Aland Islands & Chaco War

Daniella Cuencas, Maria Kim, Namrata Mohan, Christina Yoo

Aland Islands: Region

Swedish-speaking, autonomous region of Finland
Lies at the entrance to Gulf of Bothnia Consists of about 35 inhabited islands, 6,500 uninhabited islands Rocky reefs

Aland Islands: Region

Rich Soil in many areas especially in the southeast
Consists of rugged granite to the north Aland accounts for 70% of the island thus is the largest group of islands Aland is home to about 90% of the Archipelagos population Mariehamn, Aland is the site of the administrative capital, chief seaport, and only town

Aland Islands: History

Islands were Christianized during the 12th century by Swedish Missionaries
Seized by Russian Tsar Peter I the Great after naval victory over Sweden in 1714
Russia created the Grand Duchy of Finland, which included the Islands

Aland Islands included in Russia after Duchy of Finland fell in 1809 with the promise of no fortifications 1830s Russia began fortifications on the Bomarsund Garrison in Aland

Aland Islands: History

After the Crimean War(1856) Russians were defeated by France and Britain, and were ordered to declare Aland Islands a demilitarized zone In 1856, the Treaty of Paris demilitarized the islands, but Russia used them as a submarine base during WWI During the time of Russias October Revolution, Finland declared its independence
Finland wanted the Aland Islands, which Russia had included in the Grand Duchy of Finland

Aland Islands: The Dispute

The Islanders wanted to rejoin Sweden Secession from the Grand Duchy of Finland Request that Sweden annex them The conflict grew; danger of war

Aland Islands: The Dispute

The King of Sweden requested that Finland allow the citizens to decide their political future Both knew that they would choose to rejoin Sweden Finland refused The dispute was brought to the attention of the League of Nations by the people of the Aland Islands and the Swedish government Sweden and Finland agreed to allow the League of Nations to settle the dispute

Aland Islands: League of Nations Involvement

In 1921, the League of Nations decided to approve the autonomous status and demilitarization of the Aland Islands.

Settled in favor of Finland

Guaranteed protection of the Islanders preservation of the Islands Swedish language, culture and selfgovernment

Aland Islands: League of Nations Involvement

Autonomy Act, 1920 Treaty between Finland and Sweden Guaranteed autonomy, demilitarization, and neutralization for the Aland Islands

Aland Islands: League of Nations Involvement

The Aland Island conflict was the first to be settled directly by the League of Nations

The solution was successful because

Protection of minority rights Mutually agreeable and peaceful resolution The League demonstrated that they were able to successfully resolve conflicts

Chaco War: Region

Chaco Boreal Region of land is 100,000 square miles in Northwestern Paraguay, Southeastern Bolivia, and Northern Argentina
Land is Divided into two regions
West of River Paraguay
East of River Paraguay

Chaco War: Region

Paraguans uses for land:
Mate (huge export to Argentina) Use river to deliver moneymaking crop to Argentina

Chaco War: Region

Bolivian uses for land:
Important waterway that connects Bolivia to the World

Chaco War: History

In 1883 after the War of the Pacific, Bolivia lost its entire coastline to Chile
Bolivian Politicians demand access to a water way and in 1932 declared war against Paraguay

Chaco War: The Conflict

Fighting began in December 5, 1928 by Paraguay

Chaco War: The Conflict

Bolivian Advantage:
Larger population German trained military Heavily armed

Disadvantage:
Low morale Unable to fight in lowlands and swamps

Chaco War: The Conflict

Paraguayan Advantages:
Trained to fight in swamps and lowlands Withstood the disease rampant in these areas Withstood onslaught of wildlife in these areas

French trained troops

Disadvantages: Smaller military Farming economy

Chaco War: The Conflict

War was not declared officially until May 10, 1933 by Paraguay, but the war began in earnest in 1932
Paraguays General Jose Estigarribia led first major offensive

German General Kundt was in charge of Bolivian forces

Attacked Fort Nanawa

Chaco War: The Conflict

At this point Paraguay was soundly defeating Bolivia Bolivian President replaces General Kundt for General Penaranda

Chaco War: The Conflict

3 week truce ensued in January 1934
At the end of the siesta Estigarribia moved with renewed vigor against Bolivia At this point in the wars the heaviest fighting occurred at Ballivian from March to July

Chaco War: The Conflict

Ballivian was defeated on November 17
Bolivian Territory finally invaded on January 1935

Chaco War: The Conflict

Truce arranged on June 12, 1935
Chaco Peace Conference Signed in Buenos Aires on July 21 1938

Paraguay gained most of the land

Bolivia gained access to rivers

Chaco War: League of Nations Involvement

League of Nations Involvement: Failure
Intervened in 1928 Negotiations led nowhere
Separate interests
Neither willing to submit to the League

Tried to arrange a truce 1935 with help from Chile and Argentina

Sources
http://www.mbc.edu/faculty/gbowen/LeagueOfNations.htm
http://worldatwar.net/chandelle/v1/v1n3/chaco.html http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/104127/ChacoPeace-Conference

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/leagueofnations.htm
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/12162/Aland-Islands http://www.scantours.com/history_of_aland.htm

http://www.history.com/topics/chaco-war

Sources
http://www.unog.ch/unog/website/dg.nsf/(httpSpeechesByYear_en)/6 F8D12900389DCE9C12578B700596A36?OpenDocument

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archivefree/pdf?res=F00616FD3C5E10728DDDA00994D1405B808EF1D3

http://formin.finland.fi/public/default.aspx?contentid=223458&nodeid= 15145&contentlan=2&culture=en-US

http://www.jstor.org/stable/2187689?seq=2