Abstract
"We, the orphans of the sea, are under obligation to acquire the supremacy of the air in South America. With greater reason than any other country of the world we can exclaim: The future of Bolivia is in the air!" | To Captain Raul Vargas Guzman, the development of air power appeared as a means of overcoming Bolivia’s geographical isolation and communication problems. Bolivia having lost its Pacific seacoast in a war with Chile (1879-1883), faced a serious dilemma on entering the 20th century. It was the only country in South America without a seaport. In addition, Bolivia suffered severe transportation handicaps within its boundaries. | When the loss of the seacoast was confirmed by treaty in 1904, Bolivia turned eastward and sought an outlet on the Atlantic via the Paraguay River. However, two obstacles blocked the movement to the east. One was an area known as the Gran Chaco, a harsh wasteland that defied normal means of surface transportation. The other was the Republic of Paraguay.