The Author

My name is Ulysses Narciso Leal Costa. I'm graduated in Social Science by the University of São Paulo (USP), Brazil.

I'm fond of classical music ( Vivaldi, Handel and Bach, in particular) and have interest in Political Science, Sociology of Religion and History.

I spent my leisure time reading at most. I like to travel and make contacts about the subjects I above mentioned.

As the majority of my compatriots, I enjoy soccer a lot. Among the many soccer  teams I have  chosen one wich is considered one of the most popular and victorious of all. Since a  soccer team must give more happiness than sadness you have to choose it wisely! That's way I root for Fluminense!

Fluminense F.C

In regard of the subject of this page, I must confess that I had no intention to write an academic discussion. My aim was something less pretension. I just want to write an almost factual account of the war. Of course the academic discussion is of my interest. Thus, suggestions and comments will be of great value for me! One of the major problems in studying the war between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance is that the subject is not free of controversies. Moreover, the bibliography about it is scarce and sometimes it  reflects the sympathy of the authors. In relation of the war statistics, two different tendencies emerge from the books. Those of the  beggining of  XX century almost always exxagerate in the figures they present. On the opposite, some recent  books are so conservatives that sometimes one is forced to believe that the war was almost a quarrel between  a half-dozen generals. I tried to keep an avarege of these two groups. When only a estimate was present, I used it. I must confess that it did not set me free of problems, but I guess it made the estimates more reliable.

Last, but not least, I would like to mention that I owe a debt to those people who helped me by encouragement and guidance to critical reading. You know who you are!  Thank you!

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