Writers and historians have debated whether López’s decision to prolong the war—leading to battles like Estero Olastí—was heroic or reckless. Some argue that he sacrificed his people in a futile struggle. Others maintain that surrender was impossible, and that battles like Estero Olastí demonstrated Paraguay’s courage in the face of annihilation.
Military Lessons of the Battle
From a military perspective, Estero Olastí illustrates the importance of terrain in shaping outcomes. The marshes allowed a vastly outnumbered Paraguayan force to resist for far longer than expected. But the battle also showed the limits of defensive warfare when resources are exhausted and reinforcements are lacking.
For the Triple Alliance, the battle reinforced the need for persistence in the face of stubborn Paraguayan resistance. It also underscored the difficulty of fighting in Paraguay’s interior landscapes, which were as much an enemy as López’s army. shutdown123