reading one of the best books about the Triple Aliance War: "Maldita Guerra" by Francisco Fernando Monteoliva Doratioto (San Paulo – Brasil). Highly recomended book." Taken from this thread: TMP link

My answer to you: "Yes, Armand… Very good book, excellent overview of the war. The author, Brazilian historian, set a lot of things straight. The work succeeds in dispelling many myths and stereotypes (constantly repeated in South America over the last five decades without any sources/documentation to back it up). The guy spent many years in Brazilian, Argentine, Uruguayan, Paraguayan and British archives, collecting and studying documents, letters, etc."

Highly recomended book, right? So… If you actually read the book, and enjoyed it so much, how can you say that "it was genocide"? The author completely destroys the myth of the Paraguayan genocide.

Yeah… In 1869 and 1870, Brazilians killed every Paraguayan male that crossed their path, right? Tell that to the cavalrymen of the 1st Brazilian Cavalry Division. In late May and early June of 1869, this cavalry division made an incursion deep into Paraguayan territory, fought against Paraguayan cavalry and brought back more than 3,200 starving Paraguayans with them. These Paraguayans were hiding in the bushes along the way, hiding from Solano Lopez and his troops (including a few hundred teenagers and elderly men). These Paraguayan civilians, group after group, approached the Brazilian column and begged for help. The cavalrymen helped the Paraguayans and escorted them to safety (back to the Brazilian main camp). These Paraguayans were very well treated and a few of them told this story many years after the end of the war. They were not massacred without mercy. I can provide other examples to show how the Brazilian Army didn't kill every male in it's path during the campaigns of 1869 and 1870, contrary to what you said, but I'm leaving this thread for good before I get warned for something or get the permanent boot for good… I leave you with the last word, Tango, but remember the question:

Highly recomended book, right? So… If you actually read the book ["Maldita Guerra"], and enjoyed it so much, how can you say that "it was genocide"? The author completely destroys the myth of the Paraguayan genocide.

My dear friend … that a single book is good … does not mean that with this one you define your opinion about such an important conflict … You have to read about all the conflicting parties … I have had the luck of collect several books of origin about the 4 countries at war … some good, others not so much … and imho this was a war until the takeover of Asunción … before that the Paraguayan Army's failures thanks to the courage of the Allies and the bad tactical and strategic decisions of Solano Lopez (the true culprit of so many evils for his country) … from that point the conflict became a massacre and genocide ….

It is my personal opinion and I respect that you think otherwise.

Amicalement
Armand

Hello friends,
I am the author of Borders of Blood, a book recently released by Caliver Books – tinyurl.com/6h83289z
BoB is a wargame system dedicated to War of the Triple Alliance.
This is our Fanpage on Facebook – link
Take care!

"Borders of Blood is a well-presented set of wargames rules, specifically for Wargaming the Parguayan War of 1864 – 1870, dovetailing almost exclusively with the War of Triple Alliance figure range by Perry Miniatures.

Rulesets can either offer something so intriguing, inspiring, or unique that they cause you to venture into a new period – think SAGA, Sharp Practice, or Frostgrave – or they offer a service to gamers who are already ‘into' a period or conflict. Borders of Blood is definitely a solid entrant in this latter category."

Joe Smalley review on Wargames Illustrated

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