Campo Vía pocket

Campo Vía pocket
Part of theChaco War
Date November - December 1933 Location Gran Chaco 23.2607456°S 59.9409771°W/-23.2607456; -59.9409771 Result Paraguayan victory
Belligerents
Bolivia	Paraguay
Commanders and leaders
Hans Kundt Carlos Banzer(Commander of the 9 Division) Gonzales Quint(Commander of the 4° División)	José Félix Estigarribia. Rafael Franco
Strength
9,000 troops	17,000 troops
Casualties and losses
~8,100 killed or captured	Unknown
class=notpageimage| Location within Paraguay Campo Vía pocket (South America) Campo Vía pocket (America)

The battle of theCampo Vía pocketwas a decisive engagement of theChaco Warbetween Paraguay and Bolivia which took place in December 1933. It was one of the most prominent battles of the Chaco War. Lt Col José Félix Estigarribia, with a massive force of several divisions of the Paraguayan Army, was able to surround two Bolivian divisions around the outpost of Alihuatá. The encircled troops were forced to capitulate due to lack of supplies on 11 December. Up to 2,000 Bolivian soldiers were killed and 7,000 captured. Barely 900 Bolivian troops escaped, led by ColonelGermán Bush.Subsequently, the Paraguayan troops expelled the Bolivian army from the eastern region of Chaco by the end of 1933, forcing the resignation of German GeneralHans Kundtfrom the Bolivian High Command.

References

• de Quesada, Alejandro (2011).The Chaco War 1932-35: South America’s greatest modern conflict.Osprey Publishing,ISBN9781849084161
• Masamaclay, historia de la guerra del Chaco,Segunda edición