Chaco War

Chaco War
Part of the interwar period

Map of the Chaco War, showing important forts, military outposts, cities, and the Paraguayan advance to the west
Date9 September 1932 – 12 June 1935
(2 years, 9 months and 3 days)
Location
Chaco Boreal, South America
Result Paraguayan victory[6]
Territorial
changes		 Most of the disputed area awarded to Paraguay
Belligerents

 Paraguay

Supported by:

 Bolivia

Supported by:
Commanders and leaders
Strength
150,000[7] 210,000[7]
Casualties and losses
  • 50,000–80,000 killed
  • 40,000 wounded
  • 21,000 captured[11][12][10]

The Chaco War (Spanish: Guerra del Chaco, Guarani: Cháko Ñorairõ[13]) was fought from 1932 to 1935 between Bolivia and Paraguay, over the control of the northern part of the Gran Chaco region (known in Spanish as Chaco Boreal) of South America, which was thought to be rich in oil. The war is also referred to as La Guerra de la Sed (Spanish for "The War of Thirst") in literary circles since it was fought in the semi-arid Chaco. The bloodiest interstate military conflict fought in South America in the 20th century, it was fought between two of its poorest countries, both of which had lost territory to neighbours in 19th-century wars.

During the war, both landlocked countries faced difficulties shipping arms and supplies through neighbouring countries. Bolivia, in particular, faced external trade problems and poor internal communications. Although Bolivia had lucrative mining income and a larger and better-equipped army, a series of factors turned the tide against it, and Paraguay controlled most of the disputed zone when the war had ended.

The peace treaties ultimately granted two-thirds of the disputed territories to Paraguay.

  1. ^ Abente, Diego. 1988. Constraints and Opportunities: Prospects for Democratization in Paraguay. Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs.
  2. ^ La ayuda argentina al Paraguay en la guerra del Chaco, Todo es Historia magazine, n° 206. julio de 1984, pág. 84 (in Spanish)
  3. ^ Atkins, G. Pope (1997) Encyclopedia of the Inter-American System. Greenwood Publishing Group, p. 71. ISBN 0313286000
  4. ^ The Gran Chaco War: Fighting for Mirages in the Foothills of the Andes, article from Chandelle Magazine availeable at The World at War site.
  5. ^ Baďura, Bohumil (2006) Československé zbraně a diplomacie ve válce o Gran Chaco, p. 35.
  6. ^ Hughes, Matthew (April 2005). "Logistics and the Chaco War Bolivia versus Paraguay, 1932–1935". The Journal of Military History. 69 (2): 411–437. doi:10.1353/jmh.2005.0104. S2CID 163055852.
  7. ^ a b Victimario Histórico Militar DE RE MILITARI
  8. ^ Marley, David, Wars of the Americas (1998)
  9. ^ Dictionary of Twentieth Century World History, by Jan Palmowski (Oxford, 1997)
  10. ^ a b Sienra Zabala, Roberto (2010). Síntesis de la Guerra del Cjhaco. Francisco Aquino Zavala, Concepción (in Spanish)
  11. ^ Bruce Farcau, The Chaco War (1991)
  12. ^ Singer, Joel David, The Wages of War. 1816–1965 (1972)
  13. ^ Mombe’uhára Paraguái ha Boliviaygua Jotopa III, Cháko Ñorairõ rehegua. Secretaría Nacional de Cultura de Paraguay