WWII: Military role of Brazil Jordan Grimaldi Period 3
Army ➔ Brazil’s Foreign Minister Rio Blanco pushed for strong foreign relations with the US; economic ties to Germany ➔ Neutral with US (as of September 1939) ➔ Allied powers ➔ Brazil agrees to construction of air force bases for US ➔ Brazilian Expeditionary Force ◆ 1st infantry (land forces) ◆ June-August 1944: Brazil and Allied forces invade Italy; advance beyond Rome, take Florence
Navy ➔ largest Navy in Latin America ➔ supported by US Navy ➔ many naval bases established in Northeast Brazil ◆ HQ for Allied Command in Atlantic South ➔ actively participated in fighting German U-Boats in South Atlantic and Caribbean ➔ Battle of the Atlantic: 32 Brazilian merchant vessels sunk
Air Force ➔ Brazilian School of Aviation founded (1914); organized under Minister of War to train men for the Brazilian army/navy ➔ remained a low-key operation for several years; no units formed ➔ 1941: Air Ministry combined with National Air Mail ➔ US and Germany fight over Brazil for an ally; US wins and gives equipment/money to Brazilian Air Force ➔ Brazil declared war on the Axis ◆ Brazilian troop to 350th Fighter Group USAAF; employed as fighter-bombers; heavy casualties
Lend-Lease Act ➔ Lend-Lease Act (March 11, 1941): US provides military aid to foreign nations during WWII ➔ US rewards Brazil for breaking of relations with Axis powers by doubling amount of Lend-Lease Act to them ➔ Brazil used this agreement to modernize its armed forces and be a strong Ally for the US ➔ maritime blockade of Atlantic Ocean by Axis powers to American countries negatively impacts Brazil ◆ many Brazilian vessels attacked and sunk
Lend-Lease Act
Review Questions 1.The Brazilian Army led military campaigns with the Allied Powers in what European country? 2.True or False: The US established air force bases in Brazil. 3.How did the US reward Brazil for breaking relations with the Axis Powers?
Bibliography ➔ wwii html wwii html ➔ rld_War_ E rld_War_ E ➔ w/1986/jul-aug/daab.html w/1986/jul-aug/daab.html ➔ act act ➔ ndex.html ndex.html