The Paraguayan War 1864-70 The TripleAlliance at Stake in la Plata : The Triple Alliance at Stake in la Plata

The Paraguayan War, also known as the War of the Triple Alliance, was the largest and most important military conflict in the history of South America, after the Wars of Independence, and its only true 'continental' war. It involved four countries and lasted for more than five years, during which Paraguay fought alone against a powerful alliance formed by Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. This conflict was remarkable in its huge scale and its terrible cost in lives, with the catastrophic human price paid by Paraguay amounting to more than 300,000 men, a loss of some 70% of the country's total population. The war was a real revolution for the armies of South America, and the first truly modern conflict of the continent. When the war began in 1864, the armies were small, poorly trained and badly equipped semi-professional forces. However, by the time the war ended, most of them had adopted percussion rifles employing the Minié system and new weapons like breech-loading rifles and Gatling machine guns were being tested on the continent for the first time. This title covers the whole span of the war, from the early days when the conflict primarily involved small columns of a few thousand men seeking each other out in rugged and sparsely inhabited territory, through to the later Napoleonic-style positional battles fought at points of strategic importance. It also explores the unique challenges presented by the humid, subtropical climate, including the devastating impact of disease on the troops. This highly illustrated study examines, in detail, the brutal Paraguayan War of 1864--70, one of the largest and bloodiest conflicts in South American history. The Paraguayan War, also known as the War of the Triple Alliance, was the largest and most important military conflict in the history of South America, after the Wars of Independence, and its only true continental war. It involved four countries and lasted for more than five years, during which Paraguay fought alone against a powerful alliance formed by Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. This conflict was remarkable in its huge scale and its terrible cost in lives, with the catastrophic human price paid by Paraguay amounting to more than 300,000 men, a loss of some 70 percent of the country's total population. The war was a real revolution for the armies of South America, and the first truly modern conflict of the continent. When the war began in 1864, the armies were small, poorly trained, and badly equipped semi-professional forces. However, by the time the war ended, most of them had adopted percussion rifles employing the Mini system and new weapons like breech-loading rifles and Gatling machine guns were being tested for the first time on the continent. This title covers the whole span of the war, from when the early days the conflict primarily involved small columns of a few thousand men seeking each other out in rugged and sparsely inhabited territory, through to the later Napoleonic-style positional battles fought at points of strategic importance. It also explores the unique challenges presented by the humid, subtropical climate, including the devastating impact of disease on the troops. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 3 Origins Of The Campaign......Page 4 The Strategic Context......Page 6 Chronology......Page 16 Paraguayan......Page 19 Triple Alliance......Page 21 Paraguayan......Page 25 Triple Alliance......Page 27 The Opposing Navies......Page 32 Paraguayan......Page 34 Triple Alliance......Page 35 Brazil Intervenes In Uruguay, 1864......Page 36 Paraguay Invades Mato Grosso......Page 37 The Paraguayan Occupation Of Corrientes, 1865......Page 38 The Battle Of The Riachuelo, June 11, 1865......Page 41 Yatay And Uruguayana, August–September, 1865......Page 45 The Alliance Advance On Paraguay, 1866......Page 46 The Battle Of Estero Bellaco, May 2, 1866......Page 51 Order Of Battle, Tuyutí......Page 55 The First Battle Of Tuyutí, May 24, 1866......Page 57 The Battle Of Boquerón Del Sauce, July 1866......Page 65 The Battles Of Curuzú And Curupaytí, September 1866......Page 67 Orders Of Battle, Curupaytí, September 22, 1866......Page 72 The Long Stalemate, September 1866–July 1867......Page 76 The Second Battle Of Tuyutí, And The Fall Of Humaitá......Page 78 The Pikysyry Maneuver, And The Beginning Of The Dezembrada, 1868......Page 82 The Battles Of Avay And Lomas Valentinas......Page 84 The Hills Campaign, And The Death Of López, 1869–70......Page 86 Aftermath......Page 89 The Battlefield Today......Page 92 Bibliography And Further Reading......Page 94 Index......Page 95 Imprint......Page 97 Cover 1 Contents 3 Origins Of The Campaign 4 The Strategic Context 6 Chronology 16 Opposing Commanders 19 Paraguayan 19 Triple Alliance 21 Opposing Forces 25 Paraguayan 25 Triple Alliance 27 The Opposing Navies 32 Opposing Plans 34 Paraguayan 34 Triple Alliance 35 The Campaign 36 Brazil Intervenes In Uruguay, 1864 36 Paraguay Invades Mato Grosso 37 The Paraguayan Occupation Of Corrientes, 1865 38 The Battle Of The Riachuelo, June 11, 1865 41 Yatay And Uruguayana, August–September, 1865 45 The Alliance Advance On Paraguay, 1866 46 The Battle Of Estero Bellaco, May 2, 1866 51 Order Of Battle, Tuyutí 55 The First Battle Of Tuyutí, May 24, 1866 57 The Battle Of Boquerón Del Sauce, July 1866 65 The Battles Of Curuzú And Curupaytí, September 1866 67 Orders Of Battle, Curupaytí, September 22, 1866 72 The Long Stalemate, September 1866–July 1867 76 The Second Battle Of Tuyutí, And The Fall Of Humaitá 78 The Pikysyry Maneuver, And The Beginning Of The Dezembrada, 1868 82 The Battles Of Avay And Lomas Valentinas 84 The Hills Campaign, And The Death Of López, 1869–70 86 Aftermath 89 The Battlefield Today 92 Bibliography And Further Reading 94 Index 95 Imprint 97 Gabriele Esposito ; Illustrated By Giuseppe Rava ; Associate Editor, Nikolai Bogdanovic. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.