Chapter 100: Uruguay war situation

In November 1864, the Paraguayan War officially broke out.
Paraguay's enemies are Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay are allies. In the face of enemies whose economic strength and population far exceed Paraguay, Francesco Lopez decided to adopt a preemptive strategy and take the initiative to launch an attack on Brazil. The quick decision drove the three Brazilian nations to the negotiating table.
After the war officially broke out, Lopez Jr. attacked north first and entered the Matogrosso province of Brazil. This province is larger than the area of ​​Britain, France, and Germany, but the population is only 90,000, and the defense is weak. . Lopez's army was like no one. Due to the critical situation, it took two years for the Brazilian reinforcements to reach the area.
In the early wars, Lopez caught the Brazilian by surprise and tactics, but at this time he made a serious mistake. In May 1865, Lopez divided a small number of troops into two. In this part, he personally led into Corrientes, and the other part was led by Colonel Istigali, and along the Uruguay River into the Brazilian settlement.
Lopez originally estimated that these two routes attacked the disputed territories of the two countries, and the Paraguayan army could use the separatist sentiments of the locals to confront the central governments of Brazil and Argentina. However, Istigari was not as good as Colonel's departure. The locals' resistance to the Paraguayan army continued one after another, causing the Paraguayan army to lose in a battle in June. The war ended with Colonel Istigaribi being forced to surrender.
After the defeat of Colonel Istigali, the war entered the second phase. Lopez had to change the war from offense to defense.
In October, Lopez began his retreat from Corrientes. In 1866, the three-nation alliance began to invade Paraguay along the Parana River. This time, the three-nation alliance used 16 state-of-the-art steel gunboats and more than 70 wooden warships to deal with wooden warships in Paraguay. In a lake at the confluence of the Parana and Uruguay rivers, the largest naval battle in the Americas ended with almost no troops in Paraguay.
After the naval battle, Lopez led his troops back to the Humaita fortress on the banks of the river, relying on the terrain to resist the attack of the coalition forces.
In May 1866, Lopez launched a series of counterattacks at Tuyuti in Turonti. With 240,000 Paraguayan troops, they attacked 320,000 coalition forces. At the banks of the Paraná, at least 18,000 people were killed on both sides. Become the most tragic war on the South American continent.
The Humei Tower fortress lost the offensive and defensive battle, and Lopez Jr. lost the only mobile unit in his hand. He had to transfer the remaining troops to the fortress and defend it.
The Humei Tower Fortress is the east gate of Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay, and it is the parade of the Paranayan shipping center. It has always been the focus of defense of the Paraguayan forces. The Tiger Fortress became one of the most difficult fortresses in South America, and joined the defense of the remaining troops in Lopez. The entire fortress defense force reached 25,000. The tight and solid fortress system and sufficient force in the fortress made it possible for the coalition forces. Suffered a lot.
Starting from the siege of the Tiger Fortress in 1866, the Allied Forces of the Three Kingdoms continued to launch large-scale attacks on the fortress, but in addition to paying a large number of casualties, the damage to the enemy was minimal.
The offensive and defensive wars for nearly two years have not achieved their intended purpose. The large number of casualties and the massive consumption of materials have made the three governments very dissatisfied.
Over the past two years, 100,000 coalition troops have lost more than 20,000 due to combat, while non-combat reductions caused by diseases such as cholera and dysentery have reached 50,000. A large number of veterans with combat experience have left the battlefield due to injuries and injuries in order to continue fighting. The Brazilian government has successively recruited 140,000 troops, some of which supplemented the frontline reduction troops, and most of them were distributed to the rear forces for logistical support and maintenance of law and order in the occupied areas.
Fighting for years, more than 100,000 troops expeditioned to Paraguay, and the massive consumption gradually emptied the national strength of the three countries. Uruguay, a small country and a poor country, could not support the huge consumption first. During the withdrawal, the Argentine troops also expressed their intention to withdraw. One after another, bad news gave the coalition commander, the Brazilian Imperial Marshal Mitchell, a headache, and it was difficult to temporarily stabilize the Argentine army that was going to pick off the trouble, but then Get a message that makes him desperate.
In the tent-built headquarters, officers from the Brazilian Empire ’s capital, Rio de Janeiro, announced the order of the parliament blankly: Field Marshal Mitchell, who was ordered to attack the Tiger-Fortress in May 1866. As of March 11, 1868, he commanded the troops A total of 131 attacks were launched, of which 18 were small fortresses, 3,000 people were killed in battle, 20,000 were injured, and 51,000 people were reduced due to illness, causing about 3,000 casualties to the enemy.
Consumption of 32,000 firearms, 107 artillery, ...
A series of detailed data on army losses continued to be heard from the commanding officer, and Mitchell's face became increasingly white.
The army suffered huge losses and limited success, but are these all blamed for Mitchell alone? Mitchell obviously doesn't think so. Mitchell can be a Field Marshal and lead a hundred thousand expedition abroad. The previous record is naturally glorious, but this time the enemy is different, but Lopez Jr. has defeated his team after defeat , Has been hiding in the Tiger Fortress fortress, no matter how Mitchell tried to take the turtle shell-like Tiger Fortress fortress.
If you run out of thousands of tricks, I just hide in the fortress, even the ancient generals can only do nothing.
Mitchell, who had nowhere to hold his armies, really felt this sense of weakness.
"The fighting lasted for nearly two years, and Field Marshal Mitchell commanded improperly and stopped at the Tiger Fortress, resulting in a large number of soldiers being killed or injured, and the process of the war was delayed. On the proposal of the Imperial Assembly, His Majesty the Emperor Pedro II of Brazil approved and removed Commander Mitchell, who will be replaced by General Garcia. "
"No, you can't do this to me. Give me another month and I promise to capture the Tiger Tower."
Commanded the battle unfavorably and was dismissed to return home. Mitchell cannot accept such punishment. As a soldier, it is shameful to be defeated by the enemy, but it is a shame that Mitchell cannot accept to be dismissed and returned to the country because he cannot break the enemy fortress. Www.EbookFREE.me ~ He dare not imagine returning home What will happen later, those giggles pointing behind him, "Look, this is our Field Marshal. With a soldier of 100,000, even a small fortress cannot be attacked. Oh, I dare not imagine how he is Captain Marshal. "
Thinking of this picture, Mitchell felt better than kill him.
"Marshal, this is the decision of Her Majesty and the Assembly. If you have any complaints, go to Rio de Janeiro and explain to Her Majesty and the Assembly."
The words of the other party broke Mitchell's last hope, his face paled and murmured: "It's over"
Fell straight to the ground.
"marshal"
The officer next to him rushed to support Mitchell, but he was unconscious because of exhaustion and today's stimulation.
"Marshal Mitchell was overworked, so let him take a good rest." The officer told the officer a little bit, and turned and walked out.