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Brazil
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BRAZIL, United States of Brazil, Estados Unidos do Brasil.
Contemporary National Flag: Not yet available.
Population: 44 116 000 (in 1938).
Borders with French Guyana, Dutch Guyana, British Guyana, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay. It has access to the Atlantic Ocean.
Area: 8 513 800 squared kilometers.
Capital City: Rio de Janeiro
Overview: After the suspension of the constitution from 1891, G. Vargas ruled the country (from 1930 until 1945) in a dictatorial fashion. On 09/03/1939 Brazil and U.S.A. concluded a treaty of mutual cooperation and economic assistance; on 28/01/1942 Brazil severed diplomatic relations with Germany and Italy, and on 22/08/1942 it declared war on both of these countries. On 06/06/1945 it declared war on Japan as well. During the war Brazil received 331.6 millions of U.S. dollars and considerable quantities of military equipment as part of the Lend-Lease loan package, in exchange, it supplied the Allies with some badly needed strategic raw materials simultaneously offering its own military bases for use by the Allies. The growing pro-democracy movement forced Vargas to make several concessions to his dictatorial powers, some of which included the reinstatement of the constitution, political amnesties, and legalization of the Communist Party. Brazil is a co-founding member of the U.N.
Armed Forces: During the war the Brazilian armed forces were re-organized and expanded: the number of infantry divisions was increased to nine, and the number of military districts was also increased to nine (later one more military district was established); the level of military training was improved as well. On 20/01/1941 the Ministry of Aviation came into existence; on 25/10/1941 five air force environs were established; on 15/07/1942 the air force was elevated to a status of a separate branch of the armed forces; the already existing mixed air regiments began to be transformed into specialized combat air wings (U.S.A. supplied 1 100 aircraft).... UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
See also: Brazilian Expeditionary Force and Vargas Era § World War II
Brazil was under its second civilian-military dictatorship led by Getúlio Vargas, maintaining its official neutrality until 1941, when it allowed US forces to use bases to patrol the South Atlantic. The United States built several airfields on Brazilian soil with the understanding that shortly after the war ended, they would be turned over to Brazil.[14] In the wake of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the declarations of war of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy against the USA, in January 1942 at the 9th Pan-American Conference held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil helped to influence other American countries to cut diplomatic relations with Axis Powers. In retaliation, Germany and Italy extended their submarine warfare against them. In the first half of 1942 Axis submarines sank Brazilian merchant ships, and Brazilian naval forces chased and attacked these submarines. When seven merchant ships were sunk by the German Submarine U-507 , Vargas decided to make official the state of war against Germany and Italy.[15]
Northeastern Brazil hosted at Natal the largest single American air base outside of its own territory, and at Recife, the U.S. 4th Fleet Headquarter under Admiral Ingram's command. The air base in Natal gave support to the North Africa campaign, and a route for USAAF airplanes to fly to India and China.[16][17]
Brazilian naval forces in the Battle of the Atlantic helped US and British Navies to patrol the South and Central Atlantic Ocean, combating Axis U-boats and raiders. In 1943, Allied naval forces sunk most of the Axis submarines which were active in the West of the South Atlantic, the U-199 among them. After this intense campaign, the South Atlantic became a lost battle to Germany.[18][19][20]
After two years of preparation, a complete infantry Division (about 25,000 troops, called the Brazilian Expeditionary Force(BEF) was sent in July 1944 to fight in the Italian campaign. They fought in the last two stages of the Italian campaign: the slow breakdown of the Gothic Line and the final Allied offensive in that front.[21][22]
Brazil was under its second civilian-military dictatorship led by Getúlio Vargas, maintaining its official neutrality until 1941, when it allowed US forces to use bases to patrol the South Atlantic. The United States built several airfields on Brazilian soil with the understanding that shortly after the war ended, they would be turned over to Brazil.[14] In the wake of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the declarations of war of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy against the USA, in January 1942 at the 9th Pan-American Conference held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil helped to influence other American countries to cut diplomatic relations with Axis Powers. In retaliation, Germany and Italy extended their submarine warfare against them. In the first half of 1942 Axis submarines sank Brazilian merchant ships, and Brazilian naval forces chased and attacked these submarines. When seven merchant ships were sunk by the German Submarine U-507 , Vargas decided to make official the state of war against Germany and Italy.[15]
Northeastern Brazil hosted at Natal the largest single American air base outside of its own territory, and at Recife, the U.S. 4th Fleet Headquarter under Admiral Ingram's command. The air base in Natal gave support to the North Africa campaign, and a route for USAAF airplanes to fly to India and China.[16][17]
Brazilian naval forces in the Battle of the Atlantic helped US and British Navies to patrol the South and Central Atlantic Ocean, combating Axis U-boats and raiders. In 1943, Allied naval forces sunk most of the Axis submarines which were active in the West of the South Atlantic, the U-199 among them. After this intense campaign, the South Atlantic became a lost battle to Germany.[18][19][20]
After two years of preparation, a complete infantry Division (about 25,000 troops, called the Brazilian Expeditionary Force(BEF) was sent in July 1944 to fight in the Italian campaign. They fought in the last two stages of the Italian campaign: the slow breakdown of the Gothic Line and the final Allied offensive in that front.[21][22]