Treaty of Alliance against Paraguay among Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay (Treaty of the Triple Alliance)
3.1177 Treaty of Alliance against Paraguay
among Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay (Treaty
of the Triple Alliance)
Alliance Members:Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay
Signed On:May 1, 1865, in the city of Buenos Aires. In force until July
30, 1882, by treaty terms specifying a five-year alliance term following
ratification.
Alliance Type:Defense Pact (Type I)
Source:British Foreign and State Papers,vol. 55, p. 461.
SUMMARY
This alliance was formed at the start of one of the bloodiest wars in
South American history, the War of the Triple Alliance. The war began
over Brazil’s intervention in the domestic politics of Uruguay, which
Paraguay’s Solano Lopez held as a slight against South America’s
smaller countries. Armed with a massive force, Lopez declared war
against Brazil and marched, requesting transit through Argentina.
Lopez was rebuffed by Argentina’s government, which had already
acquiesced to Brazil’s Uruguay policy. Undaunted, Lopez marched
through Argentina, expecting local residents to support his army’s
move against Brazil and remove Argentinean support of Uruguay’s
new leadership. Instead, Argentina signed this pact with Brazil and was
joined by the new Uruguayan government.
Strong in number initially, Paraguayan forces were eventually no
match for the combined forces of the Triple Alliance. By 1870,
Paraguay had been defeated and its entire population had been deci-
mated, with some casualty estimates citing the deaths of 90 percent of
the male population and 300,000 total dead in Paraguay alone.
Description of Terms
The allies unite in an offensive and defensive alliance on land or
rivers against Paraguay. Since the war will start in Argentinean
territory, the direction of the allied forces will be given to the
president of Argentina. The directions of the navy forces will be
given to Brazil. The discipline, the clothing, and the nourish-
ment will be the responsibility of each country for its troops.
None of the allies will make peace without the others. The war
being against the Paraguayan government and not its people,
the allies will help anyone who wants to overthrow the govern-
ment. The people of Paraguay will choose their government.
After the government is overthrown, the allies will make the
rivers of Paraguay free of passage of the allies’ ships. The allies
will expect Paraguay to reimburse the costs of the war they were
forced to accept. This treaty will be secret until the goal is
reached.
3.1178 Treaty of Offensive and Defensive
Alliance between Peru and Chile
Alliance Members:Peru and Chile initially, with Ecuador and Bolivia
joining
Signed On:December 5, 1865, in the city of Lima, with Ecuador join-
ing on January 30, 1866, and Bolivia joining on April 11, 1866. In
force until April 11, 1871, after the signing of the armistice with
Spain, in Washington, D.C.
Alliance Type:Defense Pact (Type I)
Source:British Foreign and State Papers,vol. 56, p. 707.SUMMARY
This alliance between former Spanish colonies formed to thwart Span-
ish claims to the Chincha Islands, which Spain had claimed from Peru
on April 14, 1864. The Chinchas held rich guano deposits and
accounted for the majority source of revenue for the Peruvian govern-
ment. Spain began a blockade of the principal Peruvian ports, and
when Chile would not aid the Spanish fleet, Spain also blockaded each
of the major Chilean ports as well. Although Spain was too weak to
permanently reclaim its former colonies, the economic effects of the
blockades were debilitating to the newly independent countries.
At war with the signing of the alliance and declarations against Spain,
the allies formed a united front that closed the western coast of South
America to Spanish shipping. Several inconclusive battles between the
united fleet and the Spanish followed the initial fighting, and after the
mediation of the United States, an armistice ended the war (and the
alliance) in 1871.Alliance Text
Mariano Ignacio Prado, provisionally Supreme Chief of the
Republic.
Whereas, the following Treaty of Alliance, offensive and
defensive, was concluded between the Republics of Peru and
Chile in this capital on the 5th day of December, 1865, by the
respective Plenipotentiaries.
In the name of God Almighty :
The Republics of Peru and Chile, in view of the danger
which threatens America, and of the violent aggression and
unjust pretensions with which the Spanish Government has
commenced by menacing the dignity and sovereignty of the
two countries, have agreed to conclude a Convention of offen-
sive and defensive alliance, for which purpose they have nomi-
nated as Plenipotentiaries,ad hoc,Don Toribio Parcheco, Secre-
tary for Foreign Affairs, on the part of Peru, and Señor Dom
Domingo Santa Maria on the part of Chile, who having found
their respective powers satisfactory, have proceeded to draw up
the present preliminary Treaty:
ART. I. The Republics of Peru and Chile stipulate the closest
offensive and defensive alliance between them for the purpose
of repelling the present aggression of the Spanish Government,
as also any other aggression of that Government, the object of
which may be to menace the independence, the sovereignty, or
the democratic institutions of the two Republics, or of any
other Republic of the Continent of South America, or which
may originate in unjust claims, characterised as such by both
nations, not made in accordance with the precepts of the law of
nations, nor considered in the way determined by that law.
II. For the present, and by this Treaty, the Republics of Peru
and Chile bind themselves to unite the naval forces which they
have, or may hereafter have, disposable, for the purpose of com-
bating with them the Spanish naval forces which they meet, or