Trips to Paraguay

Department of Big hole

The department of Big hole is most extensive of Paraguay and occupies great part of the western region of the country.
The War of the Chaco (1932-1935) between Bolivia and Paraguay was bloodiest, the dramatic and, in addition, useless South American conflict of century XX, and had like main scene these earth that during the decade of 1930 were of most inhospitable of the planet.

Beginning of the conflict

The bordering conflicts with Bolivia, that existed from always, took force by the control from the region of the Chaco due to the strategic value of the Paraguay river, furrows that it. The dominion of the river would abriría the door to the Atlantic Ocean to the country that had him, a crucial advantage for unique the two noncoastal countries of South America - Bolivia and Paraguay and one national question for Bolivia, that was lost the access to the Pacific Ocean in the call War of the Pacific of 1879. The discovery of oil fields in the Andean premountain range fed, in addition, the hypothesis that the Chaco could also lodge exploitable reserves.

The Fort

But the spark that ignited the bonfire was not petroleum but the water: In 1931, the Paraguayans discovered a beautiful lagoon in the middle of the territory chaqueño, baptized Pitiantuta or Chuquisaca, “an oasis in the middle of the desert”, and founded, next, the Fort Carlos Antonio Lopez, whose unique strategic importance was that it defended one of the few water sources of the zone.

Batalla de Boquerón

The Fort was occupied without much effort by a Bolivian detachment in June of 1932. Nevertheless, the Paraguayans contraatacaron the 16 of 1932 July, beating as well in retired the Bolivians. The War of the Chaco had begun. Diverse neutral countries tried to preserve La Paz, but the enemies already prepared themselves for the first great battle: Big hole, one of the most important and bloody battles fought during this war.
The Bolivians resisted bravely during 20 days, but they ended up surrendering when to the run out them the water, ammunition stocks and food.

The War

During three years, 250,000 Bolivian soldiers and 150,000 Paraguayans faced in cañadones chaqueños, but not only the bullets were those that caused to death and pain but also the hunger, the thirst and the malaria.
Although the Bolivian army was more numerous and better equipped, slowly when passing the war, the Paraguayans were able to expel in almost their totality the invading army.

Visit

Visiting the Fort Big hole, in the middle of the anything, one can imagine vividly what “war of the thirst” was the call, in which were killed about 100,000 combatants.

He is impassable at the brief time humid, but very recommendable for travellers who want to see different things.