Between iron and wood: modernization of the Brazilian Navy in the Battle of Riachuelo (1865)

Abstract

The present research investigates how innovations in war technologies influence final outcomes, using the Naval Battle of Riachuelo, fought in the waters of the Paraná River in 1865, as a case study. The general objective of the research is to understand how advances in watercraft, such as the adoption of steel hulls in the Brazilian fleet, altered the course of the war. The theoretical framework of the study is grounded in offensive realist theory, in which an emphasis on naval power is essential to changes in the distribution of power within a conflict. The methodological approach is inductive, proceeding from a specific premise to reach a broader generalization, and the research technique is bibliographical, based on the critical analysis of specialized literature. Primary and secondary sources are employed, including war diaries, newspapers, books, academic articles, and reports, which address different perspectives on the Paraguayan War and its results. The findings indicate that technological advancements in the Brazilian fleet, such as the introduction of steel hulls, support the perspective of offensive realist theory by demonstrating how the modernization of naval power can redefine the balance of forces in an armed conflict.