THE Brazilian participation in World War II it began on September 16, 1944, lasted seven months and aimed at the liberation of Italy.
Brazil in World War II
Brazil entered World War II after giving in to pressure from the US government to end the period of neutrality adopted by President Getúlio Vargas.
Until 1937, Brazil maintained cordial relations with Germany, a condition that was broken the following year.
Still, the country remained neutral. The situation would change in 1942, when Brazil broke diplomatic relations with the Axis.
Thus, 19 Brazilian ships were attacked off the Brazilian coast by German forces causing the death of 500 people.
There was intense popular pressure for Brazil's entry into the war and Getúlio Vargas' government started to support the Allies.
Despite the Americans' opposition, the Brazilian government wanted to send soldiers to the conflict.
Getúlio Vargas got the US president, Franklin Roosevelt, modernize the Armed Forces and grant loans to build a steel mill in the country.
This would be CSN - Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional - located in Volta Redonda/RJ.
In exchange, Brazil ceded land in Rio Grande do Norte for the Americans to install a military base. This was intended to be the take-off place for the planes heading to Europe and became known as the "Trampoline of Victory".
Until then, critics doubted the capacity of Brazilian participation in the conflict. They said that “it would be easier for a snake to smoke than for FEB to board”. For this reason, the symbol of the FEB was a snake smoking a pipe.
Chronology of Brazilian participation in World War II
The declaration of war against Germany and Italy took place on August 31, 1942. The Brazilian army, however, had a meager contingent and it was necessary to call recruits and reservists, such as doctors, nurses and lawyers.
The decree that formed the FEB (Força Expedicionaria Brasileira) was signed on August 9, 1943. The FEB joined the US Army and was trained by them in Italy.
The FEB contingent consisted of 25,445,000 men to act exclusively in the war. Of these, 450 soldiers died and 3,000 soldiers were wounded during the campaign in Brazil.
The Brazilian contingent was divided into eight units:
- 1st Infantry Regiment, of Rio de Janeiro;
- 6th Infantry Regiment, from Caçapava, São Paulo;
- 11th Infantry Regiment, from São João Del Rei, Minas Gerais;
- Four artillery groups;
- 9th Engineering Battalion, Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul;
- 1st reconnaissance squadron;
- 1st Health Battalion;
- special troops and 67 nurses.
The newly created Brazilian Air Force (FAB) also took part in the conflict.
Under the motto of “Sit Pua”, its main unit was the 1st Fighter Aviation Group (GAC), equipped with P47 Thunderbolt aircraft.
It was made up of 374 soldiers and 28 planes, of which 16 were shot down, five pilots killed in combat and five taken prisoner.
Brazilian soldiers sent to World War II fought in Italy
Brazil's Participation in World War II
Brazilian soldiers arrived on July 16, 1944 in Italy. Fighting alongside the US army, the Brazilians managed to expel the German army that was still resisting in northern Italy.
In September 1944, Brazilian soldiers took Massarosa, Camaiore and Monte Prano. In early 1945, they helped to conquer strategic points such as Monte Castelo, Castelnuovo and Montese. The war ended in May 1945.
The bodies of the 454 soldiers killed during the conflict remained in the cemetery in Pistoia, Italy, until 1960. In October of that year, the remains were transferred to the National Monument of the Dead in World War II, located in Rio de Janeiro.
The end of the war
After signing a German surrender, the FEB began to be demobilized in Italy.
The departure of the Brazilian contingent to Europe increased the internal contradictions of the government of Getulio Vargas. After all, Brazilians were fighting a dictatorship, but they lived under an anti-democratic regime.
Afraid that these now experienced soldiers might turn against the government, Vargas is quick to undo the military contingent.
Later generations would ridicule the efforts of Brazilian soldiers claiming that they went to fight in an unimportant place already "forgotten" by the German Army.
However, since the late 1990s, new scholars have been raising new documents and giving Brazilian soldiers a decent place in history.
Curiosities
- At least one Brazilian was sent to a Nazi concentration camp. Major Brigadier Othon Correia Netto had his fighter shot down in the attack on the Casarsa bridge, in Italy, on March 26, 1945. Taken prisoner, he remained in a concentration camp in Germany until 29 April.
- Brazilians came to face temperatures of minus 20 degrees in the Apennines.
- Aviator captain Alberto Martins Torres is considered the greatest pilot in the history of Brazilian aviation. He participated in 100 war missions in Italy and 76 patrol missions along the Brazilian coast.
- In recognition of the work done by Brazilians, several Italian cities have named streets and squares “Brazil”. In the city of Pistoia, the monument to the small squares fallen in combat is still preserved.
Read more:
- Second World War
- Nazi Concentration Camps
- Major Battles of World War II
- It was Vargas
- Questions about World War II
- Exercises on the Vargas Era