Paraguay performs better in the triple alliance war

[La Rouge Beret]

As it says on the tin, how come Paraguay improve its performance in the war of the triple alliance or can it avoid it altogether?

 

[unprincipled peter]

considering that Paraguay was the instigator of the war, it's quite easy for P to avoid the war.

Their only hope to do better is to avoid being penned in. Once they had no access to the outside world and arms/goods, it was only a matter of time before they withered on the vine. This means they have to win the naval war, which they lost almost immediately, and they have to win the initial land war. Been a while since I read up on the war, but I seem to recall that they had initial success, but then were beaten back by the Argentines. I also recall that the Paraguayans had a faulty army structure - I believe they were basically a mob with a couple of top generals, none of whom Lopez trusted enough to create a real army/strategy. Hence they were prone to being beaten by anyone with any structure/military sense.

The only reason the war went on so long is their riverside Fortress blocking the way and keeping the triple alliance forces out. That, and the Brazilians not really being all that good of an army, and the Argentines didn't really feel like taking the lead in doing anything more than kicking them out of Entre Rios/Corrientes.

 

[9 Fanged Hummingbird]

They could be put in a good position if they win the Battle of Tuyuti, which is often touted as South America's Gettysburg, being the largest modern battle in that continent's history. Yet unlike Gettysburg, the presidents of two of the three allied countries fighting Paraguay were personally present at Tuyuti to lead their forces. Had the Paraguayans more successfully prepare for the battle and you could possibly see both Argentina and Uruguay knocked out of the war in one fell swoop along with many of Brazil's best soldiers and officers. Despite the size of that country, Brazil had a hard time raising troops for the war and losing Caxias and his army would be a stunning blow. Of course, that late in the war Paraguay had already suffered severe casualties and losses, but I don't think it was completely impossible for them not to end the war favorably before they lost Tuyuti. And a victory there could be achieved by more thorough reconnaissance the night before. That way, the Paraguayan columns could reach their destinations on time and launch the attack early in the morning as planned, before the allies are ready.

 

[La Rouge Beret]

And a victory there could be achieved by more thorough reconnaissance the night before. That way, the Paraguayan columns could reach their destinations on time and launch the attack early in the morning as planned, before the allies are ready.

Seems a fairly solid POD right there. My thoughts are also there numerous opportunities to send military observers prior to the war Mexico vs US, the Crimean and even an observer(s) to the American civil war. From that it is possible to create some structural changes at the minimum.

If Paraguay was successful at the battle of Tuyuti what would the impact on the conflict and longer term be?

 

[Guilherme Loureiro]

And a victory there could be achieved by more thorough reconnaissance the night before. That way, the Paraguayan columns could reach their destinations on time and launch the attack early in the morning as planned, before the allies are ready.

Hmm, I'm not so sure better reconnaissance would do the trick(although it would certainly help). The terrain the Paraguayan columns had to march through to reach the attack positions was quite bad, and coordinating the columns would be hard, even not accounting for the the fact Paraguayan units had few officers, and those they had weren't that great, with few exceptions.