After Tangning reminded her, Helen remembered it, but she was very cold about being the Grand Duke of Paraguay.
“Brother, you asked me to be the Grand Duchess of this country, but I really don’t want to be.
Paraguay, a country that once produced the "American Napoleon" Perros, has no future at all and the country is in extremely decline.
I have investigated and found that Paraguay is a mess, with more women and fewer men, and the social atmosphere is chaotic, which is not suitable for a lady like me.
Brother, why do I feel like you are taking revenge on me? I don’t want to be a Grand Duke in this country! "
After Tang Ning told her about this country, Helen investigated the country and found that she was not satisfied with it. She felt that her brother was cheating her and she didn't want to go.
Paraguay turned out to be quite good, but this country had a so-called American Napoleon, which led the country that was originally prosperous to hell.
Paraguay was once a small powerhouse in South America.
Since breaking away from Spanish colonial rule, Paraguay has experienced several dictatorships. However, these dictatorships are not as bad as others imagined, and their results are quite good.
However, although several dictatorial governments worked hard, the last one was too radical and lost all their money, and all previous efforts were in vain.
Highlights of Paraguay focus on the reigns of the first two dictators, and especially the second.
After the death of Paraguay's first dictator, José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia, in 1840, Carlos Antonio Lopez took office and directly led Paraguay to prosperity.
Under the rule of the second dictator, Carlos Antonio López, the country abandoned its previous closed-door defense policy and actively opened its doors to introduce Western European immigrants, open markets, and industrialize.
By 1862, before the death of Carlos Antonio Lopez, Paraguay successfully became the first country in South America to get rid of foreign debt and initially industrialize, with a population of 530,000.
This development achievement is quite good for a small country.
However, Paraguay had no choice but to appoint a successor who claimed to be the "American Napoleon", Francisco Solano Lopez.
This American Napoleon was ambitious, wanted to bring Paraguay to a higher level, and was determined to change the history of the landlocked country of Paraguay.
This is a bit unclear.
Paraguay has three neighboring countries, Brazil, Argentina, and Bolivia. Bolivia is to the north of Paraguay and obviously cannot reach the sea outlet. The only way to find the sea outlet is Brazil and Argentina.
Brazil and Argentina are rearranged countries in the Americas, with population strength several times that of Paraguay.
This little Lopez is not completely crazy, thinking that he can swallow these two countries. He just wants to get the disputed territory with Argentina between the Paraná River and the Uruguay River, and merge with Uruguay.
These two goals are actually quite radical.
The first disputed territory directly offends Argentina, because this land between the rivers is controlled by Argentina.
The second one is Uruguay. Uruguay has always been considered as its own territory by Brazil. Although it cannot win because of Argentina, it has always had a secret influence.
Paraguay's merger with Uruguay not only offended Argentina, but also offended Brazil.
Paraguay's first offender was Brazil. Brazil's internal road traffic was poor. The most convenient transportation between Brazil's coast and Mato Grosso was the Paraná River.
Paraguay controlled a section of the river for transportation. Little Pelos declared that he would not welcome Brazilian shipping to pass through Paraguay, which directly offended the then Kingdom of Brazil.
There is a dispute between red and white in Uruguay. Paraguay supports the white party, while Brazil and Argentina support the red party. The red party defeats the white party. The merger of Uruguay planned by Pelos Jr. was ruined.
Because Brazil was the most anxious in this process and ignored Paraguay's political demands, Peros was furious and directly led Paraguay with 530,000 people to declare war on the Kingdom of Brazil with a population of more than 10 million.
On December 13, 1864, Paraguay declared war on Brazil and sent troops to the Mato Grosso region. Because Argentina refused to allow Paraguayan troops to pass through Argentina to aid Uruguay, Paraguay declared war on Argentina on March 18, 1865 and sent troops to Argentina's Corrientes Province.
In May of the same year, Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay formed a trilateral alliance to fight against Paraguay, and the Paraguay War officially broke out.
The military level of this "South American Napoleon" Pelosi is not bad, but how can a country of 530,000 face the attacks of three countries?
Brazil has a population of more than 10 million, Argentina has about 1.5 million, Uruguay has about 250,000, and Paraguay has only 530,000. It is simply a crushing game.
The four parties participating in the war are Paraguay: 150,000, Brazil: 150,000, Argentina: 30,000, and Uruguay: 5,583.
Although Argentina and Uruguay are fighting each other in the four-nation war, Brazil, the main force, is a country with a population of tens of millions and cannot be defeated by Paraguay.
Although Brazil suffered a loss at first, it exerted a little force and directly captured Ascension, the capital of Paraguay. Little Pelos, a Napoleon, could only run away to fight guerrillas, and was finally strangled by Brazil.
In this watershed between modern wars and modern wars - the Paraguay War, Paraguay lost completely.
The Paraguayan War resulted in the long-term occupation of Paraguay by Argentina and Brazil, and Paraguay lost 55,000 square miles of land.
After this devastating blow, Paraguay's population dropped from 530,000 to 220,000, including less than 30,000 men; Paraguay also paid huge compensation to Brazil and Argentina.
Many years after the war ended, it was initially stabilized in 1871. According to the census at that time, the total population of Paraguay was 221,079, including 106,254 women, 86,079 children, and only 28,746 adult men.
Under such circumstances, Paraguay's future development will be extremely unfavorable. Due to the imbalance in the ratio of men to women, women competed fiercely for men's favor, resulting in widespread incest, illegitimacy, and men's laziness.
After the war, diseases such as cholera and yellow fever were also prevalent in Paraguay, which caused great social and economic damage. Over the years, the country has lived off Brazil.
Because the main force in the war against Paraguay was Brazil, and Brazil suffered the greatest losses, it finally fell into the hands of Brazil. Brazil was also the last to withdraw from Paraguay, but it has been secretly controlling it.
"Helen, when I ask you to be the Grand Duchess, I don't mean to drive you to Paraguay."
When Tangning heard her sister say she didn't want to go to this country, she knew she had misunderstood and quickly explained.
"I'm just giving you a name, not really asking you to go. How could I let you suffer in such a terrible country.
You are just showing off your reputation. In fact, this country is still controlled by Brazil. I asked you to serve as the Grand Duchess of this country for the sake of future development. "
"Oh, so it's just a name? I thought you wanted to trick me!"
After hearing what baby sister said, Tangning rolled her eyes at Helen.
“Helen, when have I ever really cheated you?
My good sister, if you can be the Grand Duke of this country, you will be helping me and Brazil. "
"Hmm~
Of course that’s no problem!
It's just a noble title. It's a small problem. As long as I can help my brother, I will do my best. "
Seeing the expectant look in her brother's face, Helen deliberately hesitated and then happily agreed.
"It's just that, brother, you asked me to be the Grand Duchess. You said you had a plan. Can you tell me what it is?"
Helen is quite curious, but she is still sensible. She only makes tentative inquiries and does not force anything.
If her brother didn't tell her, Helen would only be unhappy for a moment and would soon forget.
His sister's request was not too much, and Helen was helpful to him, so Tangning was willing to answer.
"I have to deal with Argentina and Paraguay is the best tool.
Although Paraguay is controlled by Brazil, it is still a sovereign country after all. I want to use your name to change the nature of this country and give Brazil complete control of this country. "
Brazil and Argentina have a long history of conflict.
The most direct reason is the Uruguay issue, which is Brazil's biggest territorial dispute. It has always wanted to regain it, but Argentina has been blocking it.
Argentina is actually not Brazil's opponent. There is a big gap between it and Brazil in terms of land, population, economy and other aspects, but there are people behind Argentina.
“Brazil and Argentina don’t have a direct territorial dispute, but Paraguay does, and that’s a very good entry point.
Argentina is the biggest obstacle that restricts Brazil from dominating the north and south. Brazil must get rid of this obstacle. However, the British have always been vigilant and have been preventing any tendency to war.
Britain has a strong influence in South America, especially in coastal areas. It has always been wary of Brazil's actions and protected Argentina.
Paraguay is a subject country.
It is landlocked and is a complete vassal of our country. Britain has no interests here. It is easy for me to avoid Britain when I do something here. "
