I Die with My Country: Perspectives on the Paraguayan War, 2864–2870 by Hendrik Kraay, Thomas Whigham (review)

190 The Latin Americanist Spring 2006 of the Unites Statesin differentepochsand subregions.Neverthelessthey donotmentionthe new hegemonicinterestsinthe region, includinginternaland externalprospectsespeciallyfromAsia and Europe,which will influencethe region in the near future. The multidisciplinary approach and level of analysis from the authors in different areas permits the reader to understand, the problems of the region in context and to foresee some possible outcomes in the future. The book constitutes an excellent referencethat helps supportdifferentkmds of studiesabout South America. The book makes a comprehensive analysis about different topics fiom historical to current events, with easy access to the information required in specific themes without needing to review the entirebook. The level of investigationused in the book requiresa basic knowledge aboutthe region, and is recommended as a referencebook because of the quality of the analysis in such condensed form. Jaime Castillo Defense Analysis Department Naval Postgraduate School,Monterey, CA I Die wirh My Country: Perspectives on the Paraguayan War, 2864-2870. By Hendrik Kraay and Thomas Whigham. Lincoln , NE: University of Nebraska Press, 2004, p. 246, $69.95. The Paraguayan War (1864-1870), or the War of the Triple Alliance, as it is more commonly known, which involved Paraguay ,Brazil,Argentina,and Uruguay, was one of the most important wars in Latin American history. In an attempt to bring more attention to a subject that is largely neglected outside of South America, Hendrik Kraay, an associate professor of history and political science at the University of Calgary, and James L. Whigham, a professor of history at the University of Georgia, have assembled ten chapters that examine the Paraguayan War from multiple perspectives. The research presented evolved out of a panel at an annual Society for Military History conference and involvesnew areasof historiography suchaswomen’sstudies and ethnic studies. According to the editors, the chapters reflect “broad concerns about the human cost of the war, the effects of mobilization, and the politicalchanges”within the affected countries (p. 19). Whigham begins by providing an overview of Southern Book Reviews I91 Conerelationsduringthe nineteenthcenturyand the originsof the ParaguayanWar. The war was not an isolatedevent,but rathercan be traced to the end of the colonial period and the breakup of the Platine viceroyalty that eventually became the nations of Argentina , Bolivia,Paraguay,and Uruguay.By 1864,Paraguayan president FranciscoSolanoLopez decided that Paraguay should act as a moderator of political, economic, and diplomatic events in the Southern Cone. Lopez issued an ultimatum to Brazil that stated that Brazil should remove itself from Uruguayan affairs or face military retaliation from Paraguay. Brazil ignored the warning and invaded Uruguay.Lopezrespondedby capturingtheMarques de Olinda,a Brazilian ship, and invadingthe Mato Grassoregion of southern Brazil. The Paraguayan War lasted until 1870 when Brazilian forceskilled Lopez and his few remaining supporters. Barbara Potthast, a professor of history at the University of Cologne,examinesthe role of Paraguayanwomen duringthe war and the effect the war had on genderroles in Paraguay.Duringthe war, womenmaintainedthe economywhiletakingovertraditional male roles in areas such as salt processingand livestock. The war decimatedthe male population of Paraguay,which potentiallyleft women in an advantageousposition to create a more egalitarian society in Paraguay.According to Potthast, however, the postwar years brought even worse conditions for women, while simultaneously providing a setting for the rise of nationalism in the 20“ century. Kraay examines the role of black military companies from Bahia and their impact on the war and Brazilian society. Historically , these black companieswithin the Paraguayan War have been viewed in two distinct ways: as “cannon fodder” in trench warfare, or as a method of forging a common national identity in the diverse nation of Brazil (p. 61). Kraay points out, however, that they were not able to have a large domestic impact because they were immediately disbandedupon their return from the war. Often they did not even receive their salary. Brazil needed their assistancefor the war, but did not allow them to integrateinto the lighter skinned political realm. Beyond the role of ethnic groups and women, the Paraguayan War contributed to the formation of nation states among the participants. Whigham analyzes the effect of the Paraguayan War upon each of the participants. He believes the war “proved to be the great catalyst pushing Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay...