Show FIGHTING PARAGUAY Paraguay's present war with Bolivia resulting from a long longstanding longstanding standing boundary dispute recalls the disastrous war led by Francis Francis- Francisco co Solano Lopez who became dic dictator dic- dic dictator dictator of Paraguay in 1862 1832 and seemed ambitious to brin bring all South America under his rule Although IPara Paraguay had a lation population pez in 1865 waged war o on her hei her three larger nei neighbors Brazil neighbors Brazil Argentina and Uruguay y In five years four-fifths four of this population was dead Of the remain remain- remaining remaining remaining ing alive there were only ment men besides women over I 15 years of age and chil- chil children chil chil- children children dren This was almost what it has sometimes sometime been called a war of extermination Lopez stopped at nothing to keep up the unequal struggle Reg Reg- R Regiments Regiments of boys between n 12 and 15 were sent to the front and many women fou fought ht in the ranks Women Women Wo- Wo Women men were the sole dependence for forthe forthe forthe the raising of crops and they also transported ammunition and sup sup- supplies sup supplies plies even eyen dragging artillery to the battle fronts Lopez was killed on March 1 I 1870 and th the war ended Reduced to utter helplessness Paraguay was permitted to adopt a new constitution and set up a government under the protection of her former fonner foes but a Brazilian army of occupation remained until 1876 Paraguay has not yet regained the population she had at the be beginning be- be beginning beginning ginning of Lopez's disastrous at- at 1 1 ns natio tempt t to conquer to Conquer o r the neighboring nations although because of the scarcity of men men men- polygamy was was le- le legalized legalized le legalized for a time time The population is now something over while that of Bolivia is nearly 3 3 3 |