Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.