How Paraguay Lost 40% Of Its Territory

Paraguay is often overlooked on the map of South America today, but in 1860, it was a rising power that looked completely different. Then, war changed everything. This is the story of how Paraguay lost 40% of its land, 50% of its people, most of its adult men, and nearly vanished from history, only to pull off an impressive recovery 60 years later. From the messy colonial "lines on a map" left by Spain and Portugal to the brutal reality of the Triple Alliance War, I explore the geopolitical chaos of the post-colonial Rio de la Plata. Why did Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay all turn on their neighbor? And how did a country of 500,000 people hold off three nations for five years? TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 The Country that Lost 40% of its Territory 00:50 Portugal and Spain's chaotic colonial mapping 03:31 Southern America's Independence & Border Disputes 05:35 The Brink of War 08:37 The Triple Alliance: A Survival Struggle 12:16 The 1930s Recovery: Winning the Chaco Become a member on Patreon & get your name in the credits + exclusive content! https://www.patreon.com/generalknowledge Stay up to date on more content from me: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@generalknowledge.pt Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genknowledge/ ▶ Join the Discord Server: https://discord.com/invite/f4neAVWZfF ▶ Business Contact: [email protected]