Battle of Chaco Boreal
1932 CE · Gran Chaco, South America
The Battle of Chaco Boreal was fought in 1932 CE in Gran Chaco, South America between Paraguay vs Bolivia; Paraguay won the Chaco War and most of the disputed territory by the 1935 armistice.
Battle of Chaco Boreal: quick facts
- Date
- 1932 CE
- Location
- Gran Chaco, South America
- Belligerents
- Paraguay vs Bolivia
- Commanders
- José Félix Estigarribia vs Hans Kundt
- Result
- Paraguay won the Chaco War and most of the disputed territory by the 1935 armistice.
- Era
- 🌎 Latin American Wars
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of Chaco Boreal?
The Chaco War between Paraguay and Bolivia was fought over the desolate Gran Chaco region, believed to contain oil reserves. Despite Bolivia's larger population and army, Paraguay's soldiers were better adapted to the harsh terrain and won a series of decisive battles. The war killed over 100,000 people and was the bloodiest South American conflict of the 20th century.
Did you know?
Bolivia hired a German general, Hans Kundt, to lead their forces in the Chaco War. His European-style tactics proved disastrous in the harsh scrubland, and he was eventually relieved of command after repeated defeats.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Chaco Boreal on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.