The Story of Tcnl. Germán Busch

 

The Story of Tcnl. Germán Busch – The Hero of Boquerón

In 1932, Bolivia and Paraguay went to war over the Gran Chaco region, a sparsely populated but strategic area believed (falsely) to be rich in oil. The conflict quickly escalated into a brutal and deadly war in the dry, unforgiving Chaco wilderness.

One of the most famous and courageous figures on the Bolivian side was Germán Busch, a young military officer who would later become Bolivia’s president.

In the Battle of Boquerón (September 1932), Bolivia launched a massive assault to retake a heavily fortified Paraguayan position. It was one of the first and bloodiest battles of the war. Busch, just 29 years old, led the Bolivian assault against brutal resistance.

Under his command, Bolivian troops laid siege to the fortress for three weeks, facing intense heat, disease, and severe water shortages. Paraguayans were equally desperate—many drank water from radiators and mud puddles to survive.

Busch personally led attacks from the front, rallying demoralized troops and showing no fear under fire. When his men hesitated to advance, he reportedly yelled, "Follow me if you're not cowards!"—and charged ahead.

After heavy fighting and major casualties, the Bolivians captured Boquerón—one of their few major victories in the war. Busch’s bravery made him a national hero.

But the war dragged on, and Bolivia ultimately lost most of the Chaco region. The human toll was enormous: over 100,000 soldiers died between both sides in what was effectively a war over a desert.

Busch later became president in 1937 and tried to implement progressive reforms, but his time in power was short and marked by political turmoil. In 1939, at just 35 years old, he died by suicide, disillusioned by the corruption and internal struggles of his country.

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Germán Busch is still remembered in Bolivia as a symbol of valor, sacrifice, and national pride—a hero of a tragic war fought in one of the harshest terrains on Earth.