Brazil : the fortunes of war : World War II and the making of modern Brazil

When World War II erupted in 1939, Brazil seemed a world away. Beautiful, exotic, and remote, Brazil and its capital of Rio de Janeiro boasted world-famous beaches and five-star hotels, luring international travelers seeking adventure off the beaten path. “Rio: at the end of civilization, as we know it,” claimed Orson Welles as he set out for the Brazilian capital in 1942 to film Allied propaganda. But even as expatriates like Welles drank away their worries in Brazil's stifling heat, the country's leadership was edging it toward an encounter with the modern world—one that would catapult the nation headlong into the twentieth century. In The Fortunes of War, acclaimed historian Neill Lochery reveals the secret history of Brazil's involvement in World War II, showing how the cunning politicians who ran the country extracted enormous wealth from both the Axis and the Allies, fundamentally transforming Brazil's economy and infrastructure during and after the war. Brazil's simplistic reputation as a faraway land of palm trees and samba dancers masked the country's immense strategic value to both the Axis and the Allies; its abundant natural resources made Brazil a crucial source of sustenance for Nazi Germany, while its geographical location made it a potential launching pad for a southerly invasion of the United States—a danger that American leaders remembered all too well from World War I, when Germany had urged Mexico to carry out just such an assault. Brazil's charismatic dictator, Getúlio Dornelles Vargas, had himself long feared an attack from the country's rival to the south, Argentina, and understood that trade concessions from the Allies and Axis—not to mention weapons shipments from the Third Reich—could make his country a formidable force in South America. Vargas cozied up to Nazi Germany in the early years of the war, then deftly used his relationship with Germany to coax even better terms from the Allies, playing the two sides against each other in a dangerous game of bait-and-switch. The riches that Vargas's statecraft brought to Brazil transformed the country virtually overnight, allowing him to develop a sophisticated industrial and transportation infrastructure in what had previously been an underdeveloped backwater. But Brazil's cozy neutrality was not to last. As Brazil's ties with the United States deepened, the German position in Europe was eroding, leading Vargas to sever diplomatic relations with the Axis in early 1942. Within months Vargas declared war on the European Axis powers, and eventually sent 25,000 troops to the European theater. But Vargas's forces arrived too late—and were called home too early—to secure a significant role for Brazil in the postwar order. But within the country, at least, Vargas had made his mark: his leadership during the war ensured Rio's emergence as a major international city, and effectively remade Brazil as a modern nation. A tale of world war, diplomatic intrigue, and the rebirth of one of contemporary South America's most dynamic powers, The Fortunes of War brings to life a fascinating yet long-buried chapter of the most pivotal conflict of the twentieth century. When World War II erupted in 1939, Brazil seemed a world away. Lush, remote, and underdeveloped, the country and its capital of Rio de Janeiro lured international travelers seeking a respite from the drums of the war. at the end of civilization, as we know it, claimed Orson Welles as he set out for the city in 1942. But Brazils bucolic reputation as a distant land of palm trees and pristine beaches masked a more complex realityone that the countrys leaders were busily exploiting in a desperate gambit to secure Brazils place in the modern world. In Brazil , acclaimed historian Neill Lochery reveals the secret history of the countrys involvement in World War II, showing how the cunning statecraft and economic opportunism of Brazils leaders transformed it into a regional superpower over the course of the war. Brazils natural resources and proximity to the United States made it strategically invaluable to both the Allies and the Axis, a fact that the countrys dictator, Getlio Dornelles Vargas, keenly understood. In the wars early years, Vargas and a handful of his close advisors dexterously played both sides against each other, generating enormous wealth for Brazil and fundamentally transforming its economy and infrastructure. But Brazils cozy neutrality was not to last. Forced to choose sides, Vargas declared war on the Axis powers and sent 25,000 troops to the European theater. This Brazilian expeditionary force arrived too lateand was called home too earlyto secure a significant role for Brazil in the postwar order. But within Brazil, at least, Vargas had made his mark, ensuring Rios emergence as a major international city and effectively remaking Brazil as a modern nation. A fast-paced tale of war and diplomatic intrigue, Brazil reveals a long-buried chapter of World War II and the little-known origins of one of the worlds emerging economic powerhouses. In The Fortunes Of War, Acclaimed Historian Neill Lochery Reveals The Secret History Of Brazil's Involvement In World War Ii, Showing How The Cunning Politicians Who Ran The Country Extracted Enormous Wealth From Both The Axis And The Allies, Fundamentally Transforming Brazil's Economy And Infrastructure During And After The War. Brazil's Simplistic Reputation As A Faraway Land Of Palm Trees And Samba Dancers Masked The Country's Immense Strategic Value To Both The Axis And The Allies; Its Abundant Natural Resources Made Brazil A Crucial Source Of Sustenance For Nazi Germany, While Its Geographical Location Made It A Potential Launching Pad For A Southerly Invasion Of The United States--a Danger That American Leaders Remembered All Too Well From World War I, When Germany Had Urged Mexico To Carry Out Just Such An Assault. Part 1 Prelude To War 9 -- 1 The Key 11 -- 2 The Left Eye Of Vargas 22 -- Part 2 Brazilian Neutrality 35 -- 3 Dangerous Games 37 -- 4 A Shot Across The Bow 51 -- 5 Discordant Allies 65 -- 6 Escape From Rio 82 -- 7 Deepening Ties And Widening Divides 95 -- Part 3 Slipping Toward War 113 -- 8 Right Behind You 115 -- 9 Welles Checks Out And Welles Checks In 132 -- 10 A Question Of Succession 149 -- Part 4 Brazil Goes To War 163 -- 11 The Decision 165 -- 12 Lights Out Over Rio 180 -- 13 The Dinner Party 193 -- Part 5 Brazil's Active Participation 207 -- 14 Late Arrivals 209 -- 15 The Promise 222 -- 16 A Farewell To Aranha 235 -- 17 The Challenge 246 -- Part 6 Postwar Blues 259 -- 18 The Exit 261 -- 19 The Final Act 273. Neill Lochery. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 299-307) And Index. In 1939, Brazil seemed a world away from the chaos overtaking Europe. Yet despite its bucolic reputation as a distant land of palm trees and pristine beaches, Brazil’s natural resources and proximity to the United States made it strategically invaluable to both the Allies and the Axis alike. As acclaimed historian Neill Lochery reveals in The Fortunes of War , Brazil’s wily dictator Getúlio Dornelles Vargas keenly understood his country’s importance, and played both sides of the escalating global conflict off against each other, gaining trade concessions, weapons shipments, and immense political power in the process. Vargas ultimately sided with the Allies and sent troops to the European theater, but not before his dexterous geopolitical machinations had transformed Rio de Janeiro into one of South America’s most powerful cities and solidified Brazil’s place as a major regional superpower. A fast-paced tale of diplomatic intrigue, The Fortunes of War reveals how World War II transformed Brazil from a tropical backwater into a modern, global power. "In The Fortunes of War, acclaimed historian Neill Lochery reveals the secret history of Brazil's involvement in World War II, showing how the cunning politicians who ran the country extracted enormous wealth from both the Axis and the Allies, fundamentally transforming Brazil's economy and infrastructure during and after the war. Brazil's simplistic reputation as a faraway land of palm trees and samba dancers masked the country's immense strategic value to both the Axis and the Allies; its abundant natural resources made Brazil a crucial source of sustenance for Nazi Germany, while its geographical location made it a potential launching pad for a southerly invasion of the United States ... a danger that American leaders remembered all too well from World War I, when Germany had urged Mexico to carry out just such an assault An acclaimed historian unravels Brazil's deft geopolitical machinations during World War II, showing how the country became a modern nation by first manipulating, then joining, the Allied powers.