The bloodiest and most murderous war of the second half of the 19th century century It was not the war of the North against the South in the USA of 1861-1865, or the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-1871. or Russian-Turkish 1877-1878, and war of the Triple Alliance (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay) against Paraguay in 1864-1870.
During this war adult male population of Paraguay - most economically developed country in South America of that time - subjected almost total destruction. The Paraguayan economy was then thrown back 100 years, and industry completely disappeared.
The Paraguayan dictator who started the war Francisco Lopez Solano during the years of his reign he raised his country to unprecedented high level development, and actually tried to build there - in the middle of the 19th century (!) - some semblance of a “socialist” society.
Francisco Solano Lopez (1827-1870)
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The pre-war development of Paraguay differed significantly from the development of neighboring states. Under the rule of José Francia and Carlos Antonio López, the country developed almost in isolation from the rest of the countries in the region. The leadership of Paraguay supported the course of building a self-sufficient, autonomous economy. The Lopez regime (in 1862, Carlos Antonio Lopez was replaced as president by his son Francisco Solano Lopez) was characterized by strict centralization, which left no room for the development of civil society.
Most of the land (about 98%) was in the hands of the state. The so-called “Motherland estates” were created - 64 government-managed farms, actually “state farms”. More than 200 foreign specialists invited to the country laid telegraph lines and railways, which contributed to the development of the steel, textile, paper, printing industries, shipbuilding and gunpowder production.
Government completely controlled exports. The main goods exported from the country were valuable species of quebracho wood and mate tea. State policy was strictly protectionist; imports were actually blocked high customs duties. Unlike neighboring countries, Paraguay did not take out external loans.
Francisco Solano Lopez also started systematic rearmament of the Paraguayan army, by the way, with the support of the then US President Abraham Lincoln. The latter promised him a lot of modern weapons, in particular, the famous multi-stemmed mitrailleuses, known to Russian audiences from Edward Zwig’s costume-adventure film “The Last Samurai” (2003). The artillery factory, built in 1851, mass-produced cannons and mortars. In France, the Lopez government ordered several modern river artillery monitors - specifically for operations on the Parana, Paraguay, etc. rivers.
The immediate cause of the war was Brazil's aggression against neighboring Uruguay in October 1864. Taking advantage of this, Francisco Lopez Solano decided to satisfy his territorial claims to Brazil, as well as gain access to the ocean. AND at the end of 1864 declared war on Brazil. The latter managed to drag Argentina and Uruguay, which was practically controlled by it, into the conflict the following year.
During the first year of hostilities, the Paraguayans, whose morale and military training surpassed the enemy, managed to capture vast territories from Brazil and Argentina: the provinces of Mato Grosso and Corrientes.
However plans of Fr. Lopez came into conflict with the interests of an influential banking house Rothschilds , who financed the Brazilian armed forces and actually sponsored the invasion of the Triple Alliance army (in reality, mainly Brazilian and Argentinean) into little Paraguay.
Now let’s give the floor to professional historians:
“On November 12, 1864, the Paraguayan ship Tacuari, near Asuncion, captured as a prize the Brazilian merchant ship Marques de Olinda, heading to the Brazilian province of Mato Grosso with a new governor, a cargo of gold and military equipment on board. "Tacuari" was recently in Europe. She was one of two ships in the Paraguayan fleet converted for military service, but until now the ship had been used exclusively as a merchant vessel, carrying goods to and from Europe.
A number of sources estimate Paraguay's population of 1,400,000, the figure seems more likely 1 350 000 . Uruguay's population was approximately half that size. Argentina And Brazil by the time the war began, they had accordingly 1,800,000 and 2,500,000 people population. Paraguay put under arms 100,000 people, and it appears that up to 300,000 men and women were employed in the auxiliary services. Later many women were also forced to take part in the fighting.
Brazil started the war with an army of approximately 30,000, at the end of the war bringing this figure to 90,000. Severely weakened by long-term civil wars, Argentina had a small army that had best times number up to approximately 30,000 people. Uruguay's troops numbered a maximum of 3,000.
Besides, approximately 10,000 Paraguayans took part in the war against Lopez. These were unreliable elements expelled from the country, as well as deserters and prisoners of Paraguayan prisons released by the Allies. They all also contributed to the victory over Lopez.
Lopez built two strong fortresses: Yumaita on the Paraguay River and Paso de Patria on the Parana River. But their numerous weapons were mostly outdated, consisting of muzzle-loading guns. Paraguay ordered large quantities of the latest weapons from Europe, but managed to obtain only a few of them before the start of the war.
While the regular army was well equipped with modern rifles, recruits of later conscriptions were often armed with only clubs, knives or bows and arrows. The Paraguayan fleet was small and also poorly armed. It counted in its composition 12-20 river screw or paddle steamers. But, ultimately, being equipped mainly with sailing ships, barges or chatos (without any mechanical drive) and often even a canoe could be considered military - their purpose was to moor to an enemy ship in order to crush it with their crew during boarding battle.
Lopez also ordered five battleships from Europe: three turret-based and two battery-powered. After the announcement blockade of Paraguay shipbuilders began to energetically search for a new customer, which was Brazil... Thus, without meaning to, Lopez significantly strengthened the Navy of his enemy...”
After the first successes of the Paraguayan troops on land and at sea, they began to suffer defeats from a greatly outnumbered enemy. June 11, 1865 occurred between the fleets of the parties Battle of Riachuelo(on the La Plata River), during which the Paraguayan flotilla was completely destroyed by the Brazilians. Having lost the river fleet, Lopez lost the main channels for the supply of ammunition and food for the army, which further aggravated his situation.
Battle of Riachuello. Painting by V. Meirellis.
It is an indisputable fact that murder American President Lincoln, who supported Francisco Lopez Solano, April 15, 1865 in a suspicious manner coincided with the turning point in the Paraguayan War in favor of the Triple Alliance. By the way, river monitors ordered in Europe were also not delivered to Paraguay, and most of them were purchased by the Brazilians.
The systematic invasion of Paraguay by the Triple Alliance began in 1866, and immediately met fierce resistance from not only the military, but also the local population. May 24, 1866 in the Tuiyuti swamps happened the largest in the history of South America in the 19th century. general battle, in which, at the cost of huge losses, the Allies managed to defeat the Paraguayans and launch an attack on their capital, Asuncion.
Included in military history textbooks successful defense of the Kurupaiti artillery battery on the approaches to the Paraguayan fortress of Umaite September 22, 1866, when about 5,000 of the 20,000 advancing Brazilian and Argentine soldiers died.
Defense of Kurupaiti. Painting by Candido Lopez.
However long time Paraguay, which did not receive any outside help, was drained of blood, and by the end of 1869 it was unable to provide serious resistance to the constantly increasing Allied forces. IN Battle of Avai December 11, 1869 Paraguay's regular army virtually ceased to exist.
After the death of a significant number of adult Paraguayan men, even women and children were drafted into the Paraguayan army. August 16, 1869 at the Battle of Acosta New 3,500 children and teenagers from 9 to 15 years old fought - out of a total Paraguayan force of 6,000 people. Eyewitnesses - Brazilian officers and journalists - describe violent attacks by Paraguayan women and teenagers, armed only with pikes and machetes, on the ranks of the regular Brazilian army. In memory of the heroism of the Paraguayan militia children, every year on August 16th Paraguay celebrates Children's Day.
Episode from the Battle of Acosta New.
The heroic resistance of the local population led to massive punitive operations by the Brazilians and their allies, during which most of the country's populated areas were simply depopulated. Several thousand government soldiers, militias and refugees continued guerrilla warfare in the mountains.
Site of the last clash between the Paraguayans and the allied armies of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay May 1, 1870. became a river Aquidaban. Francisco Lopez Solano with a small detachment of Paraguayans of 200 people. and 5,000 local Indians met the allies under the command of the Brazilian General Camera and after a bloody battle in which both Lopez himself and Vice President Sanchez were killed, his army was completely destroyed.
“The Brazilians wanted to catch Lopez alive, until finally his detachment was pressed against a narrow strip of land near Aquidaban River.
The “hated tyrant” Francisco Solano Lopez behaved heroically and expressed the will of the people, calling for the defense of the homeland; The Paraguayan people, who had not known war for half a century, fought under his banner for life and death. Men and women, children and old people - everyone fought like lions.
On March 15, 1870, Lopez led his army (about 5,000-7,000 people), already looking like a host of ghosts - old men and boys who put on false beards to appear older to their enemies from afar - into the depths of the jungle. The invaders, ready to slaughter everyone, stormed the ruins of Asuncion. Lopez tried to cross it, but the banks of the river were so swampy that his horse was powerless. Then he rushed back to the right bank, where the units of the Brazilian general Camarra were already stationed.
Refusing to surrender, while attempting to shoot Camarra, Lopez was wounded by the pike of a nearby Brazilian soldier. The wound was not fatal - the lance hit the knee. But at this time an unexpected shot was heard from the Brazilian side, but more likely from Paraguayan, who finished him off on the spot...
Before his death he exclaimed: “I am dying along with my homeland!” It was the honest truth. Paraguay died with him. Shortly before this, Lopez ordered the shooting of his own brother and the bishop, who walked with him in this caravan of death, so that they would not fall into the hands of the enemies.
Around this same time, Eliza Lynch and her squad were also surrounded by the Brazilians. Her eldest son Pancho (from Lopez) resisted, rushing to the attack, and was killed. Taken under the protection of the Brazilians, she was able to safely go into exile in Europe. despite the demand of the new Paraguayan government, formed from emigrants, to extradite her».
Monument to Elizabeth Lynch (1835-1886), Irish girlfriend of Francisco Lopez in Asuncion.
Thus, Francisco Lopez Solano died heroically in battle without ever surrendering to the enemy. His death strongly reminiscent of the death of the Libyan leader, who, like him, also tried to build in his country a highly developed economy independent of foreign powers.
The result of the war was the complete defeat of Paraguay and the loss of 90% of the adult male population. Last thing from 1,350,000 people on the eve of the war (the more “scientific” figure of 525,000 people is also called) decreased to 221,000 after it (1871), and only 28,000 of the latter were adult men.
Paraguayan War 1864-1870 is also interesting because it practically remained “unknown” to civilized Europeans. Even Russian newspapers They wrote about her extremely sparingly. The question immediately arises, Was it not the Rothschilds who financed the European press at that time?, engaged primarily in covering the American Civil War of 1861-1865. and the Polish uprising of 1863-1864?
The French capsule gun of the mid-19th century is the most advanced weapon of the Brazilian army. The Paraguayans made do mostly with flintlocks...
Well, now I give the floor again specialist historian:
“Brazil paid dearly for the victory. The war was actually financed by loans from the Bank of London and banking houses of the Baring brothers and N. M. Rothschild and sons".
In five years Brazil spent twice more funds than received, which caused the financial crisis. Paying off significantly increased public debt negatively affected the country's economy for several decades.
There is an opinion that a long war is in the future contributed to the fall of the monarchy in Brazil; In addition, there are also assumptions that she was one of the reasons for the abolition of slavery (in 1888).
The Brazilian army gained new importance as a political force; United by the war and based on the emerging traditions, it will play a significant role in the later history of the country.
In Argentina, the war led to economic modernization; for several decades it turned into the most prosperous country Latin America, and the annexed territories made it the strongest state in the La Plata basin.
Britain was in fact the only country to benefit from the Paraguayan War. In Great Britain, Both Brazil and Argentina borrowed huge sums, payment of some of which continues to this day(Brazil paid off all British loans under Getúlio Vargas).
As for Uruguay, neither Argentina nor Brazil interfered so actively in its politics. The Uruguayan Party of Colorado gained power in the country and ruled until 1958...
Most of the Paraguayan villages devastated by the war were abandoned, and their surviving inhabitants moved to the vicinity of Asuncion. These settlements are in the central part of the country practically switched to subsistence farming; a significant part of the land was bought up by foreigners, mainly Argentines, and turned into estates.
Paraguayan industry was destroyed, the country's market was open to UK goods, and the government (for the first time in the history of Paraguay) took external loan of £1 million.
Paraguay also had to pay an indemnity (it was never paid), and remained occupied until 1876.
To this day, the war remains a controversial topic - especially in Paraguay, where it is perceived as a fearless attempt by a small people to defend their rights - or as suicidal, self-defeating struggle against a superior enemy, which almost completely destroyed the nation...
In modern Russian journalism, the Paraguayan War is also perceived extremely ambiguously. Wherein the views of the authors of the articles play a key role, while events of the war are used to illustrate these views.
Thus, Paraguay of that time can be represented as predecessor totalitarian regimes XX century, A war - as a criminal consequence of the aggressive policy of this regime.
In another, directly opposite version, the regime of France and the Lopezes looks like a successful attempt to create an economy independent of its neighbors and the then world leader - Great Britain. War, according to this point of view, is nothing more than deliberate genocide of a small people who dared challenge the most powerful power in the world and the imperialist system of the world as a whole.
The results of the war for a long time eliminated Paraguay from the list of states that have at least some weight in international affairs. It took the country decades to recover from chaos and demographic imbalance. Even today, the consequences of the war have not been completely overcome - Paraguay still remains one of the poorest countries in Latin America...»
PARAGUAYAN WAR 1864-1870 - war in Brazil, Uruguay and Ar-gen-ti-na (the so-called Troy-st-ven-no-go union) against Pa-ra-guay.
Its on-cha-lu is preceded by the invasion of the Brazilian army in Uruguay with the aim of receiving compensation for the damage, as -used to be under Brazilian rule in the 1850s during the country's civil war. The Government of Uruguay for help to the Paraguayan President F.S. Lo-pe-su.
Pa-ra-guay, for-in-te-re-so-van-ny in the co-preservation of the state su-ve-re-ni-te-ta Uruguay, through ter-ri- Somehow he had access to the Atlantic Ocean and declared his support for Uruguay. The Brazilian army is ok-ku-pi-ro-va-la Urug-vai and you-well-di-la him with the ant-ti-pa-ra-guayan koa- li-tion, which also includes Ar-gen-ti-na. Coa-li-tsia pla-ni-ro-va-la to overthrow the government of Lo-pe-sa and sell off part of the territory of Pa-ra-guay . In December 1864, Lopes, having learned about the impending invasion of coalition troops, moved 10 thousand (according to other sources, 7, 5-thousandth) army through the Para-Raguayan-Brazilian border and occupied the southern regions of the Brazilian province of Ma-to-Gros-su, thus bezo-pa-siv se -were the country from the invasion. One day in the re-zul-ta-te po-ra-zhe-niya of the Pa-ragvi es-kad-ry from the Brazilian fleet on the Pa-ra-na river in July 1865 Pa-ra- Guai found himself separated from the outside world.
In August 1865, the Brazilian city of Uruguay was invaded by the Brazilian city of Uruguay, but by September the 8,000-strong Para Guayan army was ok -at the 30-thousandth ar-mi-ey against-tiv-ni-ka and after fierce battles ka-pi-tu-li-ro-va-la (in About 5 thousand people were captured). In May 1866, coalition troops (50 thousand people) invaded the territory of Pa-ra-guay and the wasp-di-li fortress of Umai-ta, which is paradise on -la in August 1868. From the st-fallen Pa-Raguayan army in December 1868, the ter-pe-la on the Pi-ki-si-ri River, and in January 1869, the Koa army -li-tion for-hva-ti-li hundred-li-tsu Pa-ra-guay city of Asun-s-on. Lo-pes led the rest of his troops to the mountainous regions of Kor-dil-er and launched a par-ti-zan action. By the middle of 1869, he increased the number of the army to 13 thousand people, filling it with 12-15 years of age under-ro-st-ka-mi and in- dey-tsa-mi, one day in av-gu-ste she was-la thunder-le-na near Kuru-gu-ati. The Par-ti-zan period of war lasted until 1870. The country's human resources have been exhausted. A small detachment of Lo-pe-sa on March 1, 1870 was overtaken by Brazilian troops in the Ser-ro-Ko-ra mountains and was defeated on the bank rivers Aki-da-ba-na, Lo-pes po-gib.
The main reason for the rise of Pa-ra-guay was the numerical and technical superiority of the coalition army (what way -st-vo-va-la fi-nan-so-vaya and technical assistance from Ve-li-ko-bri-ta-nii). In collaboration with the world to-go-ra-mi with Bra-zi-li-ey (1872) and Ar-gen-ti-noy (1876) from Pa-ra-guay was from-trading-well-ta almost 1/2 ter-ri-to-rii, the Brazilian occupation troops were in the country before 1876. Voi-na had ka-ta-st-ro-fi-fiche-st-viya for Pa-ra-guay: more per-lo-vi-ny na-se-le- niya and up to 90% of men aged over 16 years (the majority were women and children), the revenue portion of the budget from -crumbled to 2 million gua-ra-ni (in 1857 - 13 million), industry was destroyed, a significant part of the land (most of the Para-Raguayan villages) re-ven was-la po-ki-nu-ta) sku-p-le-na foreign-country-tsa-mi (mainly ar-gen-tin-tsa-mi) and others. The total number of the army of the an-ti-pa-ra-guai-coa-li-tion is over 190 thousand people. In Brazil and Argentina, as a result of the Paraguayan War, huge public debts arose to foreign (mainly British) banks, which you paid only in the middle of the 20th century.
Paraguayan War of 1864-1870, war of conquest by Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay against Paraguay. Directly cause of P. v. was the invasion of Uruguay by the Brazilian army under the pretext of forcing it to pay compensation for damage allegedly caused in the middle. 50s Brazilian nationals during citizenship. war in Uruguay. With the beginning of the intervention, the government of Uruguay turned to Paraguay for help. Paraguay, interested in preserving the state. sovereignty of Uruguay, through ter. which he had access to the Atlantic coast. ok., declared his support for Uruguay in the hope of a peaceful resolution of the Brazilian-Uruguayan conflict. However, the Brazilian army continued its intervention, occupied Uruguay and forced it to join the anti-Paraguayan coalition, which included Argentina and Brazil. The coalition hoped to overthrow the government of Paraguay, headed by President F. Lopez, who actively defended the sovereignty of his country, and to tear away part of the territory. Paraguay.
In the unraveling of P. v. Great Britain, France and the USA played a significant role in their efforts to open access to Paraguay for their capital. P.v. began in December 1864, when the President of Paraguay F. Lopez, learning about the impending coalition invasion. army, moved part (7.5 thousand people) of 60-70 thousand. army across the Paraguayan-Brazilian border and occupied the southern regions of the Brazilian province of Mato Grosso, thus securing. north of the country from invasion. However, as a result of the defeat of the Paraguayan fleet on the river. Parana in June 1865 Paraguay found itself cut off from the outside world.
In August 1865, the Paraguayans captured the Brazilian city of Uruguayana, but by September 8,000 The Paraguayan army was surrounded by forces of 30 thousand. coalition armies. Afterwards, he became bitter. During the fighting, the remnants of the Paraguayan army (about 5 thousand people) were forced to capitulate. In May 1866, 50 thousand. coalition the army invaded the territory. Paraguay and besieged the Umanta fortress. But she managed to take possession of the fortress only 2 years later, in August. 1868. The retreating Paraguayan army on Dec. 1868 suffered a new defeat on the river. Pikisiri, and in Jan. 1869 Coalition troops captured the capital of Paraguay, Asuncion. F. Lopez withdrew the remnants of his troops to the mountainous regions of the Cordillera and deployed partisans. actions. During 1869, Lopez managed to increase the size of his army to 13 thousand people, replenishing it with 12-15 year old teenagers. Partiz. The period of the war lasted until the beginning. 1870. Despite the dept. successes, the Paraguayan army retreated. The country's human resources were depleted, and there was no one to replenish the army. On March 1, 1870, Lopez's small detachment was overtaken by a Brazilian cavalry detachment in the Cero Cora mountains. In an unequal battle, Lopez's detachment was defeated, and he himself died. On this military. the actions stopped.
As a result of fighting, famine and disease, 4/5 of the population of Paraguay died. Of the survivors, no more than 20 thousand people were men. The total losses of the armies of the anti-Paraguayan coalition exceeded 190 thousand people. In accordance with peace treaties with Brazil (1872) and Argentina (1876), almost half of the territory was torn away from Paraguay. Brazilian occupiers troops were in Paraguay until 1876, which delayed the socio-political for a long time. and economical development of the country. Basic reasons for the defeat of Paraguay in the First World War. were numbers. and tech. the superiority of the armies of the anti-Paraguayan coalition, which Great Britain provided serious assistance.
I.I. Yanchuk.
Used materials from the Soviet Military Encyclopedia in 8 volumes, vol. 6
Literature:
Alperovich M. S., Slezkin L. Yu. New story countries of Latin America. M., 1970, p. 184-191.
Read here:
Paraguay in the twentieth century (chronological table)
In connection with NATO aggression in Libya in Lately They often remember another country, Paraguay. Let us also remember how it all began.
The destruction of the world's first socialist state ended in the most monstrous genocide in the entire history of mankind.
First, let's list the facts and try to guess which country we are talking about:
All power in the country belongs to the state, which is consistently pursuing a course towards building a completely independent, self-sufficient economy, relying exclusively on its own resources with minimal imports.
Having ousted the national bourgeoisie from the economic and political spheres, the state took on the exclusive role of forming and developing the nation and distributing national income.
The country has no external debts. All foreign trade is a state monopoly. At the same time, exports consistently exceed imports, which makes it possible to make large investments in industry and agriculture without resorting to foreign loans.
Instead of foreign capital, the state attracts foreign (European) specialists who receive good salaries and help establish advanced, high-tech production, transport and communication infrastructure.
The state pursues a strict protectionist policy, supporting domestic producers (by introducing high import duties and simultaneously reducing export duties).
The national currency is completely stable.
The country has established a modern telegraph communication, railway communication, river transport.
Thanks to government support, the country is experiencing a powerful economic recovery, new production facilities are being built in the steel, textile, paper, printing and shipbuilding industries.
Irrigation work, the construction of dams and canals, new bridges and roads contribute to the rise in agricultural production.
Illiteracy has been completely eradicated in the country - almost the entire population of the country can read and write. Free education(universal compulsory primary education), free medicine.
98% of the country's territory is public property: the state provides peasants with plots of land for indefinite use for a symbolic rent in exchange for an obligation to cultivate these plots, without the right to sell.
Along with private agricultural producers, there are large state-owned agricultural and livestock farms - “Motherland estates”.
The country has established a price ceiling for basic food products.
This is the only country on the continent that does not know poverty, hunger, or corruption. There is virtually no crime.
Well, normal socialism of the USSR type in the 1930s.
It would seem nothing special. But something else is surprising, namely, the historical era - all this takes place in the early 1860s!
Oh God, what kind of country is this, which is seventy years ahead of even Russia, where this became possible only during the era of Stalin’s Five-Year Plans, not to mention the rest of the world! Where is it?
In South America. Yes, yes, in South America. And this country is Paraguay.
Is this really Paraguay, one of the most backward, poor and wretched countries in the world, completely erased from world politics, somewhere on the outskirts of the world, about which no one really knows anything!
Does not know. But in vain. In the mid-19th century, Paraguay was the most prosperous, advanced and successful state in Latin America. And let's add, the most independent thing.
José Francia, the first president of Paraguay, who came to power in 1814, and subsequent presidents Carlos Antonio Lopez and Francisco Solano Lopez(1862 - 1870) gave the nation a dream, and this dream began to come true before our eyes!
There was a lot to worry about in Britain.
After all, by doing so, Paraguay opposed itself to world imperialism, primarily to British capital.
Moreover, Francisco Solano Lopez banned English merchant ships from entering the Paraguay River, and this is a direct attack on the holy of holies - the World Order established by the British Empire, according to which everything had to buy English goods.
And if not, then war (as happened, for example, in China, remember the “opium wars”)!
All social and economic gains of Paraguay were achieved without the participation of world capital, with the support only on our own, national resources. This was an example.
An example to follow.
The Soviet Union provided the same example. And therefore had to be destroyed.
In our days, the same example was shown to the world by the Libyan Jamahiriya. And therefore it had to be destroyed.
With the same frenzy, today they are trying to destroy Belarus, and tomorrow they will destroy Iran.
And Britain gets down to business. The mechanism of intrigue began to work furiously.
It must be said that the policies of Brazil and Argentina at that time were completely controlled by Great Britain.
English influence in Brazil is evidenced by the unequivocal instructions of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lord Canning, to the Ambassador of the British Empire, Lord Strangford: “Turn Brazil into the main base for the sale of the products of English manufactures in Latin America.”
Argentina was even called the “British Dominion”. On the eve of the war, the English minister Edward Thornton openly attended government cabinet meetings in Buenos Aires as an adviser, sitting next to President Bartolome Miter.
From time to time, Britain pitted these two countries against each other on the principle of “divide and conquer,” but this time it was necessary to unite all the forces of the La Plata region to destroy the terrible enemy - socialism .
So, in 1864, Brazil, with the support of Argentina, invades Uruguay and overthrows the government of that country. The capital of Uruguay, Montevideo, is the only exit for Paraguay to the ocean, without which death. The lock clicked into place.
The only trump card in the hands of Solano Lopez is the army. There is nothing left to do but use it.
And Francisco Solano Lopez declares war on the whole world - Brazil and Argentina. In Uruguay, to whose aid Solano rushed, a puppet government has already been installed, which, as a team, declares war on Paraguay.
Essentially, Solano Lopez declares war on only one country - England and, through it, the entire world system of capitalism. And not because he hopes to win, but because he has nothing else left. He only has an army, the best on the continent.
Yes, yes, a country that did not borrow a single penny from world capital, relying solely on its own forces, managed not only to create an advanced economy and social protection, almost a century ahead of its time, but also to create and maintain the best army on the continent!
At first, military success was on the side of Paraguay. But over time, the lack of resources, primarily human ones, takes its toll.
Meanwhile, the army of “democratizers” was continuously supplied from Europe with the most modern weapons and equipment. Paraguay was cut off from the sea and could not even receive its own weapons, ordered in Europe on the eve of the war (which were immediately resold to Brazil!).
The people of Paraguay were ready, together with their president, to defend their homeland to the end. But in the army, as usual (as it was in the Stalin era, we know) there was a conspiracy. General Estigarribia turned out to be a traitor (he was simply bribed), started the best part The army was surrounded and surrendered without a fight.
In 1866, the occupiers invaded Paraguay. And they got stuck in the heroic resistance of the entire people.
Painfully slowly they moved towards the capital of the country, Asuncion, not breaking the defenses, but rather pushing through them, destroying everything in their path. The Paraguayans did not surrender and did not abandon their positions, which could only be captured after every single defender was killed.
Civilians showed no less resistance, taking up arms en masse. Every village, every locality they had to take it by storm, after which all the remaining inhabitants were slaughtered, including children.
In 1870 it was all over. President Francisco Solano Lopez died in battle fighting the last of his army.
Results. The Paraguayan nation is almost completely destroyed. More than 90% of the male population was exterminated, including children and the elderly.
According to other sources, the picture is even more monstrous. Almost 90% of the TOTAL POPULATION was exterminated, reduced from 1 million 400 thousand to 200 thousand people, of which no more than 28 thousand were men!
There has never been such a scale of genocide in any country in the entire history of mankind.
Practically the entire population of Paraguay destroyed (they killed everyone so that not even the memory of socialism!). Industry was destroyed, all social benefits were eliminated. The country was given over to uncontrolled and unlimited plunder.
One hundred and fifty years have passed since then, and nothing has changed and nothing will change. Paraguay forever fell into the category of rogue countries.
And it was the most advanced, economically developed and successful country on the continent, the forerunner of Stalin’s Soviet Union(of course, in miniature, but still!).
However, the “winners” did not gain anything from their crimes. The territorial acquisitions of Argentina and Brazil could not compensate even a small fraction of the gigantic debts that they had to get into to wage this first TOTAL WAR in history.
The war against Paraguay was financed from beginning to end by English Jewish banking capital (who would doubt it!) - the Bank of London, the Baring Brothers banking house and the Rothschild banks on conditions that enslaved the “victor” countries for almost a hundred years.
All. The mousetrap slammed shut.
One country was completely destroyed, along with the entire nation that inhabited it, the other two countries were enslaved by English (Jewish) bankers, and no one remembered Uruguay anymore. Now Uruguay, which became the reason for the destruction of the socialism of Solano Lopez, is the same worthless spot on the globe as the current Paraguay.
Paraguay today.
The Paraguayan War was the first experience of common people in establishing democracy in a single independent state. With all the attributes that they use to this day - information war, demagoguery, genocide.
But this was also the first experience of resistance to the invaders, unprecedented in intensity and fury. No other country in the world has fought like this before.
This is why there are so many dead.
That's not how you fight for tyrants. This is how they fight FOR AN IDEA, FOR A DREAM.
Soviet soldiers fought with the same ferocity, rising to the attack “For the Motherland!” For Stalin!"
This is on the one hand.
And on the other hand, the methodical destruction of the ENTIRE POPULATION according to the scorched earth principle, applied eighty years later by the Nazis in Russia.
So as not to even leave a memory.
There about Solano, here about Stalin (with Stalin, however, it didn’t work out!)
As a result, the first on Earth socialist state
was destroyed. So that others don't like it.
And not just destroyed, but literally wiped off the face of the earth. Two other countries - Brazil and Argentina - fell into debt slavery to Britain for almost a century. They were already in complete economic and political dependence, but now they were able to enslave them even more reliably and thereby increase their exploitation of these semi-colonies.
Brazil was able to pay off its debts for the Paraguayan War only under Getulio Vargas in the 1940s, and in Argentina only Juan Domingo Peron managed to end the undivided rule of the British in the same 40s of the 20th century.
Last photo of Francisco
Solano Lopez. 1870
For world capitalism, represented by Britain, everything turned out just fine. True, for this it was necessary to almost completely slaughter an entire nation - the population of an entire country. But for English capital this is mere nonsense!
But memory cannot be destroyed!
This means that hope is alive and To be continued!
W.G. DAVIS (USA)
For several decades before the war, Paraguay was probably the most prosperous country in South America. In trade with Europe it had a large volume of exports. The country was the main source of exotic wood, which was used to produce furniture and interiors for the best houses in Europe. Livestock and agricultural products had almost the same importance, especially tobacco, made in the form of Paraguayan cigars, and low-grade cheap tea.
Historically, Paraguay was an inland landlocked country and did not attract as much attention from Spanish colonists as other areas. A small number of whites who moved to the capital Asuncion, after several generations, were assimilated by blacks and local Guarani Indians. Until independence, the country was almost entirely ruled by the government of the Supreme Inca and the Jesuit Order, which brought Christianity to the Indians.
When Argentina and Uruguay freed themselves from Spanish rule in 1810, Paraguay was briefly a province of Argentina. But in 1813, he declared sovereignty and the Republic of Paraguay was proclaimed without any resistance from Argentina /1/. The government bodies were formed as in the Roman Republic, and were headed by two consuls /2/. But soon one of them, José Francia, became the first of many dictators whose tyranny and despotism were established in the former Spanish colonies. Francia took the title “El Supreme” (supreme) /3/. For 28 years, during which France ruled, Paraguay was completely isolated from the rest of the world. On the one hand, France legitimized the Roman Catholic Church as the state religion, but on the other, he confiscated church tithes, usually sent to Rome, for his treasury, and did not heed any protests from the Pope. In addition, during his reign, many people were excommunicated from the church, mainly descendants of whites (even if purely nominal), and their property was confiscated. So the Guarani Indians, who occupied a very modest position before France, actually became the state elite.
Black slavery existed in Paraguay, but only for children. As soon as a person turned 21, he was immediately released. If freed blacks married and remained in the country, their children, in turn, became slaves as soon as they were old enough to work. In those days, slaves were used primarily as servants or to work in agriculture, mainly on government facilities. Some were used for the construction of government buildings and institutions, paving streets and in other areas of the economy where manual labor was required. So it was quite natural that the majority of blacks tried to emigrate at the first opportunity. However, many of those who tried to return were severely punished by France or imprisoned.
After France's death in 1840, the government (junta-type) organized a puppet Congress and established the post of president, re-elected every 10 years. The new president - Carlos Antonio Lopez - soon became a semblance of France /4/. Every 10 years, the puppet Congress re-elected Lopez for a new term. Lopez somewhat changed the policy pursued by France. First, he restored relations with the Pope, who had enough problems with his power in Italy proper. Lopez agreed to the appointment of a bishop to the country, who, however, obeyed him more than the Pope /5/. But the president categorically refused to pay the tithes owed by Paraguay. Lopez established diplomatic relations with all civilized countries that recognized Paraguay. But only France, Sardinia (later Italy) and some South American countries constantly maintained embassies or consulates in Asuncion during Lopez's reign. The USA and England recognized the Lopez government, but often recalled their ambassadors and closed their embassies. At this time, relations with them could only be carried out through Buenos Aires. In 1859, the United States sent a strong navy to the region in an attempt to apply pressure, especially after two incidents: firstly, an attack on an American warship in which a member of the ship's crew was killed and, secondly, after the confiscation of property belonging to the United States. -Rican citizens. Carlos (I will now use the name Carlos to reserve the name of Lopez for his successor) settled the first incident, but as for the second, no settlement was ever reached /6/. Also in 1859, England almost brought matters to war with Paraguay, but after diplomatic moves in 1862, the disputes were settled.
Carlos also allowed and encouraged white immigration, especially from the United States and some European countries such as France, Italy and Austria-Hungary. For the most part, it was these people who contributed to the transformation of Asuncion into a business center. But the government made a clear mistake: as soon as a Paraguayan citizen began to prosper, he was often punished or imprisoned, and his property was confiscated. A similar fate awaited many of those who retained their old citizenship.
Francia organized a large army to maintain the Iron Curtain, and Carlos strengthened it even more to protect his kingdom. He also began building a navy and maritime trade. An arsenal and a weapons factory were built in Asunción. Many Englishmen entered the country as engineers on steam ships and to supervise shipbuilding at the arsenal. Due to the fact that the country was landlocked, trade organized and encouraged by Carlos could only take place on steam and sailing ships exclusively on the Parana and Paraguay rivers, as well as their many tributaries.
Thus, we finally got to the main character of our story - Francisco Solano Lopez (we will simply call him Lopez in the future), whom some historians consider Carlos’s adopted and not his own son. But one way or another, Carlos considered Lopez to be his eldest son, who became his father’s main adviser and confidant. Thus, Lopez was sent at the head of a representative office in Europe, with extraordinary powers, mainly to purchase weapons. True, the latter function was entirely performed by dummies and all sorts of small fry, since Lopez himself had fun in European cities. He especially often loved to visit Paris, where he developed close ties with a local courtesan called Mme Eliza Linch, a native of Ireland. At the end of the business trip, she returned with Lopez to Paraguay as a favorite. The future president remained single all his life, but Mme Lmnsh was with him as his wife and from that time on had great influence on Lopez in all his affairs.
After the death of Carlos in 1862, Lopez took over as president (and dictator) of Paraguay. He had more ambitious plans than Carlos. Lopez intended to make Asuncion the capital of a huge empire that included the entire La Plata basin, that is, territories that were supposed to be seized from Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. Such ambitions led to war with his three neighbors. This war is often called the War of the Triple Alliance against Paraguay.
Now a few words about the history and situation in the countries of the Triple Alliance.
Of these, the most important state was Brazil. She suffered the greatest sacrifices and losses in the fight against Lopez. Brazil was the most valuable and largest Portuguese colony. When Napoleon Bonaparte's army reached Lisbon in 1807, the Portuguese royal family fled to Brazil. After the defeat of Napoleon, King Joao VI returned
to his homeland, leaving his son Pedro in Brazil as regent. In 1822, he declared Brazil independent and took the name of Emperor Don Pedro I.
The Emperor of Brazil was the absolute dictator of his country until he was overthrown in 1831 and abdicated the throne in favor of his minor son, who after a 10-year regency took the name Don Pedro II. During his reign, Brazil became democratic and the monarch constitutional, although the emperor exercised enormous powers throughout his entire period in power. The new monarch was also overthrown in 1889, when Brazil became a republic, and since then it has sometimes had a freely elected government, but more often, in the general Latin American style, a military dictatorship after another revolution. At that time, many Brazilians were completely white, having immigrated there from Portugal or other European countries. There were also a significant number of black slaves, who were used for a long time, and such a small stratum of Brazilian Indians, most of whom belonged to wild and practically unknown tribes in the interior of the country. There were also many mixed races. Brazil was also a prosperous country, mainly due to the export of coffee and cotton.
Since independence from Spain, the political situation in both Argentina and Uruguay has been unstable. Geographically, Argentina was divided into two political camps - the coastal region of Buenos Aires
opposed the union of three provinces - Missiones, Entre Rios and Corrientes (the latter bordered with southern part Paraguay). All these years, in both camps there were various dictators striving to become presidents of all of Argentina and maintain power. Uruguay was not divided like Argentina, but even there political factions and parties waged constant wars among themselves for dominance in Montevideo. Because of this ongoing struggle, the countries were not as prosperous as Brazil or Paraguay and did not trade as extensively. However, any dictator with control of Buenos Aires or Montevideo would have the necessary forces in Rio de la Plata to, if necessary, cut off the trade routes of Paraguay and the Brazilian province of Mato Grosso with the outside world, thus creating a permanent embers for the outbreak of war in this region.
Initially, Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay did not interfere in the internal affairs of Uruguay, forming an effective buffer zone such that Argentina and Brazil could not intervene on anyone's side in the conflict. The two main political parties that existed in Uruguay had nothing in common with the systems adopted, say, in the USA or England, but throughout Latin America there was something similar. On one side were the forces known as the Blancos (whites or conservatives), opposed by the Colorados (reds or liberals). But none of these trends had anything in common either with what later happened in Tsarist Russia, or with what was happening in the Anglo-Saxon states.
At the end of 1845, Carlos declared war on Buenos Aires and its dictator Juan Rosas, supporting the dictator of the "outlying provinces" Jose Elitazia-Paz and occupied most province of Entre Rios. In all his actions, Carlos relied on the agreement concluded with Brazil. At the same time, Rosas actively assisted the pro-Argentine Uruguayan faction led by Manuel Oribe, which was opposed by the pro-Brazilian faction that controlled Montevideo. Oribe blocked Paraguayan shipping on the Uruguay River, the fairway of which he controlled, while Rosas closed La Plata from Buenos Aires.
Lopez was sent with an army of 5,000 men to Corrientes, but the army's advance from Buenos Aires forced him to withdraw his much-tired troops into Paraguayan territory. Rosas made no attempts to invade Paraguay, and Carlos concluded an agreement with him, according to which the Argentines do not cross the borders of Paraguay, and he no longer interferes in Argentine affairs. The blockade was lifted and peace was restored among the countries. Lopez returned to Asuncion, where he was hailed as a great hero. He began to be called "Minister of War", one of his brothers, Benino, became the military governor of Asuncion, while another, the younger Venancio, led the Paraguayan fleet (although at that time there was no navy yet).
Soon after this, Lopez was sent to Europe on an important diplomatic mission.
Upon his return, Lopez energetically set about building the Paraguayan armed forces, so that in the event of war being declared, he could put up to 100,000 people under arms from the reserve; the active army, and by this time already a small fleet, numbered 30,000 people. After active service, people were transferred to the reserve and became part of the reserve.
At the time of Carlos's death in 1862, when Lopez took office, political passions in neighboring countries were once again running high. In 1852, Rosas was overthrown in Buenos Aires by General Justo Urquiza, governor of Entre Rios, but a new leader emerged directly in Buenos Aires - Bartolome Miter. So in 1859, Lopez acted as a mediator in making peace, as a result of which Urquiza again became governor of Entre Rios, and Miter became governor of Buenos Aires with a firm decision to become the head of the country.
After taking office as president, Lopez launched a trial balloon towards Rio de Janeiro about the possibility of marrying the daughter of the Brazilian emperor and thus establishing friendship between the countries. In this case, it is likely that the clash between Brazil and Paraguay would not have led to war. However, Don Pedro II rebelled against the desired peace, who could not come to terms with the idea that his son-in-law and the husband of his white daughter would become a tyrant Indian. Without waiting for a response from Rio, Lopez began a real war.
Meanwhile, in Argentina in 1861, Miter defeated Urquiza, who had renewed the war, and became the first real president of all Argentina. The war in Uruguay also continued. In 1863, the Blancos under Berro occupied Montevideo, and the Colorados under Flores were expelled. But with the help of Miter, who provided support for Flores, the latter soon recaptured Uruguay. Berro ordered the ambassador in Asuncion to test the waters: whether Lopez would act against Flores. At this time, Lopez did not yet want war with Argentina, since he was expecting a large shipment of weapons from Europe. However, Berro was able to negotiate a vague agreement guaranteeing Uruguay's independence, with several secret annexes showing López's hatred of Mithras and Uruguayan support for Paraguayan trade. But what Lopez really wanted was to act as a mediator in Uruguay, as he had done in Argentina in 1859. But for some unknown reason, Lopez signed an agreement that caused outrage in Buenos Aires, and Don Pedro II. However, Berro agreed to sit down at the negotiating table only if Lopez acted as a co-mediator, but then Miter began to object. Still reluctant to go to war, at least until military supplies arrived from Europe, Lopez began mobilization in March 1864 as a precaution.
Now Brazil has entered the game. Flores' troops crossed the border and invaded the southernmost Brazilian province of Rio Grande de Sul, whose governor hastily left for Rio to demand from Don Pedro II that he put pressure on Montevideo and the Uruguayans would leave Brazilian territory. But Berro and official Montevideo were unable to do anything. The other mediator, whose role Lopez wanted to act, was not invited to the negotiations, so Lopez immediately sent an ultimatum to Rio, saying that Paraguay could not calmly watch Brazil eat Uruguay. But Brazil didn’t even think about doing this! Lopez also pressed Montevideo, causing the Blancos to reluctantly replace Berro with Aguirre. Lopez thought that with this change the new government would call on Paraguayan troops for help, but instead, Uruguay was occupied by the Brazilian army on October 18, 1864. So, wanting peace, Lopez brought matters to war with Brazil.
On November 12, 1864, the Paraguayan ship Tacuari, near Asuncion, captured as a prize the Brazilian merchant ship Marques de Olinda, heading to the Brazilian province of Mato Grosso with a new governor, a cargo of gold and military equipment on board. “Tacuari” was very conveniently at hand, since he had recently been in Europe. She was one of two ships in the Paraguayan fleet converted for military service, but until now the ship had been used exclusively as a merchant vessel, carrying goods to and from Europe.
And finally, before starting to describe combat operations, I would like to say a few more words. Although a number of sources estimate the population of Paraguay at 1,400,000 people, a more likely figure seems to be 525,000, which was still very large by world population standards in 1864. Uruguay's population was approximately half that size. Argentina and Brazil most likely had populations of 1.8 and 2.5 million, respectively, by the time the war began. Paraguay placed 100,000 men under arms, and it appears that as many as 300,000 men and women were employed in the auxiliary services. Later, many women were also forced to take part in the battles.
Brazil started the war with an army of approximately 30,000, increasing this figure to 90,000 by the end of the war. Severely weakened by long civil wars, Argentina had a small army, which at its best numbered approximately 30,000 people. Uruguay's troops numbered a maximum of 3,000. In addition, approximately 10,000 Paraguayans took part in the war against Lopez. These were unreliable elements expelled from the country, as well as deserters and prisoners of Paraguayan prisons released by the Allies. All of them also contributed to the victory over Lopez.
And one more significant addition. Lopez built two strong fortresses: Yumaita on the Paraguay River and Paso de Patria on the Parana River. But their numerous weapons were mostly outdated, consisting of muzzle-loading guns. Paraguay ordered large quantities of the latest weapons from Europe, but before the start of the war they managed to obtain only a few of them /7/. While the regular army was well equipped with modern guns, the recruits of later drafts were often armed only with clubs, knives or bows and arrows. The Paraguayan fleet was not large and also poorly armed. He counted 12-20 river screw or paddle steamers in his composition. But, ultimately, being equipped mainly with sailing ships, barges or chatos /8/ (without any mechanical drive) and often even a canoe could be considered military - their goal was to moor to an enemy ship in order to crush it with their crew in during the boarding battle.
On the other hand, the Brazilian fleet was very numerous by the standards of Latin America and consisted of 15 screw warships, 4 wheeled ships, 13 sailing ships, as well as many transports and river cannons. Its power was very conveniently strengthened by many ships such as casemate battleships and monitors, purchased abroad or built in Rio. Argentina could only donate a few river steamers for military purposes, used mainly as transport, and Uruguay had nothing at all.
It was obvious that the outcome of the war was determined by control over the rivers, of which there were a great many in this region. Land communications were at a very primitive level. In the combat area there was only one, and even then a very short, railway running from Asuncion to the southeast, necessary to connect the capital of Paraguay with the river port.
Strange as it may seem, but with the beginning of the war, which was at its zenith glory mmm Lynch, more than Lopez, planned the entire military strategy. And at the very beginning she made a mistake, which later became fatal. Paraguayan units were not sent to Uruguay against the Brazilian army already operating there. Instead, she devoted all her efforts to capturing the Brazilian province of Mato Grosso, which, although fertile, was of little strategic importance and, if captured, best case scenario, became only a kind of hostage against Brazil /9/.
So, in December 1864, a detachment of 3,000 people was sent on ships to capture Mato Grosso. He successfully completed his task. On the 27th-28th he captured Coimbra, whose garrison hastily retreated to Corumba. The Brazilians, having united there, retreated further to the north, where on January 6, 1865 they capitulated to the Paraguayans. The Brazilian river gunboat Anhambai, which was either surrendered or scuttled, and two more vessels, which Mr. Meister describes as torpedo boats, were captured as trophies, the first was called Jauru, and the second, like a gunboat captured nearby, also called “Anhambai” /10/. Later, another detachment of 2,500 people invaded Mato Grosso from land, so that all this captured and plundered province was lost for a long time to Brazil.
The war has now moved to other areas. In early 1865, the Brazilian fleet under the command of Vice Admiral Tamandare began a demonstration at the mouth of La Plata, declaring a blockade of Paraguay. A separate detachment of ships under the command of Rear Admiral Francisco Manuel Barroso began to slowly ascend the Parana River. Lopez sent his best ships "Tacuari", "Ygurey", "Paraguari", "Marques de Olinda" and "Ipora" with a force of 3,000 down the river, and on April 13, 1865 attacked the city of Corrientes in Argentina. In the captured port, the Paraguayans got two Argentine ships: “25 de Mauo” and “Gualeguay”.
On May 1, 1865, Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay formally entered into an alliance in the war against Paraguay and Lopez. Paraguay declared a declaration of war on May 3, which, however, was a mere formality, since the war had been going on for several months. On May 25, the Allies began offensive operations. With the support of Brazilian warships, Corrientes was returned. Of the 4,000 attackers, 3,600 were Argentines. The Paraguayan ships were previously withdrawn upstream, and the next day, after waiting for reinforcements, the Paraguayans again returned Corrientes. The Brazilian ships went downstream and settled at the mouth of the Rijuelo River (Riachuelo), which flowed into the Parana. In response to this, a Paraguayan detachment from Corrientes built several coastal batteries on the lower reaches of the Paraná near Rijuelo.
After this, Lopez gave the order to attack the Brazilian fleet. In accordance with the conceived plan, it was first supposed to “feel” the Brazilians, for which the gunboat “Yberra”, towing 6 chatos, on which each had a 68-pound gun, was supposed to stick to the shore and, attacking the enemy, deplete them as much as possible his. The plan was to take the starting position at night from the Brazilian ships at anchor, and at dawn to attack the still dozing Brazilian detachment. However, there was a delay in the campaign, and the Paraguayan ships were able to reach Rijuelo only in the afternoon, when the Brazilians were preparing for Sunday Mass. The Paraguayan fleet now consisted of the gunboats Tacuari, Ygurey, Paraguari, Marques de Olinda, Ipora, Jejui, Salto Oriental and Pirabebe. The Paraguayans were commanded by Captain Pedro Ignacio Meza, who placed his famous Sixth Battalion of 500 men on the ships. As soon as the battle was opened, it was discovered that, due to an insufficient number of such necessary boarding cats, the Paraguayans had already effectively failed. This is the most commonly suspected treason that reigned in Lopez's army.
The Brazilian squadron consisted of the wheeled frigate "Amazonas" (flagship) and "Beregibe", "Belmonte", "Araguary", "Iguatemy", "Ipiranga", "Jequitinonha", "Mearini" and "Parnaiba". Naturally, there was a lot of confusion among the warring parties, for example, Wilson categorically states that during the entire battle Admiral Barroso was hiding in his cabin, since it is highly doubtful that he would even try to control the Brazilian ships /11/ . Not achieving surprise, as he expected, Mesa had to retreat up the river, but his squadron confused the cards for the Brazilians, who remained at anchor. During the battle, the sides exchanged fire from about a mile away, as a result of which the Paraguayan “Jejui” was hit in the boiler room and no longer took part in hostilities in the future. The Brazilian ships, having weighed anchor, began to chase, but the Paraguayans hid in the narrowest place of the riverbed as a refuge, under the protection of one of the coastal batteries. One bomb exploded, killing the pilot aboard the Jequitinonha, and the ship ran aground. When trying to help pull it into the water, “Ipiranga” also ran aground.
The Paraguayans immediately attacked Parnaiba from three sides: Tacuari, Marques de Olinda and Salto Oriental. But Belmonte and Mearini approached, and the Paraguayans were driven back. Having suffered heavy losses in the crew, the Parnaiba crew soon restored the combat readiness of their ship, somehow eliminating the damage. The Paraguayan coastal batteries seemed to fire well, hitting the Belmonte many times, which, in order not to sink, was forced to hug the shore. Whoever was in charge of “Amazonas” did his job well. The frigate entered the battle, rammed the Paraguari, which then sank. He then sank the Jejui, which was initially out of action, and finally the frigate rammed the Marques de Olinda and the Salto Oriental, which, damaged, began to drift down the river. The survivors of their crews were rescued the next day by the English ship Doterel, which came south to Asuncion on a diplomatic mission.
The remaining Paraguayan ships: "Tacuari", "Ygurey", "Ipora" and "Pirabebe" retreated up the river. The badly damaged Paraguari was salvaged, but the Marques de Olinda and Salto Oriental (along with the previously sunken Jejui) were lost. The Brazilians managed to raise Ipiranga, but Jequitinonha was completely destroyed and abandoned. . Several of his guns were later removed by the Paraguayans. Captain Mesa was mortally wounded and died soon after being taken to Yumaita, which most likely was better for him, since Lopez was very angry when he learned of the defeat. He threatened Mesa with torture and probably would not have left him alive. For his actions, as Wilson reports, Admiral Barroso was awarded the Brazilian title of Baron Amazonas, but he was subsequently transferred to Rio. For South America, Rijuelo was a big battle. Both sides seem to have had an equal number of braves and cowards on that fateful day. However, while the Paraguayans continued to continuously reinforce their shores on Parana, the Brazilian ships, having suffered losses, retreated from the batteries, eventually finding refuge in Ricon do Sote.
