Background
- The Second World War (1939–1945) reshaped the political, economic, and social order of the Americas.
- While many countries began as neutral, the fall of France (1940) and the attack on Pearl Harbor (1941) brought the Western Hemisphere into active defense cooperation.
- The United States emerged as a global power through total mobilization, while Brazil became the only Latin American country to send troops overseas.
United States
- Entry into War:
- The U.S. entered the conflict after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941).
- Declared war on Japan, followed by Germany and Italy on December 11.
- Military Participation:
- The U.S. fought on multiple fronts (Europe, the Pacific, North Africa, and the Atlantic.)
- Created massive military operations such as D-Day (1944) and the Manhattan Project, which developed the atomic bomb.
- Economic Mobilization:
- Established the War Production Board and Office of Price Administration to direct industrial output.
- Unemployment fell below 2%, ending the Depression.
- Women joined the workforce in large numbers, symbolized by Rosie the Riveter.
- Wartime production gave rise to the military-industrial complex and long-term U.S. economic dominance.
- Social and Political Effects:
- Wartime propaganda promoted unity but exposed racial inequality.
- The Double V campaign demanded victory against fascism abroad and racism at home.
- Japanese Americans faced internment under Executive Order 9066, showing the contradictions of wartime democracy.
- The war consolidated U.S. global leadership and laid the foundations for the United Nations (1945).
Case study
The Manhattan Project (1942–1945)
Background
- A top-secret U.S. research and development program created during World War II to build an atomic bomb before Nazi Germany.
- Began after a 1939 letter from Albert Einstein and Leo Szilard warned President Roosevelt about Germany’s nuclear ambitions.
- Officially authorized in 1942 under the direction of General Leslie Groves and physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer.
- Funded through wartime appropriations with a total cost of about 2 billion dollars, one of the largest scientific projects in history.
Organization and Operations
- Central laboratory located at Los Alamos, New Mexico, supported by facilities in Oak Ridge, Tennessee for uranium enrichment and Hanford, Washington for plutonium production.
- Employed more than 130,000 workers, most unaware of the project’s real purpose due to strict secrecy.
- Scientists from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada collaborated on nuclear research and engineering.
- Developed two atomic bomb types:
- "Little Boy" using uranium.
- "Fat Man" using plutonium.
Impact and Significance
- The first successful atomic test, called Trinity, occurred in New Mexico on July 16, 1945, proving nuclear fission could be weaponized.
- Atomic bombs were used on Hiroshima (August 6, 1945) and Nagasaki (August 9, 1945), leading to Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II.
- Marked the start of the nuclear age, transforming global warfare and diplomacy.
- Sparked intense ethical and moral debates about civilian casualties and the role of science in war.
- Strengthened the United States’ position as a world power and set the stage for the Cold War and the Arms Race.
Brazil
- Political Background:
- Under President Getúlio Vargas, Brazil initially maintained neutrality to balance ties with both the U.S. and Germany.
- After German U-boat attacks on Brazilian ships (1942), Brazil declared war on the Axis powers.
- Military Involvement:
- Formed the Brazilian Expeditionary Force (FEB) of 25,000 soldiers who fought in Italy (1944–45)alongside the Allies.
- Brazil allowed the U.S. to establish air and naval bases in the Northeast (Recife, Natal) to secure Atlantic routes.
- This cooperation made Brazil the primary strategic ally of the U.S. in South America.
- Economic and Social Impact:
- Wartime demand boosted Brazilian industrialization and strengthened state control of the economy.
- The U.S. supported the creation of the Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (steel industry) as part of Lend-Lease aid.
- Social reforms expanded education, labor rights, and urban employment.
- However, wartime inflation and censorship persisted under Vargas’s Estado Novo regime.
Case study
Getúlio Vargas and Brazil in the Second World War
Background
- Getúlio Vargas came to power in 1930 after leading a movement that ended the Old Republic, which had been dominated by coffee oligarchs.
- Established an authoritarian regime known as the Estado Novo in 1937, promoting nationalism, state-led industrialization, and social reform.
- Initially maintained neutrality during the early years of the Second World War to balance relations with both the United States and Germany.
- Brazil’s position changed after German submarines attacked Brazilian ships in 1942, prompting Vargas to declare war on the Axis powers.
Domestic Policies during the War
- Used wartime conditions to strengthen state control of the economy and promote industrialization through import substitution.
- Created key state enterprises such as the Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (National Steel Company) with support from U.S. Lend-Lease aid.
- Introduced labor laws guaranteeing minimum wages, paid vacations, and workplace protections, which increased support among the urban working class.
- Promoted nationalist propaganda that emphasized unity, discipline, and development under the Estado Novo regime.
- Maintained censorship and repressed opposition, consolidating power through a one-party system and police control.
Foreign Policy and Wartime Involvement
- Negotiated with both the United States and Germany during the early 1940s before fully aligning with the Allies.
- Allowed the United States to build air and naval bases in northeastern Brazil, which became vital for Allied operations in the Atlantic.
- Sent the Brazilian Expeditionary Force (FEB) of about 25,000 soldiers to fight alongside the Allies in Italy in 1944.
- Wartime cooperation with the United States elevated Brazil’s regional influence and improved its military capacity.
Impact and Legacy
- The war accelerated economic modernization and helped establish Brazil as an emerging industrial power in Latin America.
- Vargas’s social programs and nationalism created lasting support among workers, leading to his later return to power in 1951 through democratic elections.
- The authoritarian nature of the Estado Novo faced increasing criticism after the war, leading to Vargas’s resignation in October 1945.
- His rule marked a turning point in Brazilian history, combining populism, nationalism, and state-led development to shape modern Brazil.
Definition
Populism
Populism is a political movement or style that claims to champion the common people against a corrupt elite, often using simple, direct language and advocating reforms, such as expanding political participation, regulating powerful economic interests, and addressing the needs of marginalized groups, to shift power toward ordinary citizens.
Exam technique
- Choose one major (U.S.) and one Latin American case (Brazil or Mexico) for balanced essays.
- Highlight contrast in scale: global vs. regional contribution.Include specific facts: Pearl Harbor, FEB in Italy, steel industry aid.
- Show continuity and change. Both nations moved from neutrality to alignment under U.S. leadership.
Common Mistake
- Overemphasizing U.S. battles without linking to hemispheric cooperation.
- Ignoring Brazil’s military participation and industrial transformation.
- Treating Latin America as passive rather than an active strategic partner.
Theory of Knowledge
- Perspective and Power: Whose contributions define “victory” in historical narratives?
- The U.S. dominates the story of Allied success, but examining Brazil’s participation reveals how lesser powers’ efforts are often marginalized in global history.
Self review
- Examine the nature and extent of participation of two countries of the Americas in the Second World War.
- Assess how far the Second World War transformed political and economic conditions in the Americas.
- To what extent did wartime cooperation strengthen U.S.–Latin American relations?
