Abstracts - "Allied Presence in Brazil"
Alexandre Busko Valim, Federal University of Santa Catarina
The Aspects of War comics collection and its social impact in Brazil during World War II.
Between 1941 and 1945, the British government undertook extensive intelligence and propaganda operations in Brazil, considered a pivotal country in Latin America. The goal was to recover the British ideological, cultural, and economic hegemony by overcoming the power of US propaganda. Among these activities was the massive distribution of pro-United Kingdom and anti-Axis propaganda throughout films, radio, magazines, and comics. The comic collection "Aspects of War" draws a remarkable interest due to the significant social impact it has caused by reinforcing patriotism, bravery, and heroism among the Brazilian population. This collection was distributed in Portuguese and played an essential role in the British propaganda production in Brazil. The "Aspects of War" collection contains 12 editions, up to 70 pages each, with a total circulation of approximately 1 million copies in four years. Based on primary source research and from a perspective of the Social History of Comics, this chapter aims to discuss the social impact of these productions during the conflict. Analyzing how the British government monitored these comics' reception and social impact provides a formidable opportunity to understand the public perception of British propaganda in Brazil. It sheds light on little-known strategies used by the British government in Brazil to win Brazilian hearts and minds over the United States during World War II.
Raquel Anne Lima de Assis, Universidade Federal de Roraima
US Intelligence in Brazil during World War II
The objective of this work is to analyze aspects of the activities of the North American intelligence agency, Office of Strategic Services (OSS), in the north and northeast of Brazil during the Second World War (1939-45). Amid the Good Neighbor Policy and closer relations between Brazil and the USA, the OSS was created (1941) with the purpose of undertaking Intelligence Services in the context of the Second World War. One of the areas of activity of this agency was Brazil - as well as the Office for Inter-American Affairs (OCIAA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) -, seeking to monitor the activities of the Axis countries in Brazilian territory to assess the situation of hemispheric security, collect information for the creation of diplomatic and military planning and organize a propaganda system that could face Nazi broadcasting in the territory, in addition to encouraging anti-Axis demonstrations in some states after the torpedoes off the Brazilian coast in August 1942. Through qualitative analysis of official documents produced by the OSS, containing projects, reports and memos, we will seek to answer some questions: Did the OSS seek to contribute to the Good Neighbor Policy? Or would it be a form of opposition to the OCIAA's actions to gain political influence on the domestic and international scene? How did the relationship between OSS and OCIAA develop? The research interest in the north and northeast of Brazil occurs due to the strategic importance of these regions. The North, due to its proximity to the Caribbean, was a way of accessing the Panama Canal, a region for the flow of products in American trade. While the Northeast was the connecting bridge between the American and African continents, it was one of the theaters of operation in the war. Our theoretical reference is in the field of Political History to understand how this agency was used for political purposes according to the government agenda of its respective State, which demonstrates its role beyond military and strategic purposes. Thus, we will use the perspective of Michael Herman (1996), of viewing the intelligence service as a system and a set of processes, and of Joshua Rovner when demonstrating how intelligence agencies are subject to politicization according to the scenario of their internal politics and external.
Manoel Felipe Batista da Fonseca, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN)
Diplomatic Mission at War: Notes about the Expansion and the Activities of the Consular Posts of the United States in Brazil during the Second World War
This work seeks to provide general notes on the activities carried out by United States consular posts in Brazilian territory during the Second World War. To this end will be taken as main references two dispatches drawn up by the Counselor of the American Embassy, John F. Simmons, during his trips to the South and North of Brazil, between May and June 1943, to inspect the progress of activities in the main American consular posts in these regions. With this survey, we seek to show the importance of studying the activities carried out by consular posts in the more general context of diplomatic relations, in addition to providing information and issues for more in-depth research into each post during the war period. The United States Diplomatic Mission in Brazil is the official representative of the American government in conducting diplomatic relations between these two nations. Under the aegis of the Good Neighbor Policy, United States relations with Latin American republics would be guided by cooperation, respect for their sovereignty and negotiations of trade agreements. Usually, a United States diplomatic mission is made up of an embassy (located in the capital of the receiving state) and consular offices, which may vary between consulate general, consulate, vice consulate and consular agency. During the period of the Second World War (1939 to 1945), the number of American consular offices in Brazilian territory expanded significantly to meet the increase in traditional activities, but, above all, the new demands created by the war emergency, directly impacting the diplomatic work and consular matters. There were in the American Diplomatic Mission in Brazil, in October 1939, a general consulate, five consulates, a vice consulate, and a consular agency. Its peak was reached between the end of 1942 and mid-1944, with a general consulate (São Paulo), ten consulates (Salvador, Recife, Natal, Fortaleza, Belém, Belo Horizonte, Santos, Florianópolis, and Porto Alegre), four vice consulates (Manaus, Corumbá, Vitória and Curitiba), and two consular agencies (São Luiz and Rio Grande), totaling 16 consular posts. At the end of the war the total number was 14 consular posts. This increase in posts highlighted a practical and strategic need for the United States during this period: to have greater coverage in the main areas of Brazilian territory, enabling better promotion not only of regular consular services; but especially to activities directly linked to the war effort, such as in the economic, political, cultural, and military spheres. Each post had its specificity and importance, however, each post should follow the instructions of the Embassy in Rio de Janeiro and the State Department, also cooperating with other government agencies and the United States Armed Forces, as well as Brazilian authorities in each consular district. This work seeks, therefore, to map these United States consular posts in Brazil during the Second World War, the general activities carried out by each one, showing the importance of studying consulates as diplomatic instruments in foreign relations between States.
Armando Augusto Siqueira, UFPE - Governo do RN
The Springboard of Victory in the Good Neighbor: North American presence in Natal during the Second World War
The geopolitical scenario in Europe at the end of the 1930s caused President Roosevelt and his advisors to consider the possibility that hostilities between the main European powers could reach Latin America, particularly Brazil. In part, Geography conditioned this possibility. As the northeast region is Brazil's closest point to Africa, the American armed forces demanded that the United States government pay close attention to the situation in Brazil. Natal, still a peaceful and silent city in Rio Grande do Norte, located in the northeast of Brazil, quickly assumed great importance in North American defensive and offensive planning. However, interest in Brazil was frustrated because tradition, coupled with economic restrictions resulting from the depression, kept United States military and diplomatic establishments considerably below desirable levels. Therefore, when US government leaders determined that armed forces might be needed in northeastern Brazil, there were several delays and obstacles for the continental defense plan drawn up by the United States to be implemented. Disagreements between the United States and Brazil and between the Americans themselves over the size, scope and location of these forces continued to delay the implementation of defense plans. If the deployment of military forces to northeastern Brazil had to be postponed, the United States could, at the very least, station a diplomatic/consular agent in Natal. After initial reluctance and a temporary appointment, the State Department appointed a permanent vice consul: Harold Sims of Sparta, Tennessee, a very young man who became the first permanent consular representative in Natal. Even though he was aided by a limited staff, he helped protect the area from Axis threats, making an important contribution to the implementation of the successful defense strategy in which Americans provided aid to friends and allies by sending American goods and troops. that reached foreign combat fronts. Over time, Natal gained the nickname “Trampoline of Victory”, as a large amount of equipment and aid passed through the city during the first years of the war. The Consul's services were greatest during the preceding months of the United States' operational and naval presence in the region. This consular officer's interactions with his State Department superiors, Brazilian hosts, Brazilian and United States military forces, official foreign agents, and suspects are the focus of this article. To help with the creation of a permanent American consular post in Natal, the United States Department of State asked its Brazilian team for a report on the region. William C. Burdett, chargé d'affaires at the US Embassy in Rio de Janeiro, presented a memorandum, stating that the city of 55,000 inhabitants was clean, with a very pleasant climate – one of the best in Brazil – with its peaceful life and friendly population.