Platinum War: The First Uruguay War

ancestors

Pedro declared Brazil's independence: 1822, and Crown Prince Pedro of Portugal declared Brazil to break away from Portuguese rule and establish an independent country.

1825 12 In February, Brazil declared war on Argentina and the West-Platinum War broke out.

The wars between the two countries are related to Uruguay, also known as the first Uruguay War.

In April of that year, the West Bladin Province of the Brazilian Empire declared an uprising with the support of the Argentine government. In the case of ineffective repression by Brazilian government forces, on August 25, the rebels declared independence and named it Uruguay. 10 in June, Uruguay announced its surrender to Argentina, which completely angered the Brazilian government. Two months later, Brazil officially declared war on Argentina.

After more than 500 days of war, the Brazilian empire failed one after another, and the Argentine government was also in constant civil strife. The long-term state of war caused the economic crisis between the two countries. The two sides agreed to reconcile, sign a peace agreement and recognize Uruguay's independence.

The war between the Brazilian Empire and Argentina originated from the struggle between Britain, Spain and Portugal for the control of Sis Bladin Province (now Uruguay).

Since the rise of Britain in the17th century, it has expanded all over the world, and Latin America is also within the scope of British expansion. However, because Spain and Portugal colonized Latin America in the early days, the control was very strict, so Britain tried its best to occupy some small islands in the Caribbean.

Britain, of course, is unwilling, just waiting for an opportunity to tamper with the situation in Bladin Province. The British occupied this area briefly in 1807. However, a few months later, the British invasion of Buenos Aires failed, and all the territory was lost to Argentina, which made Sis Bladin province fall into the hands of Argentina.

The good times didn't last long. A few years later, the province of Sladin declared its independence from Argentina and established an independent and sovereign country, Uruguay.

At this time, the Portuguese were stubborn. Seeing that the Argentines could not control this part of Uruguay, they invaded the independent Uruguay again in 18 17 and successfully occupied it. Since then, Uruguay has been ruled by the Portuguese.

1822, after the bourgeois revolution broke out in Portugal, the Brazilian Empire declared independence and Uruguay belonged to Brazil.

After the establishment of the Brazilian empire, the regime was in turmoil because it could not handle the relationship with Portugal, the former suzerain country.

In the year when the war broke out, a group of Uruguayan patriots, known as the "Thirty-three Orientals", took advantage of the fact that the Brazilian empire had no time to take care of itself and launched the Uruguay independence movement in the area adjacent to Argentina.

It was precisely because the initial uprising broke out on the Argentine border that the Argentine government could not break away from this anti-Brazilian government movement. So Argentina simply stood with Uruguay and stood against Brazil.

Brazil was the party that started this war, so it took the initiative from the beginning. Facing the well-trained and well-equipped Brazilian army, the Argentine army is at a disadvantage. But not long after, Brazil lost in both land and sea battles.

This is due to the continuous outbreak of local rebellion in the Brazilian empire, which seriously hindered the recruitment of new recruits.

Brazilian Emperor Pedro I personally commanded the army on the battlefield, but due to domestic turmoil, he had to return to Rio de Janeiro and handed over the command of the army to the Marquis of Barbacena.

In the last counterattack of Brazil in 1827, the Brazilian army tried to March into Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, by occupation. However, under the chaos of Uruguayan and Argentine allied forces, Marquis Barbacena lost the main force of the enemy in the battle, but was almost frightened by the allied forces.

The Marquis Barbacena could not continue to March as planned, and the counterattack of the Brazilian army was forced to stop.

Although the Argentine side successfully intercepted the Brazilian army outside the capital, because the allies of the two countries could not enter Brazil and fight on Brazilian territory, the voice of ending the Argentine war was getting louder and louder.

In addition, since the outbreak of the war, Brazil has imposed an economic blockade on Buenos Aires, which has caused serious economic consequences of 1827 for both countries. This war, which has been delayed for nearly two years, seems to make it difficult for both countries to ride a tiger.

In the end, Britain intervened to achieve peace.

The war between Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay has aroused great concern in Britain, because the outcome of the war determines whether Britain can return to Latin America and benefit from this region.

1828, Lord John Ponsonby, special envoy of the British Foreign Office, proposed that both Brazil and Argentina agreed that Uruguay would become an independent country. By doing so, Britain is eager to establish a buffer state between these two Latin American powers to ensure Britain's trade interests in the region.

Under the mediation of Britain, Brazil and Argentina signed the Treaty of Montevideo in Rio de Janeiro on August 27th, and the two countries gave up their territorial claim to Uruguay.

result

Triple alliance War: From 1864 to 12 to 1870, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay formed an alliance, defeated Paraguay and carved up half of Paraguay's territory. This war is the most cruel war in the history of South America.

conclusion

For Brazilians, this war is a military disaster. At the same time, for Brazil and Argentina, this war is also a financial tsunami. Only Britain and Uruguay have won a strategic victory in this war.