Campo Vía pocket
Campo Vía pocket | |||||||
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Part of the Chaco War | |||||||
File:Campovia hcn01.jpg Map of the battle, with a portrait of Colonel Estigarribia in the background | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Bolivia | Paraguay | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Lt Col Carlos Banzer (Commander of the 4° Division) Lt Col Gonzales Quint (Commander of the 9° División) |
Col José Félix Estigarribia. Lt Col Rafael Franco | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
8,000 troops | 27,000 troops |
The battle of the Campo Vía pocket was a decisive engagement of the Chaco War between Paraguay and Bolivia which took place in December 1933. It was one of the most prominent battles of the Chaco War. Lt Col José Félix Estigarribia, with a massive force of several divisions of the Paraguayan Army, was able to surround two Bolivian divisions around the outpost of Alihuatá. The encircled troops were forced to capitulate due to lack of supplies on 11 December. Up to 2,000 Bolivian soldiers were killed and 7,000 made prisoner. Barely 900 Bolivian troops broke away. Subsequently, the Paraguayan troops expelled the Bolivian army from the southern region of Chaco by the end of 1933, forcing the resignation of German General Hans Kundt to the Bolivian High Command.
Bibliography
- Masamaclay, historia de la guerra del Chaco, Segunda edición
23°15′39.54″S 59°56′20.66″W / 23.2609833°S 59.9390722°W