Writing about Paraguay in the London Review of Books, the egregious Richard Gott mentions,
Francisco Solano López, the president who in the 1860s led the country’s unsuccessful defence against an invasion by the forces of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, in the War of the Triple Alliance…
This is perfectly true, as far as it goes but omits to mention the rather important fact that it was Solano López’s decision to declare war on and invade Paraguay’s vastly larger and more powerful neighbours, Argentina and Brazil, that gave them the legitimate excuse they were looking to destroy his regime.
John Lynch, writing here (p.45), gives a more balanced view of events.
In the event, the ruler of Paraguay, Francisco Solano López, did not have the skill to exploit these divisions within Argentina, or between Argentina and Brazil, and he recklessly wasted his assets. When, in January 1965, Solano López requested permission from Argentina to cross Missiones to reach Brazil, he was rebuffed and in March he declared war on Argentina and invaded Corrientes. This enabled Mitre to carry through the Brazilian alliance without political disaster at home. He then declared war on Paraguay, joining Brazil and the government of Flores in Uruguay.
