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Just a nitpick, but Mitre doesn't have an accent. It should be on the i, but if it's on the penultimate syllable and ends in a vowel, n or s, the accent symbol isn't put on. Great update, by the way.
 
ColossusCrusher: Thanks for the advice. I corrected it, but didn't used 'í' I hope it is okay for all my readers with knowledge of the spanish language. If it's too awfull I might correct this.

Garra-Ush: Indeed it goes better than expected. Thanks to the absence of General Dionisio, who is a brilliant tactician and the biggest threat to my plans.

asd21593: Thanks. Just for your information: I don't know why General Dionisio didn't command the peruvian troops in La Paz. He was definately there (and alive) but he just didn't take command of the defending forces. So I had to come up with his injury to explain his absence somehow. I guess my troops will face him in the upcoming battles.

demokratickid: How do you know? I mean, yeah the king is right on his way to the frontline but I didn't mention that, did I?

For your information, the war exhaustion of the combatant nations as of June 18th 1857: Platinea 14.2% Perú 33.3%
 
demokratickid: How do you know? I mean, yeah the king is right on his way to the frontline but I didn't mention that, did I?

Haha, the plot thickens... :eek::rofl:
 
Libertad o Muerte! Pt. XXXV - 1857

1857header4.jpg


After the peruvians had been defeated at La Paz General Mitre marched his troops towards Puno to finally execute the plan he had proposed to Urquiza in the first days of the conflicht. On June 24th they reached the enemy lines. The enemy troops were recently reinforced and not yet well organized and their moral had also taken a hit due to the defeat at La Paz. Nevertheless they set up a well planned defense of the town of Puno. Well aware that their withdrawal would mean the encirclement of the 6th Corps at Arica they fought like lions to hold their position. As the last remnants surrendered on August 10th the whole division had been reduced to 642 men. They literally had fought to the very last man.
The first part of Mitre's grand plan had worked extraordinary well. Not only was the encirclement of the 6th Corps at Puno now only a matter of time but with a whole peruvian division gone they could now only field seven divisions agains the eleven platinean ones. Furthermore due to the annihilation of the 1st Corps counterattacks against the platinean positions at Puno became very unlikely.

1857battlepuno.jpg

At Puno General Mitre encricled the whole 1st Corps which was rertreating from the 3rd Battle of La Paz. On August 10th the last peruvians surrendered to the Army of La Plata.


While Mitre was on the advance in the south the Gauchos were advancing north to retake the platinean province of Misión Calvinas. They found the province undefended but a few days later the 3rd Corps, retreating from Ixiamas, arrived. The battered peruvian troops were no match for the platinean horsemen and couldn't withstand their first charge. Though the bloodtoll was very low the 3rd Corps retreated almost immediately towards Puerto Maldonado.

1857battlecalvinas.jpg

At Calvinas the Gauchos, commanded by General Díaz intercepted the retreating 3rd Corps and drove them of towards Puerto Maldonado thus disrupting the whole peruvian frontline.


After the Gauchos had fully occupied Calvinas province they marched on to Puerto Hearth (see Map: Troop Movements Mid-July 1857 ), while the battle for Arica still raged on. The Gauchos took control of Puerto Hearth province absolutely unopposed. But the peruvian high command reacted soon and sent two corps to repel the Gauchos. As reaction the 'Army of Paraguay' commanded by General Mora was dispatched to support the gauchos. At the same time Mitre's force and the Royal Guard marched on Arica. (see Map: Troop Movements Mid-September 1857 )
The 2nd Battle for Puerto Hearth seemed to become a slaughter for the Gauchos who were severly disadvantaged by the hilly countryside, the thick vegetation and the tropic climate which made organized cavalry charges impossible. But word made it to the platinean cavalry force that General Mora and his 'Army of Paraguay' were on their way to relief them. Thus the Gauchos held out till Mora's troops finally arrived on September 25th. From then on the nature of the battle changed. While the peruvians were common to fight the mounted Gauchos in a terrain completely insufficient for cavalry maneuvres they were completely unprepared for the skirmish warfare out of the thicket of the jungle which the battle hardened 'paraguayians' launched upon them. Mora's troops took the initiative immediately and assaulted the widespread peruvians on every occassion using ambushes on scouting parties and rearguards as well as raiding the supply lines and peruvian camps. On October 3rd the peruvians finally retreated towards Puerto Maldonado again. Only 400 out of the 4,000 fallen platinean soldiers belonged to Mora's forces while inflicting almost two thirds of the peruvian casualties. The small scale warfare used in the 2nd Battle for Puerto Hearth had proven to be very effective. As the combat reports reached the platinean Headquarter at Puno Mitre ordered the Gauchos to circumvent the enemy lines, by riding through Olivenca, and occupy Iquitos to open up a second front int the very north of Peru. Mora's forces on the other hand, which had been so successfull in the thick jungle, were ordered to dug-in in preparation of future peruvian attacks.

1857battlepuertohearth.jpg

Near Puerto Hearth the Gauchos were attacked by 3rd and 4th Corps while marching towards Esperanza. In the following battle the gauchos suffered tremendous losses and the battle would have been lost wouldn't it be for the 'Ejército del Paraguay' under Gen. Mora who rushed towards Puerto Hearth and turned the tide of the battle.


In early September Puno had been secured and without any peruvian troops in the adjacent provinces of Arequipa and Chalbuanca, Mitre played around with the idea to occupy Chalbuanca, thus securing two more provinces for the platinean war effort. But he finally decided to use the opportunity to start a coordinated attack together with the royal guards against the encircled 6th Corps in Arica. On September 25th the battle for Arica began with General Díaz commanding the entirety of platinean forces against General Escobar's troops which had entrenched in Fort San Sebastian. The platinean troops were still lacking sufficient artillery pieces to overcome such defences efficiently and thus had a hard time to breach the fort's defenses. In fact the battle became a siege that lasted for nearly two months in which the platinean troops took in tough fights position for position and battery for battery. In early november the peruvian troops had retreated to the fort's citadel. Thereby losing losing the arsenal and the hospital. The wounded peruvian soldiers were taken to platinean hospitals. Despite the heavy fighting in the following days humanity was victorious and Mitre accepted the request of General Escobar to take care of those peruvian soldiers who had been wounded since the retreat to the citadel. One weak later they finally hoisted the white flag. Only 400 defenders survived and marched into captivity. with the annihilation of the 6th Corps the peruvian army had lost two divisions in a few month thus reducing the troops at it's disposal by critical 25%.

1857battlearica.jpg

In late September the Royal Guards and the 'Army of La Plata' began their attack on Peru's southernmost fortified position near the town of Arica. Tenthousand peruvians fought to the last drop of blood against the overwhelming paltinean forces. But it finally had to surrender on November 12th it marked the turn of the war.


In the north the peruvian army tried to gain back the initiative by attacking and hopefully driving the paltinean forces out of Puerto Hearth. But Mora's forces who had earlier prevailed in the art of jungle warfare had prepared thereselves very well to defend the province at all costs, literally using every obstacle to improve the defenses and to give the attackers a very tough time. As the peruvian troops arrived on November 12th they faced an enemy who knew the area like the back of his own hand. The battle raged on for ten long and bloody days in which the peruvian attackers lost more then ten times as much men as the defending platineans.

1857battlepuertohearth2.jpg

While the Gauchos rode like hell to reach Iquitos the remaining troops of the 'Army of Paraguay' had to withstand an attack by 20,000 peruvian soldiers. A task they could easily accomplish due to their surpreme defensive positions.


After the fall of Fort San Sebastian and the town of Arica. The 'Ejército de la Plata' and the Royal Guards were boarding ships to make landfall in Arequipa and Chalbuanca. At the same time the 'Legión Extranjera' and the 'Ejército de los Andes' were marching to attack the peruvian forces near Cuzco to deny the peruvian army any possibility to counter the platinean offensive in southern Peru. Meanwhile the Gauchos were occupying Iquitos province and the 'Ejército del Paraguay' is holding its position against two peruvian corps.
Facing the loss of two division, which equaled 25% of their fighting force, the loss of four provinces over the course of the last four month and the massiv offensive operations launched by the platinean high command the peruvian leaders had two choices. On the one hand they had the option to continue the war which became a more desperate matter with every day which could lead to the loss of even more divisions and more provinces. On the other hand they had the option to offer a peace treaty to the platinean king with only minimal territorial losses. On November 22nd they chose to offer peace. Days later the perliminary peace of Arica was signed in which Peru seceded control over the disputed provinces of Arica and Puerto Maldonado to the platinean crown.

atacamawarmap185710.jpg

The final troop movements of the Atacama War. On the same day both sides signed the preliminary peace of Arica.


In the last stages of the war no major naval engagements occured due to the fact that the 'Valedora' was the only peruvian vessel still afloat. Nevertheless the navy played a major role for the platinean war effort. The two fleets under Admirals Thorne and Encalada blockaded all major peruvian ports, thus interdicting peruvian trade, hunted the 'Valedora' up and down the peruvian coastline and bombarded a series of peruvian towns along the coast. Especially the bombardement of the peruvian positions near Puno and Arica was the key for the advance and victory of the ground forces. In the last days of the war a young captain by the name of Seguí distinguished himself in battle as he pursuit the 'Valedora' for several days. The 'Valedora' had run out of coal to fuel its steam engine and was now relying on its sails solely to gain and remain speed. But due to it's heavier construction it was no longer able to outrun the two sleek platinean frigates commanded by Seguí. Captain Seguí ordered to capture the 'Valedora' as they finally approached her in the first hours after sunset on November 22nd. The 'Theseus' was maneuvered into position and the platinean sailors stormed the 'Valedora'. The peruvian soldiers fought for every foot in vicious hand to hand combat were knives and sabres hold bloody harvest among the sailors and soldiers of both vessels. After a three hour long struggle the 'Valedora' was taken and towed to the port of Arica. Though the 'Valedora' was given back to the peruvians according to the preliminary peace of Arica Captain Seguí was promoted to Admiral.

1857navalengagements.jpg

Legend: Anchors mark minor naval engagements. Blasts mark bombardement of peruvian ports.
In the last phase of the war it came to no major naval engagements but the platinean navy played an important role by blockading and bombarding peruvian ports as well give fire support to the platinean offensive in southern peru. In a series of minor naval enggements the peruvian Raider 'Valedora' was chased up and down the peruvian coastline.


While the war against Peru draw the attention of most platineans, developements at home went almost unnoticed. For example a group of montevidean scientist, which were examing the human mind, came up with a theory they called 'associationism'. Unfortenately except, for the scientists themselves, could associate anything with it.

1857invention.jpg

In August Associationism became well known among all platinean universities.


In November 1857 the Santa Fé Glassworks finally opened it's gates and made Platinea from a glass importing nation to glass exporting nation. Especially the breweries and wineries in Montevideo and Buenos Aires were pleased about that as they no longer had to purchase expensive european glass. While the Glassworks were build more and more people moved to Santa Fé to gain a job at the factory and it proved there were more applicants than jobs. To make the most gains out of the rich woodlands a group of lumberjacks, backed by a huge credit, founded the Cordoba Lumber Company and began with the construction of a lumber mill nea Cordoba.

1857factory.jpg

After the construction of the Santa Fé Glassworks was finished. The Cordoba Lumber Company began to set up a lumber mill.
 
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Great!

Some errors:

- Misión Calvinas.
- Legión Extranjera.
- Ejército de Paraguay (del is correct too because Paraguay is masculine, and some countries and regions can use the article [It's rare and old]).
- Ejército de la Plata (Plata [Silver] is feminine). But it's better "Ejército de Platinea" if the name is related to the country.
- Ejército de los Andes.
 
Just caught up.

What are you going to demand in the peace treaty should victory be achieved?
 
Three awesome updates in a row! Hooray for Treppe and his awesome Platinea. Got to say, Mitre just totally justified the King there by winning the whole war in less than a year. Urquiza should hang his head in shame.
 
Viden: I corrected the errors. I go with 'ejército del paraguay'. The Army of La Plata is named for the region alon the La Plata River does that change anything?

demokratickid: Indeed my economy is growing at a nice pace and I hope to excell the expectations of the 'agenda 1860'. We all know that power comes by production and will be most important in the later game periods. I hope I get enough immigrants to keep the economy growing steadily, that would enable me to catch up with some of the bigger european economies.

asd21593: He was really close! And in fact I was expecting to lose at least the three northern disputed provinces to Peru in this war. But after the 2nd Battle of La Paz General Dionisio played no major role in the peruvian war effort. After the 3rd Battle of La Paz he sat in Cuzco presumably curing his injury.

Tommy4ever:
The war is already over and victory was achieved. I didn't made that all too clear I presume. I took the two disputed peruvian provinces (Arica and Puerto Maldonado) in the peace treaty.

Quanto: Mitré really turned the tide of war. Urquiza is in vicky game terms a bugger. Still my military needs a major overhaul. The somewhat disappointing performance of the army revealed its technological backwardness and in Buenos Aires and La Plata politicians, general and royal envoys are already discussing the need for military reforms and modern weapons in the back rooms. So stay tuned for the upcoming military reforms.
 
Viden: I corrected the errors. I go with 'ejército del paraguay'. The Army of La Plata is named for the region alon the La Plata River does that change anything?

Then is correct.

You speak german, so, in order to avoid further errors with articles:

el = der.
la = die.
lo = das.

The problem is, well, many things that are masculine in german are femenine in spanish and vice versa (Example: Der Tisch = La mesa).

PS: Sorry for the "lesson" but I'm happy with learning german and I can't resist the temptation :)p).
 
Libertad o Muerte! Pt. XXXVI - 1858

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By the beginning of 1858 once again some platineans took the venture of becoming entrepreneurs. Especially in those states who had seen a recent rise of inhabitants many men thought of them now as entrepreneurs and investors. As in almost every other state this new industrial upper class began with the financing of railroads and telegraph lines while investigating opportunities for big business.

capitalists.jpg

In the states Valparaiso and Santiago dell Esterro a new industrial upper class emerged and were bound to lead their communities to a bright, 'modernized' future.


In the former paraguayan capital it had taken long to overcome the destruction of large parts of the state's infrastructure. But in 1858 this process was finally over. With the reconstructed infrastructure it now became possible to take first steps into industrialization and on new year's eve a group of businessmen from Asuncion decided to invest their savings in the nation's first ammunitions factory. A few days later construction began and the first ammunition should be manufactured by 1860.

1858ammofactory.jpg

The ammunition factory at Asuncion became the first step to an independent platinean armaments industry.


Though Platinea was since the opening of the Rosario Glass Works no longer a glass importing nation another glass factory was founded to gain tremendous profits by selling gllass on the world market. Antonio Saltirelli who founded the Saltirelli Glass Factory in early 1858 observed that the glass price on the world market was incredibly high compared to the production costs and anticipated that it would rather rise than fall in the coming years. Thus he decided to set up his own factory in order to make the largest possible profit out of this situation.

1858glassfactory.jpg

The Saltirelli Glass Works, founded in 1858, lay the foundation to the industrialization and prosperity of Cordoba.


Despite the victory in the Atacama War and the many heroic deeds which contributed to it, it became obvious to the platinean public and the platinean leaders, that it's armed services were no longer the best equipped or best trained force in south america. As a matter of fact the platinean army was only a force to reckon with due to its tremendous size (compared to the contemporary armies of other south american nations). Too long the platinean army had rested on its laurels which were going back to famous San Martin and the glory of platinean weapons which was earned during the revolutionary wars. Almost no new strategies, tactics or training methods were introduced and no new equipment was purchased since the thirties. The price for this idleness as it now appeared to the platinean public was the war against Peru which dared to challenge the platinean army with their better trained and equiped but yet smaller force.
The debate about the state of the armed forces was very intense and the liberals, which were in power during the last eight years, were willing to pull through a comprehensive and far-reaching reform in order to avoid a loss of face. Especially Prime Minister Alberdi feared that the people would all too well remember his villainizing of greater military spending requested by the federalists in 1854. So the liberal leadership around Alberdi was eager to reform the military quick to not endanger election victory in june.
Already in december of 1857 a committee was founded to investigate the state of the platinean armed forces compared to the armies and navies of its fellow south american nations. In late january a first report was issued by the committee which led to great dismay in the 'Casa Rosada' (seat of the Prime Minister). The so called 'Silvana Report' stated that the platinean army as well as the platinean navy were the least modern forces in all of southern america by far. The committee had evolved an abstract point system to reflect training and equipment of the investigated armed forces. Platinea was in both the navy and the army category on the trailing end with 4 pts. for the army and 2 for its navy while the leaders were Colombia/Piratini with 11 pts. for the army and Ecuador with 10 pts. for the navy. Furthermore with her 6 pts. in total Platinea was way behind even her closest competitor Piratini who totalled 14 pts. not to mention Colombia or Ecuador who both totalled 20 pts.
militaryreform2.jpg
In the next days one emergency meeting of the cabinet followed another with the king in person attending, too. Over the course of the emergency meetings it became clear that it would be a matter of years to reform the armed services successfully if no foreign help could be gained. Years the kingdom might not have to prepar, as the tensions between Platinea and Peru were still extremely high and many secretaries but first and foremost Marshal Mitre expected the peruvians to strike again in the near future to regain their lost provinces. In this dire situation the diplomatic service was charged with the task to secure support and advice for the military reforms among european powers. The Secretary of Foreign Affairs especially put his hope into Prussia and the United Kingdom. In the former he put his hope as it was the ascending military land power in europe and already was famous for its hard and effective training as well its superior officers. In the latter he put his hope due to the very good relations Platinea maintained to britain since the june revolution. Prussia however denied the platinean request as it was too occupied with domestic german and european affairs to get involved in southern america. King Juan I. who had dreamed of a modern and powerful army wearing Pickelhauben with the platinean crest on them was heavily disappointed. But as the news arrived La Plata that London accepted the platinean request his mood brightened up. Britain send a small naval task force to the mouth of the La Plata to support the platinean government in their reform of the navy. The british specialists send to Platinea introduced some new strategies and doctrines but first and foremost explained how to build the more modern steamships.
For the british government which normally was guarding its naval technologies jealously this was neither a daring nor an unreasonable act for two reasons. First were the shared naval secrets already known among Britains european competitors and second had the british empire a mutual interest in the welfare of the platinean nation as it was one of its major trading partners around the world and the place where many british investments were made. So the british government made the deal to prevent any of its rivals making it and to secure their own mercantile interests and investments in Platinea.

1858militaryreform.jpg

After the Atacama War the deterioated state of the armed services became obvious. And the platinean leadership sought for advice to reform its military which it finally found in London.


While the british help was much appreciated it only contributed to the naval reforms but left the army reforms unattended. To offset this shortcoming King Juan I. travelled to Petropolis and negotiated with Emperor Pedro II. about brazilian help for the platinean military reforms. The two monarchs concluded that Brazil should help by sending some instructors under the command of General Osorio and a load of modern rifles and would receive in return a generous financial compensation as well as the assurance that Platinea would help his northern neighbour in times of need. Emperor Pedro II. had with this term especially aggressions from third in mind against which the brazilian wouldn't have a chance as it has no real military land force but only some hundred constables as a police force in the larger cities and the imperial life and house guards, two regiments which had ceremonial and bodyguard functions.

1858dealbrazil.jpg

The Brazilian Emperor acknowledged to help rebuilding the platinean military and send General Manuel Luis Osorio and a whole contigent of advisers to Platinea.


On March 21st General Osorio and the brazilian instructor detachement received a heroes welcome in Buenos Aires. In a matter of weeks Osorio turned the army inside out. Issuing new training orders, teaching new tactics and doctrines to the officers, errecting training camps to train the platinean soldiers with the new rifles, abolishing harsh physical punishment improving the equipment and rations of the common soldier and so forth. Soon he was the mightiest and most influencial man in the platinean army, backed by King Juan, he even outshined Marshal and Secreteray of the Army Bartolomé Mitre.

The Reform of the Military not only encompassed an improvement in training, tactics and equipment but was furthermore focused on expanding the groundforces in several ways:
1. A new infantry division was commisioned which should be able to operate on its own, attacking from ships of the Royal Platinean Navy. This new division named the "Royal Marine Guards" were recruited from among the veterans of the Atacama War and even further drilled to excell at their new strategic task: attack, conquer and hold key positions in enemy territory.
2. A reserve army, called the 'Guardia Nacional' (National Guard) was established. In April 1858 the first four national guard divisions underwent training and more were expected to undergo training in autumn.
3. A milita system was established the same time the first national guard regiments were drafted. The militia was different to the national guard as the militiamen weren't drafted and didn't underwent military training at a training camp but were organized on a municipality basis and met for marching and shooting excercises once or twice a month.
The platinean government put this strategy in place in the hope it could hold its rivals at bay by the sheer quantity of its army until it caught up with their quality.​

1858armyreform.jpg

On the left you can see volunteers who are sworn in to service in the national guard during the summer of 1858.
On the right you can see citizens beeing drilled during their militia excercises.


The Reform of the Navy saw an increase in the nu,bers of vessels, too. To compete with the peruvian navy, which had demonstrated how powerful steamdriven ships were in battle during the Atacama War, the platinean government ordered two modern, steamdriven commerce raiders with a full set of accompanying corvettes and four large steamdriven transportships.
Furthermore the harbours of La Plata and Valparaiso were extended to give shelter and support to military vessels.

1858navyreform.jpg

On the left you can see one of the two modern platinean commerce raiders which were laid keel in 1858.
On the right you can see the construction of the new quay at La Plata harbour.


Author's note:
Selfmade event: Military Reforms
Selfmade event: British advisory on naval reforms
 
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Good Update, I am glad that the long war with Peru is over, and that Plantina may prosper again.
 
You should have gone with Prussia - IRL Britain hasn't been very nice to Latin America. :(