We Came, We Saw, God Conquered

Book excerpt: In the first half of the 20th Century, there were several revolutions in Paraguay, starting in 1904, then 1908, 1911-12, 1922-23, 1936 and finally 1947. In 1922, a huge internal crisis in the Liberal Party led to a bloody revolution and for the first time in the history of the country, both sides decided to use air power. There were no aircraft available in Paraguay at that time, and just three pilots, so both the government led by President Eusebio Ayala and the revolutionaries led by army colonels Chirife and Mendoza searched for foreign pilots and aircraft in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Many First World War veterans emigrated to Latin America in search of a better life, either opening flight schools or offering their services in local conflicts. Some of them came to Paraguay with their own aircraft, and these were bought by either the government or the revolutionaries. The three available Paraguayan pilots offered their services to the government, which soon established the first air base near the capital in a wide open field called ‘Ñu-Guazú’. Meanwhile, the rebels organized their own air base, first near the city of Villarrica, and later in Cangó. The Revolution of 1947 lasted just a few months but it was as bloody as the previous one, if not more so. The government, supported by the Colorado Party, fought against the revolutionaries, composed of almost 70% of the Army, Navy and Air Arm, supported by the Liberal, Febrerista and Communist parties. This is the first in-depth account of these operations and includes data, pictures, maps and profiles, some of which have never been published before.