Post-Napoleonic · Wargame

War of the Triple Alliance

WAR OF THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE

2 players150 minages 14medium difficulty

About the game

What is War of the Triple Alliance

WAR OF THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE

In this wargame for 2 players, ages 14 and up, recreate the war that pitted tiny Paraguay against the Brazilian Empire, Argentina, and Uruguay.

When Brazil invaded Uruguay in 1864, no one could have foreseen that this act would spark the largest conflict in the history of South America. Paraguay entered the war in defense of Uruguay while Argentina allied with Brazil. Uruguay itself, once conquered, switched sides and declared war on Paraguay. Thus was born the Triple Alliance. Despite having a small population, little territory, and few resources, the Paraguayans fought with unexpected tenacity.

First, they embarked on daring offensives, then they were forced to fight massive defensive battles, taking an unsustainable number of losses. After seven years of arduous fighting, the Paraguayan army participated in its last battle at Cerro Corá, the only town left to be conquered by the Alliance. At the last stage of that desperate battle, Paraguayan President Solano López committed suicide while cornered by Brazilian soldiers. Material and human losses were astronomical on both sides. It is said that more than 90% of the male population in Paraguay died during that colossal war. Even the victorious countries were brought to the brink of exhaustion – to such an extent that Brazil is, to this day, still in debt.

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