SUMMARY of the War of the Triple Alliance

Between 1864 and 1870 one of the great american wars of history, being a conflict that faced up to four states in the South American zone and that was key to the social, economic and political situation in subsequent years. To talk about one of the most relevant conflicts in the history of the region in this lesson from a PROFESSOR, we offer you a summary of the Triple Alliance war.

There are numerous theories about the antecedents and causes of the War of the Triple Alliance. Some of them are clear and others much less known or generally ignored by historians. We must bear in mind that the war faced Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil and Uruguay, So the intervention of so many regions caused the existence of many crossed interests.

Conflicts in the Paraguayan boundaries

Since the arrival of the Spanish and Portuguese, the territorial interests between Paraguayans and Brazilians had existed, because the Paraguayans' exit to the Atlantic was blocked by some localities Brazilian. For decades there were great conflicts between both regions to set the limits on the borders of the area near the

Chaco, maintaining a tension for a long time that it was clear that at any moment it was going to explode.

Changes in the domestic and foreign policy of Paraguay

The changes in those who led the region of Paraguay caused a great change and the region in very few years began a large-scale economic evolution that made it one of the great powers of South America. Its great increase in power led to the growth of military influence, being seen by the rest of the nations of South America as a worrying element.

Relations with the United Kingdom

Both Argentine and Paraguayan sources tend to agree that the main cause of the The beginning of the war was the United Kingdom, with the British having the greatest ambitions over the war. The great alliances of the British nation with the opposing countries made it sell a lot of arms and supplies, causing a brutal increase in English wealth thanks to the war.

The Uruguayan situation

In the mid-nineteenth century the situation in Uruguay was very complicated by a severe crisis that affected all factors of Uruguayan society, for take advantage of this situation Brazil intervened in the region helping General Venancio Flores to start a revolution to change the government of the region. The victory of the general and the Brazilians made the government change and Paraguay will face the new management.

The origin of the war that faced Paraguay against the Triple Alliance formed by Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina It happened in November 1864. The beginning of the war took place when Paraguay entered the border of Uruguay, this being considered an attack towards the three regions.

At the end of 1864, Uruguay was in a civil war that faced the so-called White Party against the Colorado Party, this being the one that supported Brazil. The leaders of the White Party asked Paraguayan President Solano López for help due to the bombardment that the city of Paysandú was suffering by the Colorados and Brazilians. Paraguay announced that any entry by Brazil or Argentina into the Uruguayan nation would be considered as an attack on the balance of the regions, but the Brazilians invaded Uruguay in October 1864 without heeding the warnings Paraguayans.

On November 12, 1864, and in retaliation for the invasion, the Paraguayans seized a Brazilian ship and invaded the Argentine city of Corrientes. These Paraguayan actions are those that are considered to start the war.

Paraguayan aid took a long time to arrive and the Uruguayan government surrounded by Brazilians and Argentines could not do anything but surrender to Venancio Flores and his Colorado Party. The new Uruguayan government agreed with Brazilians and Argentines to form the so-called Triple Alliance.

Stages of the Triple Alliance War

The war took place between the years 1864 and 1870 and it was marked by the continuous defeats of the Paraguayans against an alliance much greater in numbers and arms. It is usually divided into two stages:

1. The first was marked by the more conventional war
2. The second was more focused on the Paraguayan guerrillas when the war was close to ending.

It could be said that the war ended the moment the President Solano López was assassinated.

To conclude this summary of the Triple Alliance war, we must talk about the main consequences that had the defeat of Paraguay in this war, in order to understand the great changes that occurred in the south of America. The main consequences of the War of the Triple Alliance were the following:

• Brazil got all the disputed regions which were north of the Apa River.
• Argentina kept all the cities in dispute against Paraguay and that today make up the Province of Formosa.
• Paraguay lost all the disputed lands, being regions that would have increased the nation in enormous numbers.
• Paraguay suffered serious demographic problems, since most of the male population was killed. It is considered that this war was the cause of the greater number of deaths in South America after the expulsion of the Europeans.
• The enormous growth that Paraguay was having in recent decades He stopped and it went into decline due, in large part, to the loss of population. From that moment on, the South American nation was unable to grow that much again.