This stronghold was considered by the Paraguayans to be the backbone of their defenses. Of these approximately 60,000 were killed, and 23,250 were taken prisoner. “Actually there exists no possibility of defeat,” Kundt declared to the Bolivian cabinet. The Bolivians even had a small tank corps equipped with the latest Vickers Carden-Loyd tanks.The Paraguayans strained their national economy to the limit in the 1920s, attempting to buy enough weapons to oppose the military juggernaut the Bolivians were building. Forced into action by Colonel Peñaranda’s offensive, the Bolivian government bowed to the inevitable and mobilized its reserves, sending another 6,000 reinforcements to the Chaco. With little chance to defeat the Chileans and regain their former territory, the Bolivians looked to the east and the Río Paraguay, which, although far inland, was deep and flowed into the Río de la Plata and finally the Atlantic Ocean. The Bolivians then countered by attacking and taking the villages of Corrales and Toledo on July 27 and 28. To support their entitlement to the Chaco, they dredged up claims from the Spanish colonial era that placed the Chaco under the Viceroyalty of Peru.
Despite Bolivia’s superior forces, the Paraguayans had the better leaders in commanders such as Estigarribia, Franco, and Beliaev— and that, in the end, spelled victory for Paraguay.Vicomte François René de Chateaubriand, French writer and chef who gave his name to a style of steak.Mary Renault (Mary Challans), author who wrote about her wartime experiences in Maggie Higgins, the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize (1951) for international reporting, for her work in Korean war zones.Joan Delano Aiken, author of supernatural fiction and alternative history novels for children; won Guardian Children's Fiction Prize (John McCarthy, computer and cognitive scientist who coined the term "artificial intelligence. Both sides even set up extremely efficient systems to evacuate their wounded and sick from the front lines by air, thereby saving the lives of thousands of soldiers.Yet, surprisingly, this war that featured modern weapons and large-scale maneuvers was hardly noticed by the major powers. In comparing these losses to the total population, only a few nations at war in the 20th century suffered a higher percentage of loss.The Chaco War was, in many respects, a very modern war. Chaco War, (1932–35), costly conflict between Bolivia and Paraguay. In the 1920s the Paraguayans bought 32 75mm and 105mm field pieces from the French Schneider & Co. But upon graduation he changed his career ambitions and joined the army as a lieutenant of infantry.
Near the settlement of Cañada Strongest, the Bolivians caught the Paraguayan division in a surprise flank attack and surrounded it.Although the Paraguayans were taken by surprise, Estigarribia reacted swiftly, ordering his forces to fight their way out.
But such was his popularity that he was called back when the war took a turn for the worse for the Bolivians.Paraguay’s military commander was a dramatic contrast to Kundt.
He came from a modest farm family and had studied agriculture.
When Kundt’s return was announced, Estigarribia offered his assessment of the German at a staff conference, saying that Bolivia’s top commander was “self-confident and tenacious” and his style of command “left no room for his subordinates to exercise their initiative.” Estigarribia noted that Kundt’s record in World War I showed “he was a fervent devotee of the offensive at all costs.”The Paraguayans now saw a chance to use another of Kundt’s flaws to their advantage.