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54-397: Paraguay's army was formally established in 1811, the year of the country's independence. For the first several years of Paraguay's existence the commanders of the army, such as Fulgencio Yegros and Pedro Juan Caballero , formed the majority of the cabinet until 1814, when they were replaced by Dr. José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia , who installed himself as supreme dictator for life after

108-654: A conference in Yataytí Corá . López believed that the time was right to treat for peace and was ready to sign a peace treaty with the Allies. No agreement was reached though since Mitre's conditions were that every article of the Treaty of the Triple Alliance was still to be carried out, a condition which López refused. Regardless of López's refusal, a peace treaty was not something Mitre could guarantee except on

162-660: A couple of officers. He had been wounded with a spear in the stomach and hit with a sword in the side of his head and so was too weak to walk by himself. They led him to the Aquidabangui stream, and there they left him on the pretext of getting reinforcements. While López was alone with his aide, General Câmara arrived along with six soldiers and approached him, calling on him to surrender and guaranteeing his life. López refused and shouting ¡Muero con mi patria! , ("I die with my nation!"), tried to attack Câmara with his sword. Câmara ordered him to be disarmed, but López died during

216-607: A fascination with Napoleon Bonaparte . López later equipped his army with uniforms designed to match those of the Grande Armée and it was said that he also ordered for himself an exact replica of Napoleon's crown , yet this remains unproven. It was also during his time in France that Solano López met a Parisian courtesan , the Irish-born Eliza Lynch , and brought her with him back to Paraguay. There she

270-560: A series of political clashes with Yegros. Francia removed all army personnel from the government and reformed the army, which was by now inept and corrupt. He limited the power of the army by declaring that no rank above captain could be achieved, and that after three years of service officers were to be retired. By 1816 there were no officers in the army who had fought at the Tacuarí or the Paraguarí . Francia's horse-grenadier guard company

324-534: Is an ongoing debate in Paraguay among historians on López's final words. The two versions are " Muero por mi patria " ("I die for my nation") or " Muero con mi patria " ("I die with my nation"). (The latter may have been based on the testament of Luís de Camões .) In any case, Juan Silvano Godoi wrote on the event: Marshal López died profoundly convinced that, along with him, the independence of Paraguay would disappear. He acquired this conviction upon learning that

378-580: Is composed of Presidential Guard Regiment, organized into a regimental HQ, two battalions ( infantry and military police ), an armored squadron and a battery of field artillery (plus the Mounted Ceremonial Squadron "Aca Caraya"). The regimental equipment includes three Argentine modified M4 Sherman tanks, four EE-9 armored cars , four EE-11 armored personnel carriers (APCs), three M9 halftracks mounting 20mm guns and four M-101 105 mm howitzers . Arguably, this "flagship" unit

432-653: Is named in his honor. Yegros was born to a family of military tradition and also pursued a military career. Grandson of governor Fulgencio Yegros y Ledesma  [ es ] , he studied in Asunción and joined the Spanish colonial army. He had his first combat experiences in 1802 against the Portuguese and in 1807 when he was part of the Paraguayan forces that defended Buenos Aires during British invasions of

486-546: Is officially recognized as the country's national hero since the presidency of Colonel Rafael Franco between 1936 and 1937 after decades of liberal governments that rejected his figure as heroic. The date of his birth, July 24, is officially recognized as the Paraguayan Army Day, while the date of his death, March 1, is officially recognized as the National Heroes' Day and is a national holiday in

540-552: Is structurally and physically the strongest of the whole of the Army. The REP is independent from other commands. The EP features two field artillery groups (GAC 1–12 88 mm QF-25 and GAC 2–12 105mm M-101) and one air defense artillery group (GAA 13 40 mm L 40/60, Oerlikon 20 mm cannons , and six M-55 4×12, 7.0 mm). Six battalions of combat engineers , one communications battalion, one Special Forces battalion, seven regiments of infantry and six regiments of cavalry comprise

594-465: The Bay of Corrientes . The next day, he occupied the town of Corrientes , instituted a provisional government of his Argentine partisans, and announced that Paraguay had annexed Corrientes Province and Argentina's Entre Ríos Province . On 1 May 1865, Brazil joined Argentina and Uruguay in signing the Treaty of the Triple Alliance , which stipulated that they should unitedly pursue war with Paraguay until

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648-707: The National Pantheon of the Heroes in Asunción. It is customary in Asunción that when something historically worth celebrating happens (such as the victory of the former President Fernando Lugo in the 2008 elections ), people flock with their flags to the street in front of the Pantheon and celebrate the event. In 2007, Argentine President Cristina Kirchner named an Argentinean unit, the 2nd Armored Artillery Group, after Marshal Francisco Solano López. During

702-834: The Paraguayan Presidency in 1841 following the death of the nation's longtime dictator , José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia . The elder López would commission his son as a brigadier general in the Paraguayan Army , at the age of 17, in 1844. During the Argentine Civil Wars , Solano López was appointed commander-in-chief of Paraguayan forces stationed along the Argentine frontier. He pursued his early military studies in Rio de Janeiro and Asunción, specializing in fortifications and artillery. Solano López

756-526: The Stroessner regime on national history. Conversely, he is considered by some Latin Americans as a champion for the rights of smaller nations against the imperialism of more powerful neighbours. For example, Eduardo Galeano argues that he and his father continued the work of José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia in defending Paraguay as "the only country that foreign capital had not deformed". There

810-457: The Brazilian governor of the province of Mato Grosso , who was on board. In the following month (December 1864) López formally declared war on Brazil and dispatched a force to invade Mato Grosso. The force seized and sacked the town of Corumbá and took possession of the province and its diamond mines, together with an immense quantity of arms and ammunition, including enough gunpowder to last

864-469: The Brazilian-backed rebels. López manifested his support for Aguirre's government via a letter to Brazil, in which he said that any occupation of Uruguayan lands by Brazil would be considered an attack on Paraguay. When Brazil did not heed the letter and invaded Uruguay on 12 October 1864, López seized the Brazilian merchant steamer Marqués de Olinda in the harbour of Asunción, and imprisoned

918-664: The French Code and the Prussian System of military organization (receiving some praise for this innovation many years later). His diplomatic work also included organizing a project to build a new railroad and efforts to establish a French émigré colony in Paraguay. He installed the first electric telegraph in South America. López also became a great admirer of the Second French Empire and developed

972-686: The Paraguayan Armies. However, this rank is just a "honorific distinction" for these two individuals who led the nation during the largest military conflicts Paraguay had to face, the Paraguayan War and the Chaco War . Moreover, it is unknown if they ever had the garments of a Field Marshal. Solano López only received a "Marshal's Baton" but he kept wearing the uniform of a General of the Army while Estigarribia, apparently, never got nor received any type of Marshal's garments other than

1026-435: The Paraguayan capital city of Asunción on 1 January 1869, forcing López and what remained of his army and government to flee to the countryside. By late 1869, López was at last driven with a handful of troops to the northern frontier of Paraguay. He arrived at Cerro Corá on 14 February 1870. Two detachments were sent in pursuit of Solano López, who was accompanied by 200 men in the forests in the north, where he received news of

1080-668: The Río de la Plata . He reached the rank of captain in 1810 and was given the governorship of Misiones . In early 1811 he participated in Paraguay campaign and defended Paraguay against the invaders led by Manuel Belgrano . Yegros and Pedro Juan Caballero were the main military figures in the Revolution of May 1811, which led to the Independence of Paraguay . Following independence, from June 19, 1811 until October 12, 1813 Yegros

1134-713: The Supreme Government of his father Carlos, and then assumed the presidency when his father died. He is one of the most controversial figures in South American history, particularly because of the Paraguayan War, known in the Plate Basin as "the War of the Triple Alliance" ( Spanish : la Guerra de la Triple Alianza ). From one perspective, his ambitions were the main reason for the outbreak of

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1188-546: The action was Sir William Dougal Christie , who had been replaced by Edward Thornton , who adopted a far less aggressive tone compared to Christie. With his father's death in 1862, López convened the Congress of Paraguay , and was unanimously proclaimed President of Paraguay for a term of ten years. After taking office, López opted to continue most of the policies of economic protectionism and internal development adopted by his predecessors. However, he broke sharply with

1242-582: The allies had organized in Asuncion a "temporary government" made up of the Paraguayans who had taken arms against their government and fought for the Triple Alliance army. On 1 March, a national holiday in Paraguay, "Día de los Héroes" (Heroes' Day) is held in honour of López's memory. It is the most important holiday in the country after Independence Day. López is still considered to be the greatest Paraguayan national hero, and his remains are located at

1296-530: The allies soon upped their game and Paraguay eventually found itself surrounded. Despite constant defeat on the field by the allies, the Paraguayans did not capitulate until Lopez had been killed in 1870, in the Battle of Cerro Corá , having been on the run with his 200 remaining men. As of 2016, the Paraguayan Army had a total strength of 10,600 personnel, including 2,500 conscripts. The Paraguayan Army

1350-471: The allies were pressing him hard, he convinced himself that his Paraguayan supporters had actually formed a conspiracy against his life. Thereupon, several hundred prominent Paraguayan citizens were seized and executed by his order, including his brothers and brothers-in-law, cabinet ministers, judges, prefects, military officers, bishops and priests, and nine-tenths of the civil officers, together with more than two hundred foreigners, among them several members of

1404-596: The army and expanded the navy. He opened an iron foundry at Ybycuí that produced arms and bullets and also built up a railway system in the country to transport troops and materiel. Following the succession of Lopez's son, Francisco Solano López , the army was expanded yet further until it was one of the largest in South America, consisting by 1864 of 44 infantry battalions , 46 cavalry regiments and four artillery regiments. In that same year Paraguay fought its first actual war against Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. Despite Paraguayan numerical superiority and initial success,

1458-646: The blockade imposed by the allies when the war broke out. In 1863, the Empire of Brazil —which did not have friendly relations with Paraguay—began providing military and political support to an incipient rebellion in Uruguay led by Venancio Flores and his Colorado Party against the Blanco Party government of Bernardo Berro and his successor, Atanasio Aguirre . The besieged Uruguayans repeatedly asked for military assistance from their Paraguayan allies against

1512-477: The ceremony, the national anthems of both nations were sung and high-ranking officers of both armies were present. The Chief of the Argentine Army gave a speech at the event in which he stated: Talking about the Paraguayan Army and the Argentine Army is talking of one and the same thing. Today, in the Argentine army, honored by the visit of Paraguay's Army Commandant, we are working intensely in fulfilling

1566-539: The considerable Brazilian forces that were closing in on him. This caused some of the officials who were still with López to abandon him and approach the allied force, under the command of the Brazilian General José Antônio Correia da Câmara , which they readily joined as scouts in order to lead them to López. Upon hearing about this, López called a last war council with the remaining officers of his general staff in order to decide

1620-622: The continent's major powers in the struggle for spoils and regional dominance. In pursuit of this goal, López sought to organize the region's smaller nations into a political coalition designed to offset the power and influence of the Brazilians and the Argentines. López found an eager ally in Uruguayan President Bernardo Berro , another leader whose country was frequently menaced by the various intrigues of

1674-438: The continent's two great powers. Berro and López would quickly conclude an alliance and López would begin a massive expansion and reorganization of the Paraguayan military, introducing mandatory military service for all men along with other reforms. Under López, Paraguay grew to possess one of the best-trained but ill-equipped military in the region. He bought new weapons from France and England but they failed to arrive because of

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1728-467: The country. At a very young age, he served in the Paraguayan Army fighting against Juan Manuel de Rosas in the sporadic hostilities sustained by Paraguay and Argentina during the Platine Wars . After the downfall of Rosas, he became Ambassador of Paraguay, as Minister Plenipotentiary, in several European countries from 1853 to 1855. At his return to Asunción, he was appointed Vice-President of

1782-413: The course of action for the upcoming battle: whether they should escape into the rainforest hill range or stay and make a stand against the attackers. The council decided to stay and end the war once and for all by fighting to the death. The Brazilian force reached the camp on 1 March. During the battle that ensued, López was separated from the remainder of his army and was accompanied by only his aide and

1836-531: The diplomatic legations (the San Fernando massacre ). During this time, he also had his 70-year-old mother flogged and ordered her execution because she revealed to him that he had been born out of wedlock. Ramona Martínez , who worked as a nurse in the war, had been enslaved by López; for her fighting and rallying of soldiers, she was nicknamed "the American Joan of Arc". Allied troops captured

1890-429: The dream of the fathers of our nation. Of those men who wanted to build a great nation, General José de San Martín and, precisely, Marshal López. Afterwards, Lieutenant General Bendini said: Marshal López inspired in his men a spirit and love for their land which made them prefer to die rather than surrendering. He is an example of what a leader is, a driver, a man who knows how to reach to his people. I am sure that

1944-431: The existing government of Paraguay was overthrown and "until no arms or elements of war should be left to it". This agreement was literally carried out. This treaty also stipulated that more than half of the Paraguayan territories would be conquered by the Allies after the war. The treaty, when made public, caused international outrage and voices rose in favour of Paraguay. The war which ensued, lasting until 1 March 1870,

1998-571: The honorific rank. Officially, both Solano López and Estigarribia held the rank of General of the Armies of Paraguay. The rank insignia of commissioned officers . The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel . Fulgencio Yegros Fulgencio Yegros y Franco de Torres (born 1780 in Quyquyhó , died 1821) was a Paraguayan soldier, landowner and the first head of state of independent Paraguay . The town of Yegros

2052-571: The intervening province of Corrientes . By this time the Brazilians had managed to successfully topple Aguirre and install their ally Venancio Flores as president, rendering Uruguay little more than a Brazilian puppet state. The Paraguayan Congress, summoned by López, bestowed him the title of "Marshal-President" of the Paraguayan Armies (an equivalent of Grand Marshal, he was the only Paraguayan who gained that rank in his own lifetime) and gave him extraordinary war powers. On 13 April 1865, he declared war on Argentina, seizing two Argentine war vessels in

2106-566: The men of this artillery group will take the example of this brave Paraguayan soldier and will be deemed worthy of the name their unit carries. At the end of the ceremony, the Paraguayan Army Commandant presented the unit with a portrait of López. Commenting, a leader in the Buenos Aires La Nación , a newspaper founded by Bartolomé Mitre, said under the headline "Absurd tribute to a dictator", "Naming

2160-425: The nine divisions that make up the three corps has one or two regiments of infantry or cavalry, its platoon of engineers, its communications section, military police units, etc. It is important to note that the two most famous military leaders of Independent Paraguay, Francisco Solano López (during his own lifetime) and José Félix Estigarribia (after his death) were distinguished with the rank of Field Marshal of

2214-558: The rest of the force. There is little organic aviation available to it. Each corps has a weapons school run by its command. The logistical command manages and addresses materials, mobilization, health care, etc. The command of the Army Institute of Education administers three schools, commissioned and noncommissoned officers, a military academy and the CIMEFOR (a center for pre-military study that trains Reserve officers). Each of

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2268-414: The struggle with the soldiers who were trying to disarm him. This incident marked the end of the war of the Triple Alliance. There is a debate within Paraguay as to whether he was a fearless leader who led his troops to the end or whether he foolishly led Paraguay into a war that it could never win and nearly eliminated the country from the map. The debate was not helped by the revisionist stance taken by

2322-423: The terms of article VI of the treaty which stated that "The allies pledge themselves solemnly not to lay down their arms unless by common accord, nor until they have overthrown the present Government of Paraguay, nor to treat with the enemy separately, nor sign any Treaty of peace, truce, armistice, or Convention whatsoever for putting an end or suspending the war, unless by a perfect agreement of all". In 1868, when

2376-473: The traditional policy of strict isolationism in foreign affairs that was favoured by previous Paraguayan leaders. López instead embarked on a more activist approach to international policy. He had, as his great ambition, to position Paraguay as a credible "third force" in the ongoing rivalry between Argentina and the Empire of Brazil over control of the Rio de la Plata Basin . López wanted Paraguay to compete with

2430-458: The war while other arguments maintain he was a fierce champion of the independence of South American nations against foreign rule and interests. He was killed in action during the Battle of Cerro Corá , which marked the end of the war. Solano López was born in Manorá , a barrio of Asunción in 1827, or according to other sources, 1826. His father, Carlos Antonio López , ascended to

2484-416: The whole Paraguayan Army for at least a year of active war. However, Paraguayan forces could not or would not seize the capital city of Cuiabá , in northern Mato Grosso. López next intended to send troops to Uruguay to support the government of Atanasio Aguirre , yet when he requested permission from Argentina to cross onto its soil, President Bartolomé Mitre refused to allow the Paraguayan force to cross

2538-631: The yellow aiguillette sewn onto their left shoulder. Although no formal wars were fought, conflicts with the Chaco Indians, particularly the sub-groups of the Guaykuru tribes, raged in the borderlands. The size of the army varied according to the magnitude of threat. In 1825 it was 5,000 strong, but in 1834 it was only 649 strong. There was also a large number of militia troops, which usually numbered around 25,000. After Francia's death in 1840, Carlos Antonio López assumed power and modernized

2592-561: Was President of the five-man ruling Junta Superior Gubernativa which in 1813 was replaced by a two-man consulate. Yegros and José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia were chosen by Congress in 1813 as Consuls of the Republic following the model of the French Revolution . During this time, he founded the first military academy in independent Paraguay. Yegros was more of a military man than a politician, and during his time as Consul he

2646-461: Was a Paraguayan military officer , politician and statesman who served as President of Paraguay between 1862 and 1870, of which he served mostly during the Paraguayan War (1864–1870). He succeeded his father Carlos Antonio López as the second president of Paraguay. He is the only Paraguayan president to have been killed in action . He is one of only two Paraguayans to have received the rank of Marshal , along with José Félix Estigarribia . He

2700-500: Was carried on with great stubbornness and with alternating fortunes, though López's disasters steadily increased. His first major setback came on 11 June 1865, when the powerless Paraguayan fleet was destroyed by the Brazilian Navy at the Battle of Riachuelo , which gave the Allies control over the various waterways surrounding Paraguay and forced López to withdraw from Argentina. On 12 September 1866, López invited Mitre to

2754-637: Was dispatched to Europe in 1853 as minister plenipotentiary to Britain , France , and the Kingdom of Sardinia . López went on to spend over a year and a half in Europe, most of it in Paris . He purchased large quantities of arms and military supplies, together with several steamers, on behalf of the Paraguayan military . He also modernized the Paraguayan Army with the novelties he acquired in Europe, adopting

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2808-451: Was his concubine and de facto first lady till his death. Solano López returned from Europe in 1855 and his father appointed him Minister of War . He was elevated to the office of Vice President of Paraguay in 1862. In November 1859, López was on board the Paraguayan steamer Tacuari , which was captured by Royal Navy ships attempting to pressure his father into releasing a British citizen from prison. The British consul who ordered

2862-497: Was marginalised by Francia. His term lasted from 12 February 1814 to 12 June 1814. After it ended, Francia was elected dictator of Paraguay and Yegros retired from public life to his estate. In 1820 Yegros was a participant in the unsuccessful plot that tried to oust Francia from power. Following the failure of the plot, Yegros was imprisoned and was executed on 17 July, 1821. Francisco Solano L%C3%B3pez Francisco Solano López Carrillo (24 July 1827 or 1826 – 1 March 1870)

2916-483: Was the first new unit created and was to form the nucleus of the army. Each captain was given command of a branch of the service, which consisted of line infantry, light infantry, dragoons, chasseurs, hussars and artillery. The infantry, artillery and hussars were stationed in the capital Asunción , and the rest of the army was stationed in outposts around the country to defend from attacks by Indians. The cavalry would go dismounted during peacetime, and were distinguished by

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