BOLIVIAN VICTORY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21958, 15 November 1934, Page 11

BOLIVIAN VICTORY

CHACO OFFENSIVE BIG AREA RECAPTURED PARAGUAYAN REVERSE CONQUESTS NULLIFIED RIGHT WING SMASHED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received November 14, 5.5 p.m.) BUENOS AIRES, Nov. 13 A new Bolivian offensive in the Chaco Boreal region has resulted in the recapture of approximately 1600 square miles in the north-west portion of the disputed area. . Reports which reached Buenos Aires to-dav stated that the "Bolivian drive virtually nullified Paraguay's conquests in the course of General Stigarribia's daring advance toward the Parapiti River and the Bolivian oilfields in August. New developments in the fighting, in which, the despatches indicated, 20,000 men on each side were engaged, will depend upon whether heavy rains now due come soon, and whether the Bolivians are satisfied with having averted Paraguay's threat against the towns along the Parapiti and consequently abandon operations until after the rainy season. A crowd of 20,000 people, singing patriotic songs, thronged the streets of La Paz in celebration of the Bolivian victory.

The Ministry of War announced that the Bolivians had smashed the Paraguayan right wing in Northern Chaco, threatened the centre and pushed the enemy back 25 miles. The capture of Fort 27th of November and the Irindague fortifications has left Bolivia confronting the major Paraguayan strongholds at Picuiba. One of the most important. battles of the long war is expected to be fought there, either within the next few days or immediately after the rainy season. Since Picuiba controls a network of roads and the water supply in northwest Chaco its loss or retention will determine whether Paraguay withdraws towards Central Chaco or retains the advanced outposts she has captured.