Chaco War

The Chaco War was an early 20th century conflict between Paraguay and Bolivia.

Bolivia lost a war against Chile, closing its access to the Pacific Ocean. It sought to regain a route to the sea by settling the largely uninhabited Chaco region, a hot, inhospitable region. This would give it access to rivers that led to the Atlantic Ocean.

At the same time, Paraguay wanted the territory and considered it part of its ancestral homeland. Moreover the indigenous people were more closely related to Paraguayans.

The Bolivians were more militarily advanced, with advantages in trucks, aircraft, European training, and weaponry. The Paraguayans were more adapted to the terrain, and adopted a fighting style that neutralized the Bolivians' advantages.

The war was a Paraguayan victory, and most of the Chaco went to Paraguay.