Abstract - Francisco Ferraz talk
For decades, it was believed that authors and readers were not very interested in Brazil's participation in World War II. However, a survey of the bibliographic production on the subject between 1945 and 2020 shows a different evolution than the common belief. The results show a modest volume of publications in the decades following the war. This bibliographic production focused on publications of combatants' memoirs, professional military analyses, and the international relations that led the country into conflict.
This lack of interest was attributed to factors external to the subject: a) resistance by academic historiography to address military issues in general; b) resistance by these same historians to address events linked to the military institution and the generals and colonels who led the coup in 1964, who belonged to the FEB; c) a laudatory tendency in some of the historical writings then available regarding Brazilians' actions in the Italian Campaign.
From the 1990s onwards, however, a much more expressive bibliographic production emerged, in terms of quantity and quality. Hundreds of authors have published an increasing number of titles, with a more diversified production in terms of themes, and with a younger profile of authors and readers. These last decades accounted for 85% of the production of the entire period analyzed.
Research problems have been diversified, the themes have multiplied, and three points of change should be mentioned. First, the number of civilian researchers on the subject has grown. Second, the age range of researchers is younger. Finally, the regional origin of researchers interested in the country during World War II is more evenly distributed. Regarding the increase in the number of civilian researchers, its growth shows that the fact that the subject is military is no longer driving away those interested, which was common for a long time in Brazilian universities.
In addition to the mutual openings that have occurred, it should be remembered that there is a generational change: the generations of historians who experienced the military regime while attending universities are being replaced by other generations, who have been able to enjoy a much more stimulating climate for the study of Military History and the History of the Military than the generations that preceded them. Mutual reservations have dissipated, although not yet completely. In addition, it is worth mentioning the expansion of master's and doctoral programs in History throughout the country and the multiplication of opportunities opened by public agencies to promote research, with scholarships and research grants, especially during the governments of Lula and Dilma Rousseff. All of these factors led to a decrease in the average age range of researchers on Brazil's participation in the Second World War. The increasingly younger nature of those interested in the country's actions in the war is truly impressive. This is verifiable not only by the increase in research presented at undergraduate student events (scientific initiation), but also by the increase in master's students on the subject. Consultations of web homepages, as well as social network groups specialized in the subject, show that young people's interest in this area is growing rapidly.
The conference will conclude with an assessment of recent trends in research and bibliographic production, with particular attention to attracting readers among the new generations.