Brazil in World War II

Brazilian propaganda poster announcing the declaration of war on the Axis powers on November 10, 1943. The caption reads: "Brazil at war. Opening the road to victory!"

Brazil officially entered World War II on August 22, 1942, when it declared war against the Axis powers, including Germany and Italy. On February 8, 1943, Brazil formally joined the Allies upon signing the Declaration by United Nations. Although Brazil was considered a secondary Allied power, it was the largest contributor from South America.[1] The country played a significant role in the war effort by providing essential natural resources, hosting strategic air and naval bases, participating significantly in the Battle of the Atlantic, and deploying an expeditionary force to the Italian Campaign. Notably, Brazil was the only South American country, and one of the few outside the direct theaters of war, to send combat troops overseas during the conflict.[2]

Leading up to the outbreak of World War II in 1939, Brazil adhered to a policy of strict neutrality and maintained positive commercial and diplomatic relations with both Allied and Axis powers. Brazilian President Getúlio Vargas, whose administration was ideologically sympathetic to fascism, initially aimed to leverage Brazil's strategic importance to secure favorable trade agreements from both sides. Despite Brazil's traditionally strong ties with the United States, by 1940 the country had become Germany's leading export market outside Europe and its ninth largest trading partner. Additionally, Brazil hosted significant and influential German, Italian, and Japanese diaspora communities.

Brazil's Foreign policy progressed through three different phases. Brazil had the most freedom during the first phase (1935–1940) when they played Germany and the United States against one another. It stopped German political infiltration by using its domestic and commercial strategies. Brazil was unable to employ the implicit threat of joining or assisting the Axis to deal with the United States during the second phase (1940–1942). Brazil's options continued to dwindle at this time, and it was unsure of its goals. Brazil confronted a United States that was unconcerned with Brazilian pretenses and implementing policies meant to maintain a united front against the Axis in the third phase (1943–1945), with its goals clearly established. These measures extended American supremacy in Brazil and negated Brazilian efforts. Brazilian policies appear to have helped, rather than hindered, American penetration, particularly during this time. [3]


As the conflict progressed, Brazil's trade with the Axis powers led to increased diplomatic and economic pressure from the Allies. Following the entry of the United States into the war in December 1941, the Joint Brazil-U.S. Defense Commission was established to strengthen bilateral military ties and minimize Axis influence.[4] In pursuit of economic assistance from the United States, Brazil severed diplomatic relations with Germany, Japan, and Italy in January 1942, and allowed the establishment of U.S. air bases on Brazilian soil to counter Axis naval activities.[5] Despite its formal stance of neutrality and reluctance to engage in direct conflict, these actions provoked immediate reprisals from the Axis powers.[6] By mid-August, 36 Brazilian merchant vessels had been sunk and nearly 2,000 Brazilian sailors had lost their lives, prompting Brazil to formally declare war.[7]

Although Brazil's economy and military were relatively underdeveloped, the country fully committed its industrial capacity and armed forces to the war effort, supported by significant U.S. investment. From mid-1942 until the conclusion of World War II, the Brazilian Navy and Air Force actively contributed to protecting Allied shipping. Brazil's northeast region became a fortified base for projecting Allied air power across the Atlantic. Between September 1944 and May 1945, Brazil deployed 25,700 troops to the Italian front. During the conflict, Brazil incurred losses including 1,889 soldiers and sailors, 31 merchant vessels, three warships, and 22 fighter aircraft. Brazil's participation in the war enhanced its global prestige and marked its emergence as a significant international power.

  1. ^ Calkins, Derreck T., "A Military Force on a Political Mission: The Brazilian Expeditionary Force in World War II" (2011). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 600. p. 13.
  2. ^ McCann, Frank D. (1993). "The "Forca Expedicionaria Brasileira" in the Italian Campaign, 1944-45" (PDF). Army History (26): 1–11. ISSN 1546-5330. The British Eighth Army and the U.S. Fifth Army were undoubtedly the most "international" allied armies; however, the FEB was atypical. Each of the other international forces were either, colonial forces, commonwealth forces, or "free" forces; the Indians were a colonial force, the Canadians, New Zealanders, and South African were commonwealth forces, while the French and the Polish were "free" forces. The Brazilians, however, were the only division drawn from the army of a sovereign state placed under United States command.
  3. ^ McCANN, FRANK D. “Brazil, the United States, and World War II: A Commentary.” Diplomatic History 3, no. 1 (1979): 59–76. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24909955.
  4. ^ Stetson Conn, Byron Fairchild, Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army, The Framework of Hemisphere Defense, 1960, p. 319
  5. ^ "Avalon Project – A Decade of American Foreign Policy 1941–1949 – Havana Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the American Republics, July 21–30, 1940". Avalon.law.yale.edu. Retrieved 2016-09-10
  6. ^ McCann, Frank D. (1995-01-01). "Brazil and World War II The Forgotten Ally. What did you do in the war, Zé Carioca". Estudios Interdisciplinarios de América Latina y el Caribe. 6 (2). doi:10.61490/eial.v6i2.1193. ISSN 0792-7061.
  7. ^ McCann, Frank D. (January 1, 1995). "Brazil and World War II The Forgotten Ally. What did you do in the war, Zé Carioca". Estudios Interdisciplinarios de América Latina y el Caribe. 6 (2). ISSN 0792-7061.