Why did nations like Paraguay have such a strong sense of national identity, and fight horrendous wars against their neighbours in the hope of preserving their independence?
Weren't they just some glorified administrative subdivision of Spanish SA? Why did the rebelling colonies have such a strong sense of nationhood?
>>1348335
Paraguayan nationalism is just as imaginary as all nationalism
Paraguayans are some of the most proud, patriotic people I've ever met, even to this day. No idea why.
>>1348335
There should more Paraguayian War based memes.
>>1348720
The war of the triple alliance also known as the great war in Paraguay.
>almost 70% of its adult male population died, according to some counts - and was forced to cede territory to Argentina and Brazil. According to some estimates, Paraguay's pre-war population of 525,000 was reduced to 221,000 of which only 28,000 were men.
This is why. You don't suffer this kind of war at the hands of your neighbor countries and then suddenly decide that there is no difference between them and you.
>>1348904
everything would be fine if solano had surrendred after Tuyuti, after that there was no way Paraguay could have "won".
>>1348918
Yes, Solano was a total retard.
>>1348335
fuck you op, chaco is bolivian and paraguayan faggots can lick strossenors ass
Well, a lot of colonies were the ventures of networks of powerful people (aristocrats, merchants/businessmen etc.) who usually became much more wealthy and powerful/influential because of them. The local population might not have had a very strong national identity, but those guys would have most definitely put up a fight in order to maintain or increase their position of power.
From what I understand, most of the Spanish colonies fought during a time of instability back home, when it was uncertain who was in charge. By fighting for independence these guys were making sure no-one else would suddenly get to be above them in terms of hierarchy, if the situation back home changed and the result didn't favour them.
>>1348335
Paraguay as a state is pretty much the direct descendant of the Jesuitic missions, like those of the movie The Mission with De Niro and Jeremy Irons.
they were very isolated from the rest of spanish america.
Paraguay is the only country in which almost eveybody is bilingual with a native american language, Guarani, even though it has very few full blooded natives, they are clearly mestizos.
they have a very strong and particular national identity, that is why they exist.
A different case is Uruguay, whose inhabitants have the same culture, looks and accent as those of Buenos Aires or Entre Ríos in Argentina, or Ecuador, which could be a part of Peru.
Paraguay is pretty much their own thing, the only people similar to them are those of the Argentine province of Corrientes who are on the other side of the river Parana.
they died because their dictator refused to surrender, if I recall correctly he commited suicide by choking on the Paraguayan flag.
He thought after his defeat Paraguay woud disappear, he would be surprised to see it still exists.
It is somehow similat to WW2. Germany was defeated by 2 enemies, USA and the Soviets, not by one, if Germany had been defeated only by one enemy, they would have been punished much worse.
Brazil and Argentina annexed some territories of Paraguay, and kept it as a buffer state.
In Latin America there are more cases of many diffferent countries having the same culture, than cases of many different cultures in the same country, perhaps that is why there have been less wars than in post colonial asia and africa.
>>1351166
>if I recall correctly he commited suicide by choking on the Paraguayan flag.
Actually he died after a lance hit him in the leg he stumbled until he was at a river margin and when the Brazilian general that was trusted with his capture ordered him to surrender Lopez lifted his sword and screamed "I die with my country!" but the moment he rose his weapon a brazilian soldier shot him in the chest.
