Yrendagüé 1934: The Battle Where Thirst Defeated an Army | Chaco War

Описание: The Battle of Yrendagüé, fought in late 1934, was one of the most decisive and dramatic engagements of the Chaco War between Paraguay and Bolivia. In the unforgiving environment of the Gran Chaco, this battle proved that logistics and access to water could be more decisive than firepower or numerical superiority.

In this episode, we analyze how Paraguayan forces executed a bold maneuver to seize the water wells of Yrendagüé, cutting off the Bolivian supply routes and leaving entire units without access to drinking water. As temperatures soared and dehydration spread, Bolivian command structures began to collapse under the combined pressure of the environment and Paraguayan attacks.

The battle highlights the contrast between Paraguayan adaptability—shaped by hard lessons learned earlier in the war—and Bolivian overconfidence, poor logistical planning, and delayed decision-making. Soldiers on both sides endured extreme heat, exhaustion, and scarcity, but it was the control of water that ultimately determined the outcome.

As Paraguayan troops tightened the encirclement, Bolivian units suffered massive losses, not only from combat, but from thirst, panic, and disorganization. Yrendagüé became a turning point that shattered Bolivian morale and accelerated the final phase of the war.

In this video you will learn:

Why water was the decisive strategic factor at Yrendagüé

How Paraguayan maneuver warfare outmatched a larger force

The logistical failures that doomed Bolivian units

The human cost of desert warfare in the Chaco

Why Yrendagüé remains a key lesson in military history

Yrendagüé stands as a stark reminder that wars are often decided not only by weapons, but by supply lines, environment, and leadership under extreme conditions.

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