I Die With My Country: Perspectives on the Paraguayan War, 1864-1870 (Studies in War, Society, and the Militar) [Hardcover]

Hendrik Kraay (Editor), Thomas L. Whigham (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Studies in War, Society, and the Militar | Publication Date: January 1, 2005

The Paraguayan War (1864–70) was the most extensive and profound interstate war ever fought in South America. It directly involved the four countries of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay and took the lives of hundreds of thousands, combatants and noncombatants alike. While the war still stirs emotions on the southern continent, until today few scholars from outside the region have taken on the daunting task of analyzing the conflict. In this compilation of ten essays, historians from Canada, the United States, Germany, Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay address its many tragic complexities. Each scholar examines a particular facet of the war, including military mobilization, home-front activities, the war’s effects on political culture, war photography, draft resistance, race issues, state formation, and the role of women in the war. The editors’ introduction provides a balance to the many perspectives collected here while simultaneously integrating them into a comprehensible whole, thus making the book a compelling read for social historians and military buffs alike.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"These essays are a major contribution to Paraguayan and regional historiography."—Vera Blinn Reber, American Historical Review

(Vera Blinn Reber American Historical Review )

"A welcome addition to the corpus on the military history of South America and the editors and contributors are to be commended for their efforts."—Matthew Hughes, Journal of Military History

(Matthew Hughes Journal of Military History )

“I Die with My Country is recommended for those with a passion for field medicine, and the administration and management of casualties in warfare. Those medical planners, medics, and corpsmen supporting the Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) Area of Operation might find it very useful reading.”—LCDR Aboul-Enein, Navy Medicine

(LCDR Aboul-Enein Navy Medicine )

From the Inside Flap

The Paraguayan War (1864–70) was the most extensive and profound interstate war ever fought in South America. It directly involved the four countries of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay and took the lives of hundreds of thousands, combatants and noncombatants alike. While the war still stirs emotions on the southern continent, until today few scholars from outside the region have taken on the daunting task of analyzing the conflict. In this compilation of ten essays, historians from Canada, the United States, Germany, Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay address its many tragic complexities. Each scholar examines a particular facet of the war, including military mobilization, home-front activities, the war’s effects on political culture, war photography, draft resistance, race issues, state formation, and the role of women in the war. The editors’ introduction provides a balance to the many perspectives collected here while simultaneously integrating them into a comprehensible whole, thus making the book a compelling read for social historians and military buffs alike.

Hendrik Kraay is an associate professor of history and political science at the University of Calgary. He is the editor of Afro-Brazilian Culture and Politics: Bahia, 1790s to 1900s and the author of Race, State, and Armed Forces in Independence-Era Brazil: Bahia, 1790s–1840s. Thomas L. Whigham is a professor of history at the University of Georgia. He is the author of The Paraguayan War, Volume 1: Causes and Early Conduct (Nebraska 2002) and The Politics of River Trade: Tradition and Development in the Upper Plata, 1780–1870.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 258 pages
• Publisher: University of Nebraska Press (January 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803227620
• ISBN-13: 978-0803227620
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,000,362 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #47 in Books > History > Americas > South America > Paraguay

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Companion for the serious student, May 24, 2005

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This review is from: I Die With My Country: Perspectives on the Paraguayan War, 1864-1870 (Studies in War, Society, and the Militar) (Hardcover)

The Paraguayan War, or War of the Triple Alliance,is little known in the US, although it was as much a transforming experience in Southern South America as the Civil War was for the Untied States (and comparatively much bloodier). Whigham and Kraay have added immeasurably to the body of literature in English by assembling and editing a series of papers on a wide variety of topics related to the war, ranging from the role of women in Paraguay to free blacks in the Brazilian army to letters home from a junior Brazilian officer. The latter proves the universality of the military experience as his complaints about everything from the foolishness of the high command to his living accomodations would be familiar to any soldier from the Hadrian's Wall to Da Nang.

As in any compendium written by multiple acedemics, the perspectives vary significantly in style and accessibility. However in general this book is free of professiorial jargon. This is not a book for someone discovering the Paraguayan War for the first time, for that one should read "To the Bitter End", by Chris Leuchars or "The Paraguayan War" by Thomas Whigham. If one is reasonably conversant with the War, then this is a perfect companion piece to any general history.