The Grandchildren of Solano Lpez

Paraguays Chaco frontier, one of the least known areas in one of the least known countries in South America, became the unexpected scene of the bloodiest international war in the Americas, the Chaco War between Paraguay and Bolivia (193235). A picture postcard from the Chaco War era shows a large heart, emblazoned with the word Paraguayo, pumping its way through the flat dusty wilderness of the Chaco and leaving a zigzag trail of smashed Bolivian forts and soldiers along the way. This visual propaganda shows why the Paraguayans were sure they would win the war: they were brave, passionate soldiers. They considered themselves invincible descendants of the great hero of the War of the Triple Alliance (186470), Marshal Francisco Solano Lpez (El Mariscal). But Solano Lpez was not universally revered. A controversial figure, he was widely believed to have led Paraguay into economic, social, and cultural ruin. The debate over Lpezs actions shaped the countrys culture and politics for over a century after the War of the Triple Alliance. Bridget Mara Chestertons in-depth examination of Paraguays unique nationalism and the role of the frontier in its formation places the debate over Lpez in the context of larger themes of Latin American history, including racial and ethnic identity, authoritarian regimes, and militarism.