Chaco War

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keith A
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Chaco War

#1

Post by keith A » 02 Nov 2012, 14:28

Does anyone know of Spanish officers who served in either the Paraguayan or Bolivian Armies? Either as mercenaries or military instructors.

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Herculaneum
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Re: Chaco War

#2

Post by Herculaneum » 08 Aug 2021, 21:43

Hello,

http://worldatwar.net/chandelle/v1/v1n3/chaco.html
As far as I know from this source, there weren’t Spanish military advisors or technicians in both Paraguay and Bolivia during the Chaco War. I don’t think that Spaniards were interested in a war where had been waged in another continent while their homeland was in turmoil after the proclamation of second republic in 1931.


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Sheldrake
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Re: Chaco War

#3

Post by Sheldrake » 08 Aug 2021, 23:11

I would be surprised if there wasn't at least one Spaniard alongside the Germans, Czechs and Chileans on the Bolivian side and Italians, Argentineans and Uruguayans on the Paraguayan side. There is a link to Spain as some of the Chileans who fought in the Chaco War went on the serve in the International Brigade in the Spanish Civil War

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Loïc
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Re: Chaco War

#4

Post by Loïc » 09 Aug 2021, 00:01

Not directly from Spanish Army but Spaniards yes
There were Spaniards at that time rather in Paraguay via the Southern Cone, needing people after the demographic disaster of the Triple Alliance War however both enclaved countries, even more Bolivia, were much less attractives for Spanish emigration of 1880-1930 than Cuba México or Argentina Uruguay Chili

in Paraguay the Spanish emigration was smaller and even less numerous than german-speaking, Italians, British and even at a period French who were not quite known to be great emigrants around the world, that is to say

two Spaniards brothers from Galicia in the Paraguayan Army Eduardo and Serafin Rey this last one as Lieutenant in the Paraguayan Army Medical Service
http://www.cronicasdelaemigracion.com/m ... o.web2.pdf
chaco1.PNG
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chaco2.PNG

Sid Guttridge
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Re: Chaco War

#5

Post by Sid Guttridge » 09 Aug 2021, 10:00

Hi Guys,

I guess that Spaniards had no dog in this particular fight between two former Spanish colonies with largely Indian populations. Nor was it one of ideology attracting mass recruitment by right or left. The occasional Spanish adventurer might have been present, but the Chaco War was no cause celebre outside Bolivia and Paraguay.

Cheers,

Sid.

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Sheldrake
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Re: Chaco War

#6

Post by Sheldrake » 09 Aug 2021, 14:42

Sid Guttridge wrote:
09 Aug 2021, 10:00
Hi Guys,

I guess that Spaniards had no dog in this particular fight between two former Spanish colonies with largely Indian populations. Nor was it one of ideology attracting mass recruitment by right or left. The occasional Spanish adventurer might have been present, but the Chaco War was no cause celebre outside Bolivia and Paraguay.

Cheers,

Sid.
There was a stir in the USA when Hughie Long Govenror of Louisiana came out as pro Paraguay and claimed that the Bolivians were backed by Wall Street and Stanadard oil.

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Re: Chaco War

#7

Post by Sid Guttridge » 09 Aug 2021, 17:13

Hi Sheldrake.

That is interesting, because the exact reverse happened to what Hughie Long feared. In 1936 Standard Oil's Bolivian operations were nationalized and the state-owned company Yacimientos Petroliferos Fiscales Bolivianos was created. This was the first such nationalization of US assets in Latin America but its significance is often overshadowed by Mexico's nationalization of foreign oil companies a couple of years later.

Cheers,

Sid.

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