WWII: Military role of BrazilJordan 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

➔ http://classroom.synonym.com/brazilian-involvement-wwii-12185.html

➔ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_Navy#Second_World_War_.281942.E2.80.931945.29

➔ http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/aureview/1986/jul-aug/daab.html

➔ http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/lend-lease-act ➔ http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/Brazil/Participation/in

dex.html