FLAMES OF WAR IN CHACO

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19957, 15 November 1934, Page 9

FLAMES OF WAR IN CHACO

FIERCE HOSTILITIES RESUMED

MAJOR OFFENSIVE BY BOLIVIA United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Cooyrlgbt (Received November 14, 7 p.m.) BUENOS AIRES, November 13. A new Bolivian offensive in the Chaco-Boreal has re-captured approximately 1600 square miles in the north-west portion of the disputed area, according to reports reaching here to-day. The Bolivian drive, virtually wiped out Paraguay’s conquests in the course of General Stigarribiae’s daring advance towards the Parapiti river, and the Bolivian oilfields in August. The new developments in the fighting, in which the dispatches indicated, 20,000 men on each side were engaged, will depend on whether the 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 abandon operations until after the rainy season.

A crowd numbered 200,000 singing patriotic songs, jammed La Paz streets in celebration of the Bolivian victory, which the Ministry of announced had smashed Paraguay’s right wing in the northern Chaco, threatened the centre, and pushed the enemy back twenty-five miles. The capture of Fort Twenty on the seventh of November and the Irindague fortifications, left Bolivia confronting the major Paraguayan strongholds at Picuiba, and one of the most important battles of a long war is expected to be fought there either within a few days, or immediately after the rainy season. Since Picuiba controls the networks of roads and water supply in the north-west Chaco, its loss or retention, will determine whether Paraguay withdraws towards Central Chaco, or retains the advanced outposts she has captured.