| Campo Vía pocket | |||||||
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| Part of the Chaco War | |||||||
Map of the battle, with a portrait of Colonel Estigarribia in the background |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Bolivia | Paraguay | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Hans Kundt Carlos Banzer (Commander of the 9 Division) Gonzales Quint (Commander of the 4° División) |
José Félix Estigarribia. Rafael Franco |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 9,000 troops | 17,000 troops | ||||||
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The battle of the Campo Vía pocket was a decisive engagement of the Chaco War between Paraguay and Bolivia which took place in December 1933. It was one of the most prominent battles of the Chaco War. Lt Col José Félix Estigarribia, with a massive force of several divisions of the Paraguayan Army, was able to surround two Bolivian divisions around the outpost of Alihuatá. The encircled troops were forced to capitulate due to lack of supplies on 11 December. Up to 2,000 Bolivian soldiers were killed and 7,000 made prisoner. Barely 900 Bolivian troops broke away. Subsequently, the Paraguayan troops expelled the Bolivian army from the southern region of Chaco by the end of 1933, forcing the resignation of German General Hans Kundt to the Bolivian High Command.