Any chance for larce continental war in Soth America in 19th or 20th century? Preferably pitting Argentina on on side and Brazil on another.
Damn, this continent was much more hot than I thought.
I knew about Paraguayan war, but thought it was too one-sided to count. Indeed, if some other country had backed Paraguay it could develop into more even contest. Is there a possibility to link this somehow with Saltpeter War? Maybe Peru and Bolivia support Paraguay, while Chile tries to exploit the occasion by invading Atacama few years earlier than OTL?
Wasn't the Argentine military junta an American backed government? And the Columbian government?how about pro-USA vs anti -USA, lets assume USA installs a new government in a southamerica country with own militar bases; so, ...
Already happened, twice.
Let's say that not long after Brazil wins the second war in the 1850s, Buenos Aires starts making trouble in Argentina a little earlier, with Brazilian backing. As Paraguay develops its modernized navy (one of the first in the Western Hemisphere), the rest of the Argentine Confederation (organized as the Federales party) seeks support from Asuncion, agreeing to drop claims to the Chaco.
Buenos Aires and Paraguay, for a while, find themselves in the same camp with regards to ending Brazilian hegemony over Uruguay, and both support the minority Blanco party. When war breaks out more or less as OTL, it is briefly three-sided, until Buenos Aires agrees to withdraw from Uruguay as part of an alliance with Brazil.
So There you have it, the most even-sided war there can be in late-19th century South America between an alliance of Paraguay, the Argentian Federals, Uruguayan Blancos and Brazil, the Unitarios, and the Uruguayan Colorados. Powers beyond the River Plate are unlikely to intervene until the end of the war, although Britain may blockade Brazil in support of Paraguay.
The nature of this question suggests it was asked by a person with a pretty flimsy grasp of latin american history, there has been no shortage of conflicts in various sizes and flavors.
There were more conflict in South America that I knew of, I admit, but hardly any can be considered major war. I was thinking of a conflict similar to US Civil War or major European wars, of course scaled to area's size. A war that would shake and reshape the whole continent like World Wars did in Europe.
There were more conflict in South America that I knew of, I admit, but hardly any can be considered major war. I was thinking of a conflict similar to US Civil War or major European wars, of course scaled to area's size. A war that would shake and reshape the whole continent like World Wars did in Europe.
Are you saying that a war that killed two-thirds of Paraguay's male population wasn't major?[\quote]
Well, seems like for most part it was member of triple alliance pillaging Paraguay. Not much of an equal contest.
I agree, having an ally system a la pre-WWI Europe would be the best way to bring about the scenario you describe, but I'm not convinced that would work in South America. They're not quite as stable as Europe comparatively, especially around the time of these major wars that occured there.
Personally, I could see Brazilians developing a sense of Manifest Destiny. I mean, they're already pretty large, but with a couple of tweaks in the right places you could get them to want to spread to own a part of the Andean Coast. And that would probably set nations like Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina against them. Athough I could see Ecuador getting in on Brazil's side. Peru still controls land that Ecuador wants.
Yes, Brazil being centrally located and largest South American state is in good position to get into war with several neighbours at one time, eventually bringing them into some anti-Brazillian coalition. Argentina seems also capable of playing role of South Americas Germany (against Brazilian substitute of Soviet Union perhaps?), especially during 1920s and 30s when they look quite powerful.
Since communications and distances would a major problem in XIX century, I was thinking about such situation developing during Interwar period. Is there a chance at this time period that either Argentina or Brazil would turn fascist and eventually get into a war with coalition of neighbours?