The Fall of Angostura (1868): The Final Collapse of Paraguay’s Army

Описание: The Fall of Angostura in December 1868 marked the definitive military collapse of Paraguay during the War of the Triple Alliance. After the devastating defeats at Itororó and Avay, Allied forces executed a coordinated strategy of amphibious landing, encirclement, and attrition, isolating the last Paraguayan strongholds along the Paraguay River.

This documentary examines how the Brazilian army—over 32,000 troops—crossed into the Chaco, landed unexpectedly at San Antonio, and advanced southward, cutting off Paraguayan supply lines and surrounding the defensive positions of Pikysyry, Ita-Ivaté, and finally Angostura.

At Angostura, resistance continued under extreme conditions. The garrison consisted largely of exhausted soldiers, wounded men, invalids, and young recruits. With manpower depleted, women assumed critical roles, caring for the wounded and burying the dead as constant bombardment shook the fortifications. Despite acts of remarkable bravery, the Allied encirclement proved impossible to break.

The video also explores the leadership of Marshal Francisco Solano López during the final phase of the campaign. His rigid command decisions, internal executions, and eventual withdrawal toward Cerro León had a profound impact on troop morale. When confirmation arrived that López’s main army had been destroyed, Angostura was left isolated, without provisions, and strategically abandoned.

Facing starvation and annihilation, the commanders of Angostura chose to surrender in order to save the remaining defenders and civilians. This moment symbolized not just the fall of a fortress, but the end of Paraguay’s organized military resistance before the final pursuit phase of the war.

In this video you will learn:

How Allied landing and encirclement strategy sealed Paraguay’s fate

The battles of Itororó, Avay, Pikysyry, and their consequences

The extreme sacrifice of Paraguayan soldiers and civilians

The role of leadership in the collapse of Angostura

Why surrender became inevitable

This episode represents one of the most tragic and decisive chapters in South American military history.
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