Evening star., 1934-06-24
PARAGUAYAN TOLL
is 1000 IN R0UT
Bolivian Guns Spread Havoc
on Half-MiIe Front.
Losses Light.
~ the Associated Press.


had been killed or wounded in an
unsuccessful attack on Fort Ballivan,
backbone of the Bolivian defenses.
Wholesale slaughter of men under
O withering artillery barrage on a
front only half mile long was de-
scribed in the advices from La PaZ,
which asserted Bolivian casualties to-
tailed only 81 dead and ITO wounded.
The Paraguayan command did not
put out a definite estimate of casual
ties and was silent beyond claiming
that withering machine-gun fire had
caused irreparable losses to Bolivian
forces.
AdviceS indicated that the Para
guayan army had been unsuccessful,
however. in its third major offensive
since March against the Bolivian
stronghold.
Weeks Losses 1880.
The Bolivian war Office tonight estl-
mated Paraguayan losses between
June 13 and June 20. while fighting
was at its peak, at 1880. Bolivian
losses for the same period were not
mentioned.
Up to now the Paraguayan war
office has issued 10 comment on the
last few days fighting. Lack of
fresh news indicated that the battle
has reached a hull while both sides
Teorganize their lines.
An apparently sibilant report from
Gen. Enrique Penaranoa Of the Bo-
livian army to President Salamanca,
revealed in La PaZ dispatches, fur
nished the only available picture OF
recen' battling.
Gen. Penaranda stated the Bolivian
battle took place on a comparatively
small front, about 800 meters (half
mile) in length. with two regiments
of Paraguayans attacking. Gen. Es-
cobar, he said threw 4,500 reserve
troops into the battle.
On June 18, he reported. 1.-The ene-
my took possession of certain positions
abandoned by our troops for strategic
reasons. For three days we ther
poured concentrated fire on the
trapped men with artillery. mortars
machine guns and rifles, not to men,
tion the additional damage inflicted
by military planes.
Retreat in Disorder.
The enemy finally fed in utmost
panic, leaving the field strewn with
dead and dying.
For two days our troops were busy
burying the dead. They found 62C
enemy corpses. Our troops captured
various prisoners, 70 machine guns
and 948 rifles
Bolivian sources said a complete
Paraguayan division, led by Col. Bri-
zuela, had smashed through a Bo-
livian defensive line only to run into
an artillery trap.
Cannon of large and small caliber
as well as mortars were used by the
Bolivian defenders to blast the Para
guayan attackers. stalled in their
attempt to encircle the fort behinc
Condado in the Pilconayo sector.
Military tactics were brought into
play by the Paraguayan command
reminiscent of World War days in
Europe. A general strafing directed
toward Canada Strongest" and Can
ada el Carman" sectors was served
up to attract the attention of the
Bolfvians at the northern end of
their line This strategy failed to
draw in the Bolivian points, however
but sensing the maneuver, the high
command directed a consolidation OF
positions at Condado.
A Paraguayan division under COM
mand of Col. BriZuela, unmindful
that the Paraguayan feints at Can
ada Strongest" and Canada e
Carman" had failed of their purpose
drove directly at Condado.
With all the fury of the charge
of the Light Gribade, Col. Brizuela
drove through, indenting the Bolivar
defenses.
Then they were lost!
A terrific barrage of mortar, ligh
and heavy field pieces and howitzer
cut loose. 1t was by far the fierces
shower of munition yet seen in the
Chaco. The Paraguayans, massed a!
in squad formation, were cut dowr
like wheat before the reaper'S scythe
Dead and dying lay strewn upon the
field.
Suddenly the bombardment ceased
The stiffness seemed even more deaf.
ening than had the barrage. But thi.
lack of activity meant only that the
Bolivians had gathered themselves fol-
the coup de grace
Retreat of Paraguayans
Wave after wave, from the Bolivar
defenses, poured like locusts over thu
field. A general mopping-up consoli-
dated the Bolivian position. In dis.
orderly retreat the Paraguayans strag.
gled back to what safety they couIc
IND, but the Strategically planned
coup mad been turned into ignomi.
nious defeat, Bolivian advices stated.
Conversely, the Paraguayan high
command, made no immediate state.
ment other than to say that a wither.
ing machine gun fire by their forces
had caused irreparable loss to the Bo.
llvians.
With each side claiming victory ir
this, the most bloody conflict of the
long standing Chaco feud, it was diff.
cult to conjecture actual losses OF
either side.
Each of the warning government.
Invariably minimizes its own losses anC
attempts to magnify the enemies. but
without doubt the losses probably vii
run into thousand killed at Con-
dado alone, besides the casualtie.
suffered in the six days action pre-.
ceding that attack.
1t was pointed out by trained anc
disinterested observers that although
the artillery and machine gun carnage
apparently had been Tremendous fol-
South American warfare, neither OF
the belligerent nations had the re-
sources to deal out wholesale death.
Both Claim Sovereignty.
Both Paraguay and Bolivia claim
the sovereignty of the Chaco Borea
and have argued over it half cen
tury.
Fort Ballivian is the last Bolivian
stronghold in the Chaco Boreal ane
Paraguay is making superhuman eff
fort to drive out what it considers tht
invaders
The Paraguayans have been pre-
pairing for the past two months fo