Western Hemisphere 175
61 degrees and 63 degrees was a natural border between Paraguay and Bolivia.
Bolivia was also obliged to pay 200,000 pounds in war indemnity. Bolivia accepted
on May 31, but Paraguay remained reticent.
Though Bolivia genuinely wanted peace, German Busch mobilized troops
(MID#1029) as a response to Paraguay’s refusal to agree (sometime before June 24,
1938). Paraguay gave a counterproposal, resulting in more negotiations. A draft treaty
was reached on July 9, 1938, and a peace treaty was signed on July 21. This treaty ulti-
mately concluded the war and outlined an arbitration process to be followed, resulting
in an award later in October.
145 Bolivia/155 Chile
MID#1500
Dispute Number: 1500
Date(s): August 20, 1857 to February 20, 1858
Participants: 155 Chile/145 Bolivia
Outcome (and Settlement): Victory for side A (Imposed)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: This dispute refers to a Chilean occupation of territory comprising the
areas around the 23rd degree line, roughly encompassing the port city of Mejillones.
The occupation by Chile was a simple move north of the 24th degree line, which
was the previous marker. The move occurred for a variety of reasons. The boundary
between Chile and Bolivia was never settled post-independence. Bolivia was grandfa-
thered into position of almost everything between the 20th and 24th degree lines, with
Chile making claims as far north as the 18th degree line. Second, the area was rich with
nitrates and guano, becoming an important shipping center for the European trade.
Last, Bolivia was distracted with infighting between Jose M. Linares and Jorge
Cordoba. Chile, which had just upgraded its naval fleet, dispatched the Esmeralda
(see also MID#1496) to take possession. As a result, Chile acquired de facto control of
Mejillones while the territory was still nominally Bolivian. This status quo held until
an 1866 boundary treaty that pushed Chile back to the 24th degree line. Later, vic-
tory in the War of the Pacific gave Chile possession of territory as far north as Tacna
(modern day Peru), shutting off Bolivia from the Pacific Ocean.
MID#1502
Dispute Number: 1502
Date(s): January 25, 1863 to December 1863
Participants: 155 Chile/145 Bolivia
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: On January 25, 1863, a Chilean war vessel named Esmeralda, carrying 20
guns, moved north and stationed itself in the bay at Mejillones, to protect the loading of
Chilean guano vessels. On May 27, the Bolivian National Assembly began considering