1.
Paraguayan War
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With an estimated 400,000 deaths, the war was the deadliest and bloodiest in Latin Americas history. According to some estimates, Paraguays pre-war population of 525,000 was reduced to 221,000, 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, the war ended with the total defeat of Paraguay. 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 March 1,1870, Argentine and Brazilian troops occupied Paraguay until 1876. Estimates of total Paraguayan losses range from 21,000 to 200,000 people and it took decades for Paraguay to recover from the chaos and demographic losses. There are several theories regarding the origins of the war, before the war Paraguay had experienced rapid economic and military growth. A strong military was developed because Paraguays larger neighbors Argentina and Brazil had territorial claims against it, Paraguay had recurring boundary disputes and tariff issues with Argentina and Brazil for many years during the rule of Carlos Antonio López. Since Brazil and Argentina had become independent, their struggle for hegemony in the Río de la Plata profoundly marked the diplomatic, Brazil was the first country to recognize the independence of Paraguay in 1844. At this time Argentina still considered it a break-away province, as no roads linked the inland province of Mato Grosso to Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian ships needed to travel through Paraguayan territory, going up the Paraguay River to arrive at Cuiabá. However, Brazil had difficulty obtaining permission from the government in Asunción to freely use the Paraguay River for its shipping needs and this last intervention would lead to the Paraguayan War. Flores wanted to overthrow the Blanco Party government of President Bernardo Berro, Paraguayan President López sent a note on 6 September 1863 to the Argentine government asking for an explanation, but Buenos Aires denied any involvement in Uruguay. From that moment, mandatory service was introduced in Paraguay and in February 1864. Uruguayan President Atanasio Aguirre from the Blanco Party rejected the Brazilian demands, presented his own demands, Brazilian soldiers on the northern borders of Uruguay started to provide help to Flores troops, harassed Uruguayan officers, while the Imperial Fleet pressed hard on Montevideo. During the months of June–August,1864 a Cooperation Treaty was signed between Brazil and Argentina at Buenos Aires, for assistance in the Plate Basin Crisis. Brazilian Minister Saraiva on August 4,1864, sent an ultimatum to the Uruguayan government, either comply with the Brazilian demands, or the Brazilian army would retaliate. Despite the Paraguayan notes and ultimatums, on October 12,1864 Brazilian troops under the command of Gen. João Propício Mena Barreto invaded Uruguay thus marking the beginning of the hostilities. On 12 November 1864, the Paraguayan ship Tacuarí captured the Brazilian ship Marquês de Olinda, news of the wars end was brought by Pereira Pinto and met with joy in Rio de Janeiro. Brazilian Emperor Dom Pedro II found himself waylaid by a crowd of thousands in the streets amid acclamations, but public opinion quickly changed for the worse when newspapers began running stories painting the convention of 20 February as harmful to Brazilian interests, for which the cabinet was blamed
Paraguayan War
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Scenes of the war
Paraguayan War
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Francisco Solano López, Paraguayan president.
Paraguayan War
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Emperor Pedro II wearing a southern Brazilian traditional outfit during his visit to
Uruguaiana in the province of
Rio Grande do Sul, 1865.
Paraguayan War
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Topographic view of the Fortress of Humaita, the most famous paraguayan stronghold. It took the Allies 26 months of a very bloody campaign to conquer it, with great heroic actions in both sides.
2.
Paraguay
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Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the country from north to south. Due to its location in South America, it is sometimes referred to as Corazón de Sudamérica. Paraguay is one of the two landlocked countries that lie outside Afro-Eurasia, Paraguay is the smallest landlocked country in the Americas. The indigenous Guaraní had been living in Paraguay for at least a millennium before the Spanish conquered the territory in the 16th century, Spanish settlers and Jesuit missions introduced Christianity and Spanish culture to the region. Paraguay was a colony of the Spanish Empire, with few urban centers and settlers. Following independence from Spain in 1811, Paraguay was ruled by a series of dictators who generally implemented isolationist and protectionist policies and he was toppled in an internal military coup, and free multi-party elections were organized and held for the first time in 1993. A year later, Paraguay joined Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay to found Mercosur, as of 2009, Paraguays population was estimated to be at around 6.5 million, most of whom are concentrated in the southeast region of the country. The capital and largest city is Asunción, of which the area is home to nearly a third of Paraguays population. In contrast to most Latin American nations, Paraguays indigenous language and culture, Guaraní, in each census, residents predominantly identify as mestizo, reflecting years of intermarriage among the different ethnic groups. Guaraní is recognized as an official language alongside Spanish, and both languages are spoken in the country. There is no consensus for the derivation or meaning of the name Paraguay, the most common interpretations include, Born from water Riverine of many varieties River which originates a sea Fray Antonio Ruiz de Montoya said that it meant river crowned. The Spanish officer and scientist Félix de Azara suggests two derivations, the Payaguas, referring to the tribe who lived along the river. The French-Argentine historian and writer Paul Groussac argued that it meant river that flows through the sea, Paraguayan poet and ex-president Juan Natalicio González said it meant river of the inhabitants of the sea. Indigenous peoples have inhabited this area for thousands of years, pre-Columbian society in the region which is now Paraguay consisted of semi-nomadic tribes that were known for their warrior traditions. These indigenous tribes belonged to five language families, which was the basis of their major divisions. Differing language groups were generally competitive over resources and territories and they were further divided into tribes by speaking languages in branches of these families. Today 17 separate ethnolinguistic groups remain, the first Europeans in the area were Spanish explorers in 1516. The Spanish explorer Juan de Salazar de Espinosa founded the settlement of Asunción on 15 August 1537, the city eventually became the center of a Spanish colonial province of Paraguay
Paraguay
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José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia, Paraguay's first president.
Paraguay
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Flag (obverse)
Paraguay
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Francisco Solano López
Paraguay
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The
Battle of Tuyutí, May 1866.
3.
Paraguayan Army
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Maintaining the sanctity of the land borders of the Republic of Paraguay. Cooperate in emergencies, the needs of civil defense, to organize, equip and train your strength to face any threat. Cooperate in activities to support the national development. To cooperate with scientific and technological development of the country, paraguays army was formally established in 1811, the year of the countrys independence. Jose Gaspar Rodriguez de Francia, who installed himself as dictator for life after a series of political clashes with Yegros. Francia removed all army personnel from the government and reformed the army and he limited the power of the army by declaring that no rank above captain could be achieved, and that after three years of service officers were to be retired. By 1816 there were no officers in the army who had fought at the Tacuari or the Paraguari, Francias horse-grenadier guard company was the first new unit created and was to form the nucleus of the army. Each captain was given command of a branch of the service, the infantry, artillery and hussars were stationed in the capital Asuncion, and the rest of the army was stationed in outposts around the country to defend from attacks by Indians. The cavalry would go dismounted during peacetime, and were distinguished by the yellow aiguillette sewn onto their left shoulder, although no formal wars were fought, conflicts with the Chaco Indians, particularly the sub-groups of the Guaykuru tribes, raged in the borderlands. The size of the army varied according to the magnitude of threat, in 1825 it was 5000 strong, but in 1834 it was only 649 strong. There was also a number of militia troops, which usually numbered around 25,000. After Francias death in 1840, Carlos Antonio Lopez assumed power and modernized the army and he opened an iron foundry at Ybycui that produced arms and bullets and also built up a railway system in the country to transport troops and materiel. In that same year Paraguay fought its first actual war against Brazil, Uruguay, despite numerical superiority and initial success, the allies soon upped their game and Paraguay eventually found itself surrounded. Despite constant defeat on the field by the allies, the Paraguayans did not capitulate until Lopez had been killed in 1870, on the run with his 200 remaining men. Haiti Cyprus Democratic Republic of the Congo Chad Central African Republic Ivory Coast As of 2016, the Paraguayan Army is composed of Presidential Guard Regiment, two battalions, an armored squadron and a battery of field artillery. Arguably, this flagship of military rule is structurally and physically the strongest of the EP, the REP is an independent unit from other commands. The EP features two groups and one antiaircraft artillery group. Six battalions of combat engineers, one battalion, one Special Forces battalion, seven regiments of infantry
Paraguayan Army
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Uniforms of cavalry and infantry of the Paraguayan army at the time of the
War of the Triple Alliance.
Paraguayan Army
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Paraguayan Army Seal
Paraguayan Army
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Paraguayan Army
Paraguayan Army
4.
Argentina
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Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a federal republic in the southern half of South America. With a mainland area of 2,780,400 km2, Argentina is the eighth-largest country in the world, the second largest in Latin America, and the largest Spanish-speaking one. The country is subdivided into provinces and one autonomous city, Buenos Aires. The provinces and the capital have their own constitutions, but exist under a federal system, Argentina claims sovereignty over part of Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. The earliest recorded presence in the area of modern-day Argentina dates back to the Paleolithic period. The country has its roots in Spanish colonization of the region during the 16th century, Argentina rose as the successor state of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, a Spanish overseas viceroyalty founded in 1776. The country thereafter enjoyed relative peace and stability, with waves of European immigration radically reshaping its cultural. The almost-unparalleled increase in prosperity led to Argentina becoming the seventh wealthiest developed nation in the world by the early 20th century, Argentina retains its historic status as a middle power in international affairs, and is a prominent regional power in the Southern Cone and Latin America. Argentina has the second largest economy in South America, the third-largest in Latin America and is a member of the G-15 and it is the country with the second highest Human Development Index in Latin America with a rating of very high. Because of its stability, market size and growing high-tech sector, the description of the country by the word Argentina has to be found on a Venice map in 1536. In English the name Argentina probably comes from the Spanish language, however the naming itself is not Spanish, Argentina means in Italian of silver, silver coloured, probably borrowed from the Old French adjective argentine of silver > silver coloured already mentioned in the 12th century. The French word argentine is the form of argentin and derives of argent silver with the suffix -in. The Italian naming Argentina for the country implies Argentina Terra land of silver or Argentina costa coast of silver, in Italian, the adjective or the proper noun is often used in an autonomous way as a substantive and replaces it and it is said lArgentina. The name Argentina was probably first given by the Venitian and Genoese navigators, in Spanish and Portuguese, the words for silver are respectively plata and prata and of silver is said plateado and prateado. Argentina was first associated with the silver mountains legend, widespread among the first European explorers of the La Plata Basin. The first written use of the name in Spanish can be traced to La Argentina, a 1602 poem by Martín del Barco Centenera describing the region, the 1826 constitution included the first use of the name Argentine Republic in legal documents. The name Argentine Confederation was also used and was formalized in the Argentine Constitution of 1853. In 1860 a presidential decree settled the name as Argentine Republic
Argentina
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The
Cave of the Hands in
Santa Cruz province, with indigenous artwork dating from 13,000–9,000 years ago
Argentina
Argentina
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The surrender of Beresford to
Santiago de Liniers during the
British invasions of the Río de la Plata
Argentina
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Portrait of General
José de San Martin,
Libertador of Argentina,
Chile and
Peru
5.
Argentine Army
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The Argentine Army is the land armed force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of the country. Under the Argentine Constitution, the President of Argentina is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the Armys official foundation date is May 29,1810, four days after the Spanish colonial administration in Buenos Aires was overthrown. Several armed expeditions were sent to the Upper Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay and Chile to fight Spanish forces and secure Argentinas newly gained independence. The most famous of these expeditions was the one led by General José de San Martín, however, the Army was briefly re-unified during the war with the Brazilian Empire. It was only with the establishment of a Constitution and a government recognized by all the provinces that the Army became a single force. The Army went on to fight the War of the Triple Alliance in the 1860s together with Brazil, after that war, the Army became involved in Argentinas Conquista del Desierto, the campaign to occupy Patagonia and root out the natives, who conducted looting raids throughout the country. The Army prevented the fall of the government in a number of Radical-led uprisings, meanwhile, the military in general and the Army in particular contributed to develop Argentinas unsettled southern frontier and its nascent industrial complex. The main foreign influence during this period was, by and large, partly because of that, during both World Wars most of the officers supported the Germans, more or less openly, while the Argentine Navy favored the British instead. In 1930, a group of Army forces deposed President Hipólito Yrigoyen without much response from the rest of the Army. This was the beginning of a history of political intervention by the military. Another coup, in 1943, was responsible for bringing an obscure colonel into the political limelight and it should be noted that political infighting eroded discipline and cohesion within the army, to the extent that there was armed fighting between contending military units during the early 1960s. The military government which ruled Argentina between 1966 and 1973 saw the activities of groups such as Montoneros and the ERP. During Héctor Cámporas first months of government, a moderate and left-wing Peronist, approximatively 600 social conflicts, strikes. But Isabel Perón herself was ousted during the March 1976 coup by a military junta, batallón de Inteligencia 601 became infamous during this period. It was a military intelligence service set up in the late 1970s, active in the Dirty War and Operation Condor. Its personnel collected information on and infiltrated guerrilla groups and human rights organisations, the unit also participated in the training of Nicaraguan Contras with US assistance, including from John Negroponte. It started the campaign with no more than 100 men and women of the Marxist ERP guerrilla force and ended with about 300 in the mountains, which the Argentine Army managed to defeat, but at a cost. On 5 January 1975, an Army DHC-6 transport plane was downed near the Monteros mountains, all thirteen on board were killed
Argentine Army
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Gral
José de San Martín during
Battle of Chacabuco, 1817
Argentine Army
Argentine Army
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The Argentine army soldiers with standard uniform in 1938, note the similarity with uniform
Wehrmacht.
Argentine Army
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Argentine troops in 1943.
6.
Empire of Brazil
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The Empire of Brazil was a 19th-century state that broadly comprised the territories which form modern Brazil and Uruguay. Its government was a parliamentary constitutional monarchy under the rule of Emperors Dom Pedro I. João VI later returned to Portugal, leaving his eldest son and heir, Pedro, to rule the Kingdom of Brazil as regent. On 7 September 1822, Pedro declared the independence of Brazil and, after waging a war against his fathers kingdom, was acclaimed on 12 October as Pedro I. The new country was huge but sparsely populated and ethnically diverse, the empires bicameral parliament was elected under comparatively democratic methods for the era, as were the provincial and local legislatures. This led to an ideological conflict between Pedro I and a sizable parliamentary faction over the role of the monarch in the government. The unsuccessful Cisplatine War against the neighboring United Provinces of the Río de la Plata in 1828 led to the secession of the province of Cisplatina. In 1826, despite his role in Brazilian independence, he became the king of Portugal, two years later, she was usurped by Pedro Is younger brother Miguel. Unable to deal with both Brazilian and Portuguese affairs, Pedro I abdicated his Brazilian throne on 7 April 1831, Pedro Is successor in Brazil was his five-year-old son, Pedro II. As the latter was still a minor, a regency was created. The power vacuum resulting from the absence of a monarch as the ultimate arbiter in political disputes led to regional civil wars between local factions. Brazil was victorious in three international conflicts under Pedro IIs rule, and the Empire prevailed in other international disputes. With prosperity and economic development came an influx of European immigration, including Protestants and Jews, slavery, which had initially been widespread, was restricted by successive legislation until its final abolition in 1888. Brazilian visual arts, literature and theater developed during time of progress. Although heavily influenced by European styles that ranged from Neoclassicism to Romanticism, the next in line to the throne was his daughter Isabel, but neither Pedro II nor the ruling classes considered a female monarch acceptable. Lacking any viable heir, the Empires political leaders saw no reason to defend the monarchy, the territory which would come to be known as Brazil was claimed by Portugal on 22 April 1500, when the navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral landed on its coast. Permanent settlement followed in 1532, and for the next 300 years the Portuguese slowly expanded westwards until they had reached all of the borders of modern Brazil. In 1808, the army of French Emperor Napoleon I invaded Portugal, forcing the Portuguese royal family—the House of Braganza and they re-established themselves in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, which became the unofficial seat of the Portuguese Empire
Empire of Brazil
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The locomotive Pequenina (Little One) in
Bahia province (Brazilian northeast), c. 1859
Empire of Brazil
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Flag
Empire of Brazil
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Brazilian artillery in position during the
Paraguayan War, 1866
Empire of Brazil
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Emperor Pedro II surrounded by prominent politicians and national figures c. 1875
7.
Uruguay
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Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in the southeastern region of South America. It borders Argentina to its west and Brazil to its north and east, with the Río de la Plata to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast. Uruguay is home to an estimated 3.42 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the area of its capital and largest city. With an area of approximately 176,000 square kilometres, Uruguay is geographically the second-smallest nation in South America, only larger in size than Suriname. Uruguay was inhabited by the Charrúa people for approximately 4000 years before the Portuguese established Colonia del Sacramento, one of the oldest European settlements in the region, in 1680. Montevideo was founded as a stronghold by the Spanish in the early 18th century. Uruguay won its independence between 1811 and 1828, following a struggle between Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Brazil. It remained subject to influence and intervention throughout the 19th century. Modern Uruguay is a constitutional republic, with a president who serves as both head of state and head of government. Uruguay is ranked first in Latin America in democracy, peace, lack of corruption, e-government, on a per-capita basis, Uruguay contributes more troops to United Nations peace-keeping missions than any other country. It ranks second in the region on economic freedom, income equality, per-capita income, Uruguay is the third-best country on the continent in terms of HDI, GDP growth, innovation and infrastructure. It is regarded as a country by the UN. Uruguay is also the third-best ranked in the world in e-Participation, Uruguay is an important global exporter of combed wool, rice, soybeans, frozen beef, malt and milk. Nearly 95% of Uruguays electricity comes from energy, mostly hydroelectric facilities. The Economist named Uruguay country of the year in 2013, acknowledging the innovative policy of legalizing the production, sale, the name of the namesake river comes from the Spanish pronunciation of the regional Guarani word for it. There are several interpretations, including bird-river, the name could also refer to a river snail called uruguá that was plentiful in the water. The only documented inhabitants of Uruguay before European colonization of the area were the Charrúa, the Portuguese discovered the region of present-day Uruguay in 1512. The Spanish arrived in present-day Uruguay in 1516, the indigenous peoples fierce resistance to conquest, combined with the absence of gold and silver, limited their settlement in the region during the 16th and 17th centuries
Uruguay
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A 5 peso coin celebrating the 150th anniversary of Uruguay's independence
Uruguay
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Flag
Uruguay
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The oath of the
Thirty-Three Orientals by Uruguayan painter
Juan Manuel Blanes
Uruguay
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The
Battle of Caseros, 1852
8.
Uruguayan Army
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The Armed Forces of Uruguay consist of an army, navy, and air force. These three branches are constitutionally subordinate to the president through the Minister of Defense. By offering early retirement incentives, the government has trimmed the armed forces to about 16.800 for the army,6.000 for the navy, as of February 2003, Uruguay has more than 2.500 soldiers deployed on 12 UN Peacekeeping missions. The largest groups are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, there is also an 58-man contingent in the MFO in the Sinai. The Army consists of some 15,000 personnel organized into four divisions, the army operates 40 Land Rover Defender 110SW vehicles, and is looking to buy between 30 and 40 more. The current assault rifle used by the army is the Belgian FN FAL - Argentinian Built, in addition, about 300 Russian AK-101s are already used, and the elite airborne, commando, and antiterrorist Battalion 14 exclusively employ German HK G36s. Being produced locally in Uruguay, the Army will receive the Glock 17 pistol as a replacement for its legacy Browning Hi-Power and this failed and prompted an investigation. Uruguay special forces are now fielding an indigenous.50 BMG sniper rifle called the FS50 Peregrino and it is a single-shot bolt-action rifle that was developed in Uruguay for about two years. The Uruguayan Army was considering buying either the Panzerfaust 3 or RPG-7 as short-range anti-tank weapons, acquisition of the rockets was cancelled due to lack of funds. The Navy General Staff acts as a body to the admiral. The Navy also includes a battalion-sized Marine Corps and a naval air station at Laguna del Sauce. The Uruguayan Naval Academy is located in Carrasco, a suburb of Montevideo, the Air Force consists of about 3,000 personnel and organized into three Air Brigades and 7 Squadrons. Combat aircraft consist of Argentine IA-58 Pucarás and Cessna A-37B Dragonflies, transport aircraft consist of Lockheed C-130s, Brazilian Embraer Bandeirantes and Embraer Brasilias, Spanish CASA C-212-200 Aviocars, and Cessna 206H Stationairs and T-41D Mescaleros. Helicopters consist of the Bell UH-1H Iroquois and 212 Twin Huey, the Eurocopter AS-365N2 Dauphin, training aircraft consists of Italian Aermacchi SF. 260s, Beech Barons, and Swiss Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainers
Uruguayan Army
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National Flag
9.
Venancio Flores
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Venancio Flores Barrios was a Uruguayan political leader and general. Flores was President of Uruguay from 1854 to 1855 and from 1865 to 1868, in 1839, he was made political chief of the department of San José. He fought in the Guerra Grande against Manuel Oribe and his Argentine backers and he became a leading figure in the Colorado Party and formed a triumvirate with Fructuoso Rivera and Juan Antonio Lavalleja in 1853. In 1863, he started a rebellion against the Blanco president Bernardo Berro, with Argentinian and Brazilian help, by February,1865 he had taken Montevideo. He established a government, a term used to disguise his personal dictatorship. The tendency of some observers to describe Latin American heads of state who ruled by decree as de facto Presidents may be seen in this light, during his rule, Flores joined Brazil and Argentina in the devastating Paraguayan War. Floress government ended on February 15,1868, four days after stepping down as President, he was murdered by a group of unidentified assassins. The Flores Department was named in his honor by a later Colorado President of Uruguay, Máximo Santos. In this sense, Flores was definitely in the Riverista mold, after Fructuoso Rivera, rather than in what would later be referred to as a Batllista. Máximo Santos#Creation of Flores Department History of Uruguay
Venancio Flores
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Flores, photographed c. 1865
10.
Mato Grosso Campaign
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The Mato Grosso Campaign was an early Paraguayan offensive in the Paraguayan War. Paraguay captured the Brazilian province of Mato Grosso, two separate Paraguayan forces invaded Mato Grosso simultaneously. They attacked the Nova Coimbra fort on 27 Dec, the Brazilian garrison of 154 men resisted for three days, under the command of Lt. Col. Hermenegildo de Albuquerque Porto Carrero. When their munitions were exhausted, the abandoned the fort. After occupying the fort, the Paraguayans advanced north, taking the cities of Albuquerque, Tage and he then sent a detachment to attack the military frontier post of Dourados. This detachment, led by Maj. Martín Urbieta, encountered resistance on 29 December 1864, from Lt. Antonio João Ribeiro and his 16 men. The Paraguayans continued to Nioaque and Miranda, defeating the troops of Col. José Dias da Silva, coxim was taken in April 1865. The second Paraguayan column, formed some of the 4,650 men led by Col. Francisco Isidoro Resquín at Concepcion. Despite these victories, the Paraguayan forces did not continue to Cuiabá, the capital of the province and their main objective was the capture of the gold and diamond mines, disrupting the flow into Brazil until 1869. Brazil sent an expedition to fight the invaders in Mato Grosso, a column of 2,780 men led by Colonel Manuel Pedro Drago left Uberaba in Minas Gerais in April 1865, and crossed the Apa River into Paraguay in April 1867. In January 1867, Colonel Carlos de Morais Camisão had assumed command of the column after the deaths of Drago, the column by April numbered 1,907 men. President Lopez sent the 21st Cavalry Regiment to Concepcion to reinforce the cavalry under Maj. Martin Urbieta, though winning the Battle of Baiende, Col. Camisão was forced to retreat due to lack of supplies, which further reduced his force to 578 men. Though he died of cholera along the way, the remaints of his force reached Canuto on 11 June
Mato Grosso Campaign
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Paraguayan fortification
Mato Grosso Campaign
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Vicente Barrios.
Mato Grosso Campaign
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Brazilian expedition to
Mato Grosso: Encampment of the Expeditionary Division in the virgin forests of
Goiás.
11.
Battle of the Riachuelo
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The Battle of the Riachuelo was a naval battle and a key point in the Paraguayan War. By late 1864, Paraguay had scored a series of victories in the war, on June 11,1865, however, the Paraguayan fleet was a fraction of the size of Brazils, even before the battle. It arrived in Humaitá on the morning of June 9, Paraguayan president Francisco Solano López prepared to attack at Riachuelo the ships supporting allied land troops. Nine ships and seven cannon-carrying barges, totaling 45 guns, plus 22 guns, Paraguay planned to attack before sunrise since most Brazilian troops would leave the steamers in order to sleep on land, leaving thus very few men to guard and handle their fleet. The original plan had been that, under the cover of the night, no confrontation other than the one carried out by the boarding party was planned, and the Paraguayan steamers were only there to provide cover from the inland forces. The Paraguayan fleet left Humaitá on the night of June 10,1865, headed to the port of Corrientes. For this, López sent nine steamers, Tacuarí, Ygureí, Marqués de Olinda, Paraguarí, Salto Guairá, Rio Apa, Yporá, Pirabebé and Yberá, under the command of Captain Meza who was aboard the Tacuarí. However, some two leagues after leaving Humaitá, upon reaching a point known as Nuatá-pytá, the engine of the Yberá broke down, after losing some hours in an attempt to fix it, it was decided to continue with only the remaining 8 steamers. The fleet arrived at Corrientes after sunrise, however, due to a dense fog and this new course of action proved catastrophic. The Paraguayans passed in a parallel to the Brazilian fleet. Upon Captain Mezas order, the fleet opened fire on the docked Brazilian steamers. The land troops hastily, upon realization that they were attacked, boarded their own ships. One of the Paraguayan steamers was hit in the boiler and one of the chatas was damaged as well, once out of range, they turned upstream and anchored the barges, forming a line in a very narrow part of the riverp. This was intended to trap the Brazilian fleet, admiral Barroso noticed the Paraguayan tactic and turned down the stream to go after the Paraguayans. However, the Paraguayans started to fire from the shore into the lead ship, Jequitinhonha ran aground after the turn, becoming an easy prey for the Paraguayans. The Paraguayan admiral left his position and attacked the Brazilian line, Parnaíba remained near Jequitinhonha and was also attacked by three ships that were trying to board it. The Brazilian line was cut in two. Inside Parnaíba a ferocious battle was taking place when the Marquez de Olinda joined the attackers, Barroso, at this time heading upstream, decided to turn the tide of the battle with a desperate measure
Battle of the Riachuelo
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The Battle of Riachuelo
Battle of the Riachuelo
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Battle of Riachuelo.
Battle of the Riachuelo
–
Battle of Cuevas
12.
Battle of Paso de Cuevas
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The Battle of Paso de Cuevas was fought on August 12,1865 during the Paraguayan invasion of the Argentine province of Corrientes. However, the pass at Cuevas was once manned by 3000 of Bruguezs men with 34 guns. Barroso suffered 24 dead and 42 wounded and this was the last operation of naval combat Argentine Navy at war with foreign nations to the Falklands War. Theotonio Meirelles Da Silva, Historia Naval Brazileira, BiblioBazaar, LLC,2008, sitio oficial de la Armada de la República Argentina
Battle of Paso de Cuevas
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Battle of Cuevas after the
Battle of Riachuelo, Aug. 12, 1865 (José Murature).
Battle of Paso de Cuevas
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A. L. von Hoonholtz, commander of the gunboat Araguary, passing the
battery of Cuevas and drawing it.
Battle of Paso de Cuevas
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The 1st Lt. Fortunato Foster Vidal, secretary of the
Captain at sea Alvim, seeing the helm of the corvette Reberibe unusable by a bullet of paraguayas batteries, run to repair the demage; and under live fire, gives direction to the ship.
13.
Battle of Yatay
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In the Paraguayan war, the Battle of Yatai was fought on August 17,1865 between the troops of the Triple Alliance and the soldiers of Paraguay near Paso de los Libres, Corrientes, Argentina. The Battle of Yatai was the first major battle of the Paraguayan war. Following the decalaration of war by Paraguayan president/dictator Francisco Solano Lopez on Argentina, the primary focus of this invasion plan was the capture of Brazilian possessions, as this would prevent Brazilian expansion, a great concern of President Lopez. The other column would then capture Corrientes, distracting Argentine forces and this plan was later revised so that two-thirds of the assault force would attack Corrientes and later divert southeast and invade Uruguay. In response, an alliance was signed on May 1 among Argentina, Uruguay. Following the successful capture of Corrientes, Argentine Gen. Wenceslao Paunero launched a daring attack – on May 25 – that recaptured the city. However, given the numerical superiority of the enemy, he chose to evacuate the city. Only after having evacuated Corrientes did Paunero learn that the Paraguayans were making progress on the Uruguay River, Argentine President Bartolomé Mitre put Gen. Urquiza, governor of the province of Entre Ríos, in charge of facing the Paraguayan column. Urquiza called on his aid Paunero, who had retreated to Esquina and these forces were joined by a battalion of volunteers from Corrientes, led by Col. Desiderio Sosa, who had participated in the reconquest of Corrientes. Many future heroes of the History of Corrientes Province such as Santiago Baibiene, meanwhile, the naval Battle of Riachuelo took place. During the course of the battle the Imperial Brazilian fleet destroyed the Paraguayan squadron near the city of Corrientes and this loss prevented the Paraguayan column Paraná River from providing support to the forces on the Uruguay River. On May 5, after invading the province of Corrientes. Duarte took the city of Santo Tome Estigarribias forces followed up, the army then crossed the Uruguay River and entered the province of Rio Grande do Sul, Empire of Brazil. They left behind them the column of Duarte, with more than 3,000 soldiers to defend Uruguay, Estigarribia advanced unopposed to the south, taking on São Borja and Itaqui. In the meantime, Estigarribiass column was attacked and partially destroyed on the outskirts of São Borja, some of the Paraguayan forces were stationed in Sao Tome and São Borja while Duarte was heading south. Urquiza ordered Paunero to join him in Concordia, but the leader delayed the completion of Urquizas orders, on June 4 the troops of Urquiza, who refused to fight the Paraguayans on the grounds of being considered allies against Brazil, were disbanded. Uruguayan President Gen. Venancio Flores, fresh from his triumph over the party or blancos. In addition, the Brazilian forces, commanded by Lt. Col. Joaquim Rodrigues Coelho Nelly, at the first meeting Flores was given the Line Cavalry Regiment San Martín, with 450 men, plus the artillery squadron East with 140 men
Battle of Yatay
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Battle of Jataí (Yatay or Yataí)
Battle of Yatay
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Combat of São Borja (
July 10,
1865): 1º battalion of Brazilian volunteers defending their flag against the Paraguayans (according to a sketch of M. Mynssen).
Battle of Yatay
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Defeat of Paraguayans at Yatay.
Battle of Yatay
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Paraguayan soldiers, wounded prisoners of the Battle of Yatai.
14.
Siege of Uruguaiana
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After the allied victory at Uruguaiana, Lopéz withdrew his army from Argentina and Brazil. The Paraguayan Army had captured Uruguaiana at 5 August 1865, without any resistance, yet, following their defeat in the Battle of Yatay, the Paraguayans fortified Uruguayana with 8,000 men and an abattis. Col. Estigarribia faced the combined allied armies of Brazil, Argentina, on July 16, the Brazilian Army reached the border of Rio Grande do Sul and joined with President Mitres forces to surround Uruguaiana by Sept. The Brazilian Navy held the river with the steamers Taquary, Tramandahy, Onze de Junho, Iniciador, Uruguay, the years had not lessened Porto Alegres prejudice against Hispanic-Americans, on the contrary, his antagonism had increased. On 2 September, Flores suggested an attack on Uruguaiana, an option rejected by Porto Alegre and Joaquim Marques Lisboa. When Flores claimed that he could defeat the Paraguayan army alone, field Marshal Manuel Luís Osório was at the front of the Brazilian troops. Some of the troops, commanded by Lt. Gen. Manuel Marques de Sousa, baron of Porto Alegre, left to reinforce Uruguaiana. The allied troops united under Emperor Pedro II of Brazil, the Count dEu, since his arrival in Uruguaiana, Mitre had claimed the position of commander-in-chief of all allied forces participating in the siege—a precedence which Porto Alegre vehemently refused to recognize. He reminded the Argentine president that, according to the Treaty of the Triple Alliance, the dispute was temporarily forgotten when Pedro II arrived at the front. The Brazilian monarch settled the dispute when, at his suggestion, a call for Uruguayana to surrender was ignored on 4 Sept. The allied forces of the siege counted on 17,346 combatants and 12,393 Brazilians, Argentine 3,802 and 1,220 Uruguayans, the surrender came on September 18 when Estigarribias men had exhausted all food except sugar. President Lopez evacuated Corrientes in order to defend Paraguays frontier, Gen. Resquin commanded the evacuation, taking over 100,000 head of cattle and other livestock across the Paraguay River at Paso de la Patria from 31 Oct. until 3 Nov
Siege of Uruguaiana
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Siege of Uruguaiana
Siege of Uruguaiana
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Paraguayan surrender at Uruguaiana.
Siege of Uruguaiana
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Capitulation of Paraguayans locked in the city of Uruguayana (
L'Illustration: journal universel, Vol. XLVII, nº 1.197, 03/02/1866).
15.
Battle of Estero Bellaco
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This battle took place on 2 May 1866, in which the Allied army repulsed a surprise Paraguayan attack. On 16 April 1866, Allied troops under the command of Marshal Osorio, crossed the River Paraguay and attacked Fort Itapirú, by the 23rd, the Paraguayans had retreated behind the great marsh of Estero Bellaco. Flores forces included, the Brazilian 5th, 7th, 3rd, 16th, 21st and 38th Voluntarios da Patria, the Uruguayan 24 de Abril, Florida, Independencia and Libertad, nearby was the main Allied army camped north of Paso la Patria. On 2 May 1866, President Lopez sent 4,500 Paraguayan infantry against this Allied vanguard, the surprise attack started at 1130, the Paraguayans soon overwhelming the Brazilians and Uruguayans, and capturing the Allied artillery. It took the main Allied army, arriving an hour later, gen. Flores wrote his wife, In the future my vanguard will be composed of Argentines. This estuary is located in the Ñeembucú Department, Paraguay, bordering the river of the same name
Battle of Estero Bellaco
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Detail from a painting by
Cándido López
Battle of Estero Bellaco
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Combat of 2 May 1866 at Estero Bellaco: Attack of the vanguard of the Allied Army by the Division of the paraguayan Lieutenant-Colonel Don
José E. Díaz.
Battle of Estero Bellaco
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Battle of Estero Bellaco,
2 May 1866 (
L'Illustration: journal universel, Vol. XLVIII, nº 1.227, 1º/09/1866).
16.
Battle of Curupayty
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The Battle of Curupayty was a key battle in the Paraguayan War. On the morning of September 22,1866, the joint force of Brazilian, Argentine, the Paraguayans were led by General José E. Díaz. This position was held by 5,000 men and 49 cannons, the navys failure was crucial at the later ground battle result. The Paraguayans were also successful in misleading their foes, a trench drew most of the Brazilian fire, around 20 percent of the almost 20,000 allied troops involved in the attack were lost, Paraguay lost less than a hundred men. The utter failure resulted in the change of the Allied command, ultimately, the battle of Curupayty was merely a sidenote and temporary success in what would eventually become a near-extermination of the Paraguayan people. The 22 September attack started with a bombardment by Admiral Joaquim Marques Lisboa, Marquis of Tamandaré s fleet at 07,00 which lasted until noon, but with little effect. Participating in the attack were the ships Brasil, Barroso, Tamandare, Ipiranga, Belmonte, Parnaiba, Pedro Affonso, Forte de Coimbra, despite the firing of 5,000 bombs and shells, only one Paraguayan gun was damaged. Bartolomé Mitre warned that the Imperial fleet had finished his cannonade and assuming that the Paraguayan positions were to be destroyed, the right wing was composed of two columns of Argentinians, under the command of Gen. Emilio Mitre and Gen. Wenceslao Paunero. The left wing was composed of two columns of Brazilians under the command of Gen. Albino de Carvalho and Col. Augusto Caldas, the center Brazilians were commanded by Col. Lucas de Lima. Gen. Polidoro Jordão was to attack the Paraguayan defenses at Paso Gomez, along the Estero Rojas, Gen. Venancio Flores was to take a cavalry force in a flanking movement against the Paraguayans on the Allied right. This inflicted heavy casualties amongst the Allied troops who were advancing in dense formations through the muddy terrain. Allied soldiers could not get close to the wall of the Paraguayan fort, with only 60 making it, by 14,00, the attack was abandoned, and by 17,00, the Allied army was back in Curuzu. The Allied offensive was halted for ten months, until July 1867, cholera epidemics struck the area in March 1866 and September 1867. Open revolt against the war started in Argentina by January 1867, disturbances in Uruguay forced the recall of Gen. Flores, who was subsequently assassinated. Latin Americas Wars, The Age of the Caudillo, 1791–1899
Battle of Curupayty
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Paraguayan artillery firing at allied forces. Painting by
Cándido López
Battle of Curupayty
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Cándido Lopez, Trinchera de Curupaytí
17.
Pikysyry maneuver
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Just to the north were the batteries of Angostura, protecting the River Paraguay. Marshal Caxias decided to attack from the Paraguayan rear by constructing a 10.7 km road on the Chaco side of the river starting at Santa Theresa. On 11 Oct.1868,1,122 men under the command of Lt. Col. Antonio Tuburcio landed near Santa Theresa on the west side of the Paraguay River. An additional 2,925 infantry,327 pontoniers,198 artillermen and 94 cavalry were landed, the road was constructed of palm tree trunks. On 27 Nov. Marshal Caxias moved his headquarters to the Chaco side of the river, by early Dec. the road had been completed to Santa Helena and 19,000 Allied troops were ready to cross over to San Antonio. After the successful Battle_of_Ytororó and Battle of Avay, the Allied army was ready to capture the Paraguayan defenses at Pikysyry. A column of 2,700 men under Gen. João Manuel Mena Barreto mounted a flanking movement while troops under Gen. Gelly y Obes made a feint to the front. The 21 Dec. attack was a surprise to the Paraguayans. Some 500 Paraguayans escaped to Angostura and another 200 to Lomas Valentinas
Pikysyry maneuver
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Passagem do Chaco, oil on canvas by Pedro Américo
Pikysyry maneuver
–
War in Parguay: Engagement at
Chaco (
Harper's Weekly: A Journal of Civilization, Vol. XII, nº 617, 24/10/1868).
18.
Battle of Avay
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The Battle of Avaí was fought by the stream of the same name in Paraguayan territory in December 1868 during the Paraguayan War, between the forces the Triple Alliance and the Paraguay. Advancing after the Battle of Ytororó, the Allied force made for Villeta, the Allied advance stopped where the road crossed the stream Avay. Caxias also had available the Cavalry Divisions, including the 1st under Gen. Joao Manuel Mena Barreto, the 5th under Col. Jose Antonio Correa da Camara, the battle began at noon and lasted for five hours. The flanking attacks by the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Cavalry Divisions into the Paraguayan rear made escape impossible, with the total defeat of Gen. Caballeros force, Marshal Caxias reached Villeta. The Paraguayan survivors, less than 50, retreated for Lomas Valentinas, there President Lopez has assembled 3,000 troops, plus another 2,000 at Pikysyry and 700 at Angostura. President Lopez ordered the evacuation of Asuncion to the capital of Piribebuy
Battle of Avay
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Battle of Avay, oil on canvas,
Pedro Américo over the last few episodes of
war with Paraguay, which occurred on December 11, 1868. (
National Museum of Fine Arts Rio de Janeiro.)
Battle of Avay
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General Osório, although wounded in the left lower jaw by a rifle bullet, continues to fight.
19.
Battle of Lomas Valentinas
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The Battle of Lomas Valentinas was fought in the Central Department of Paraguay on December 21–27,1868. The Paraguayan Army, led personally by President Francisco Solano Lopez, were decisively defeated, on December 30,1868, the Paraguayan garrison at Angostura, with 1,907 men, surrendered to the Allies. Marshal Caxias had left Villeta at 02,00 on the 21st, the hill was taken by sundown. On the 22 Dec. Argentine and Uruguay troops advanced towards Lomas Auxilio, Marshal Caxias spent the 23rd reorganizing his battalions. On the 24th, Marshal Caxias demanded the surrender of Lopez, the Allied assault commended again with dawn on the 25th and the 26th. The Paraguayan defenses were taken on the 27th. Lopez made his escape with the Acavera cavalry acting as his escort, resquín and Bernardino Caballero also escaped. This meant the war would continue
Battle of Lomas Valentinas
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Battle of Lomas Valentinas
Battle of Lomas Valentinas
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Charge of the argentine infantary at Lomas Valentinas.
20.
Campaign of the Hills
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The Campaign of the Hills was the last campaign of the Paraguayan War, lasting from July 1869 to the end of the war on March 1,1870. The Paraguayans were completely defeated by the Allies, brazilian writer Alfredo dEscragnolle Taunay, Viscount of Taunay took part in the campaign and later wrote about it. At least 5,000 Paraguayans were killed during this campaign, after the occupation of the Paraguayan capital, Asunción, by the allies, Marshal Luis Alves de Lima e Silva, Duke of Caxias considered the Paraguayan War to be ended with Allied victory. The marshal asked to be relieved of command on 12 Jan.1869, on 16 April 1869, Prince Gaston, Count of Eu took command of the Allied Army Headquarters in Luque, two days after his arrival in Asunción. Since Paraguayan President López refused to surrender, the Allies installed a triumvirate, cirilo Antonio Rivarola, a political opponent of López, as temporary President in occupied Asunción, and decided to continue the war. López decided to resist in Allies in the region of Northeastern Paraguay. López organized a force of 9,000 men and boys from his headquarters in Cerro León, díaz Gavier, Mario, En tres meses en Asunción, Ed. del Boulevard, Rosario, Argentina,2005. ISBN 987-556-118-5 Doratioto, Francisco, Maldita Guerra, nueva Historia de la Guerra del Paraguay, Ed. Emecé, Sao Paulo/Buenos Aires,2008, pág, ISBN 978-950-04-2574-2 León Pomer, La guerra del Paraguay, Ed. ISBN 978-9505638536 Rosa, José María, La guerra del Paraguay y las montoneras argentinas, ISBN 950-614-362-5 Ruiz Moreno, Isidoro J. Campañas militares argentinas, Tomo IV, Ed. ISBN 978-950-620-257-6 Zenequelli, Lilia, Crónica de una guerra, La Triple Alianza, ISBN 987-9123-36-0 «La Guerra del Paraguay », en LaGazeta. com. ar. «La Guerra del Paraguay», en ElOrtiba. org, «La guerra de la Triple Alianza en la literatura paraguaya», en NuevoMundo. revues. org. Fotos de la guerra de 1870, en Meucat. com, «La Guerra de la Triple Alianza», en ElHistoriador. com. ar. «La guerra del Paraguay», en Temakel. com, «South American Military History», en Reocities. com. Mapa de la Guerra de la Triple Alianza
Campaign of the Hills
–
The
Count of Eu and his
military staff.
21.
Battle of Piribebuy
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The Battle of Piribebuy was fought on August 12,1869 in the Paraguayan town of Piribebuy, which was then serving as a temporary capital of the Paraguayan government. The town refused two peace envoys, calling for surrender, sent by the Conde dEu, at 0400, the Brazilian batteries surrounding the town started a bombardment which lasted until 0800, when the infantry charged. Gen. Jao Manuel Mena Barreto was mortally wounded leading a cavalry charge, the battle lasted 5 hours, with the Allies, who had overwhelming numerical advantage, capturing the town. The towns hospital was burned and official documents were lost in the resulting fire, crónicas de la guerra de 1864-1870
Battle of Piribebuy
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Sketch of the town of
Piribebuy.
Battle of Piribebuy
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