Page 197 - Encyclopedia Of World History Vol V

1974 berkshire encyclopedia of world history

between Argentina and Brazil. A lengthy conflict charac- Internal conflicts between Mexican liberals and conser-
terized by cavalry action followed. In 1828 Britain and vatives continued, leading to the War of the Reform
France intervened to force the creation of a buffer state, (1857–1859). Liberal victory was followed by a conser-
not incidentally guaranteeing freedom of navigation on vative alliance with France, which in 1863 invaded Mex-
the Paraná and Uruguay Rivers. ico and enthroned a puppet emperor. Liberals expelled
the French in 1867.
Wars against In South America landlocked Paraguay disputed bor-
Indigenous Societies ders with all of its neighbors and sought expanded nav-
Indigenous societies formed important parts of many igation rights to the Atlantic along the Paraná River.
Latin American states. Settled indigenous peoples had President Francisco Solano López (1827–1870) pressed
been largely incorporated into new nation-states in vary- his country’s claims and embroiled it in a war against
ing degrees of social subordination. Indigenous nomads Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay (1864–1870). Poorly
resisted the onslaught of European-derived societies and equipped Paraguayan troops fought courageously but
attempted to maintain their ways of life.Argentina under- lost to the overwhelming force of its larger opponents.
took its Campaign of the Desert (1833–1836) to eject The male population of Paraguay was depleted by at least
the Pampas nations from lands intended for cattle ranch- 50 percent.
ing. Argentina achieved battlefield successes, but indige- Chile during the nineteenth century expanded to the
nous peoples continued to raid along the frontier of north at the expense of Bolivia and Peru. At issue in the
settlement. The Second Campaign of the Desert (1879) War of the Pacific (1879–1883) were mineral rights in
became largely aimed at Araucanian peoples who had the nitrate-rich Atacama Desert. The Chilean army was
migrated into Argentina because of Chilean military outnumbered by its Bolivian and Peruvian opponents,
actions. Both Argentine campaigns ranged across large but the Chileans were much better equipped and led by
plains and were fought largely on horseback. During the better-trained officers. Naval power was important in this
second campaign especially the Argentine army had war, although maintenance problems plagued the fleets
superior weaponry and logistics and employed tactics of both sides. Victory gained for Chile the Atacama
similar to those used by the U.S. Army against Plains region and Peru’s three southern provinces, of which
nations. Argentina’s successful campaign resulted in the northernmost Tacna was returned in 1929.
destruction of the indigenous nomads. Loss of its Pacific coast turned Bolivia’s attention
toward the Paraná River route to the Atlantic.The unset-
Wars between tled Chaco region along the Paraguayan-Bolivian frontier
Nation-States contained oil and mineral reserves, and in 1932 Bolivia
Beset with internal conflicts between liberals and con- provoked a war with Paraguay over the Chaco region.
servatives, Mexico also had to confront the westward- Although Bolivia was expected to win because of its
expanding United States. Mexico lost Texas to larger army and its aircraft, Bolivia’s efforts to secure the
independence in 1836 and then faced U.S. pressure on region failed because soldiers from the highlands fell vic-
California in the following decade.The U.S. declared war tim to disease when they entered the humid Paraguayan
in 1846. After a land campaign in the North, the United jungle and because Paraguayan generals deployed their
States staged an amphibious landing at Veracruz and forces effectively and kept them supplied by rail. Paraguay
went on to capture Mexico City in September 1847. Mex- gained the lion’s share of the spoils in the subsequent
ico lost half of its territory.The U.S. victory can largely be peace conference.
attributed to the professionalism of its officer corps, ef- In the Caribbean rebels started the third war for
fective use of mobile artillery, and state-of-the-art firearms. Cuban independence from Spain in 1895. Fierce guerrilla