Brazil during World War I
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During
However, following the repeated sinking of Brazilian merchant ships by German submarines, President Venceslau Brás declared war against the Central Powers in 1917. Brazil was the only country in Latin America to be directly involved in the war. The major participation was the Brazilian Navy's patrol of areas of the Atlantic Ocean.
Initial phase
The Brazilian merchant ship Rio Branco was sunk by a German
Protests
When news of the sinking of the Paraná arrived in Brazil a few days later, several protests erupted in the capital. The
Although the nationalist and pro-war demonstrations intensified over 1917, they never surpassed the anti-war and anti-militarist demonstrations led by trade unionists, anarchists and pacifists. They opposed the war and accused the government of diverting attention from internal problems, sometimes coming into conflict with nationalist groups that supported Brazil's active participation in the war. Violent repression followed a general strike late in 1917, and the declaration of war in October also served as a means to declare a state of emergency and persecute opponents.[1][2]
Diplomatic consequences
- April 11, 1917: Brazil broke diplomatic relations with Germany
- May 20, 1917: the U-boat SM UC-36 torpedoed the steamship Tijuca near the French coast.[3] In the following months, the Brazilian government seized 42 German merchant ships in Brazilian ports.
- May 22, 1917: SM U-47 torpedoed the steamship Lapa.[4]
- October 18, 1917: SM U-93 torpedoed the steamship Macau near the coast of Spain, and took the captain prisoner.[5] Macau was a German ship that Brazil had seized.
- October 26, 1917: Brazil declared war on the Central Powers with limited popular support.
- November 2, 1917: SM U-151 torpedoed the steamships Acari and Guaíba.[6][7]
Military involvement
Calogeras Plan
The administration of Venceslau Brás, which was in its last year in office, had made statements implying that it did not intend to involve the country deeper into the conflict; nevertheless, in early 1918, a confidential report commissioned by the presidential candidate elected that year, Rodrigues Alves, was completed. This report regarding the entry of Brazil into the conflict, coordinated by the parliamentary expert on foreign policy and military affairs, João Pandiá Calogeras, recommended that the country send an expeditionary force of considerable size to fight in the war. It advised using all necessary means (including ships of enemy powers already seized in Brazilian waters and ports) to disembark the troops on French soil, where they would be trained and equipped by the French- all was to be financed with US bank loans, which in turn would be settled by compensation imposed on the defeated enemies after the war.[8]
The Calogeras Plan (which was only made public after the death of its authors) contained several proposals for the newly elected administration taking office in November of that year, across several government areas. Referring to the country's participation in the conflict, the plan was not dependent on the lack of military-industrial infrastructure which was a feature of the country at that time. However, the international and domestic events that year, as well as the specific circumstances of Brazilian politics (with a notable opposition to war in the population) and the unclear foreign policy prevented it be carried forward, precluding the country from greater involvement in the conflict.[9]
Army
The Brazilian Army was enlarged to 54,000 men following the declaration of war, but this rapid expansion meant that most immediately available resources had to be directed to the training and equipping of new recruits. Brazil's direct participation in land operations was limited to a preparatory military mission of 24 officers and sergeants, sent to Europe in mid-1918. Its members were attached to allied units, mainly in the French Army, to gain awareness of modern techniques employed in organisation and combat on the Western Front. The end of the conflict in November 1918 precluded the further development of the country's military involvement in the war, as envisioned in the Calogeras Plan.
One-third of the officers who were sent to France were promoted for their courage in battle.
Brazil's main military involvement in this conflict took place at sea. To fulfill this mission, the Secretary of the Navy ordered the use of part of its naval power in the
The DNOG comprised the following vessels:
- Scout cruiser Rio Grande do Sul
- Scout cruiser Bahia
- Destroyer Piauí (CT–3)
- Destroyer Rio Grande do Norte (CT–4)
- Destroyer Paraíba (CT–5)
- Destroyer Santa Catarina (CT–9)
- Tender Belmonte auxiliary ship
- Laurindo Pitta fleet tug
The DNOG was initially tasked to patrol the Atlantic maritime area covered by the triangle between the city of Dakar on the African coast, the island of São Vicente, Cape Verde and Gibraltar at the entrance to the Mediterranean. The Division would remain under the orders of the British Admiralty, represented by Admiral Hischcot Grant. As Commander, the Minister appointed one of the most well-regarded officers at the time, Admiral Pedro Max Fernando Frontin, on January 30, 1918.
The war at sea fought by Brazil's navy began on August 1, 1918, following the departure of the force from the port of Rio de Janeiro. On August 3, 1918, the German submarine U-43 torpedoed the Brazilian ship Maceió. On August 9, 1918, the mission reached Freetown in Sierra Leone, staying 14 days, where the crew began falling ill with Spanish flu during a pandemic.
On the night of August 25, while sailing from Freetown to Dakar, the division suffered a torpedo attack by German submarines, but no casualties or damage were suffered by the Brazilian vessels, the torpedoes passing harmlessly between the Brazilian ships. A successful counter-attack using depth charges was launched, the Royal Navy crediting the Brazilians with the destruction of a U-boat.[14] Subsequently, after anchoring in the port of Dakar, the crews were again severely hit by Spanish flu, which claimed the lives of over a hundred sailors and kept the Division restricted to port for almost two months.
Among the Allied naval command, there was debate about how the forces of the Brazilian fleet should be used; “The Italians wanted them in the
As another preparatory military mission the navy sent a group of military aviators who served with the RAF on the western front.[16]
Military medical mission
On August 18, 1918, the Brazilian Medical Mission, led by Dr. Nabuco Gouveia and directed by General Aché, was established with 86 doctors, as well as civilian pharmacists, administrative support staff and a security platoon, and sent to the European Theatre in order to establish a hospital. On September 24, 1918, the Mission landed at the French port of
Aftermath
After
From an economic point of view- albeit exports of latex and coffee fell sharply at first, creating a crisis in the economy- as the conflict continued, Brazil eventually began to find good trading opportunities. Increased international demand for foodstuffs and raw materials forced the country to change its economic structure away from the predominant agriculture. It was then that Brazil underwent unprecedented industrial development, also making use of immigrant labour- composed largely of Europeans initially fleeing famine and then the war. The number of factories quadrupled in the war years, doubling the number of workers. Brazil decreased the number of imported items, changing the country's socioeconomic face.[citation needed]
See also
Reference Notes
- ^ Woodard, James P. 2009 A Place in Politics: São Paulo, Brazil; From Seigneurial Republicanism to Regionalist Revolt, Duke University Press, Chapter 3 "War and the Health of the State" especially from the end of p.77 to p.81 visualization on Google Books
- ISBN 0803263481 page 168 visualization on Google Books
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Tijuca". uboat.net. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Lapa". uboat.net. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Macao". uboat.net. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Acary". uboat.net. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Guahyba". uboat.net. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
- ISBN 0804732221 page 215, 3rd paragraph - Visualization on Google Books
- ^ McCann 2004 Ibidem
- ISBN 8534800340Page 153
- ^ McCann 2004, see all references about him in this book, that can be tracked (looking for "Pessôa Cavalcanti de Albuquerque, José") in Book Index, page 588 )
- ^ McCann 2004, page 181, 2nd Paragraph
- ^ Francisco Verras; D.N.O.G.: contribuicao da Marinha Brasileira na Grande Guerra ("DNOG; the role of Brazilian Navy in the Great War") (in Portuguese) "A Noite" Ed. 1920
- ^ Maia, Prado (1961). D.N.O.G. (Divisão Naval em Operações de Guerra), 1914–1918: uma página esquecida da história da Marinha Brasileira. Serviço de Documentação Geral da Marinha.
- ^ Paul G. Halpern; A naval history of World War I US Naval Institute 1994 Page 395
- ISBN 1574884522Chapter 5 "World War I and Brazil, 1917–18"
- ^ page 27 "History Today" March 2014
Bibliography
- Donato, Hernâni, 1987 Dicionário das Batalhas Brasileiras ("Dictionary of Brazilian Battles") (in Portuguese) IBRASA, 1987 ISBN 8534800340
- Faria, Ivan Rodrigues de, 1996 Participação do Brasil na Primeira Guerra Mundial (in Portuguese) ('Brazil's participation in World War I') Brazilian Army Journal, Rio - DPHCEx, (Page 67)
- Frota, Guilherme de Andrea, 2000 500 Anos de História do Brasil (in Portuguese) Brazilian Army Press, ISBN 8570112777
- Halpern, Paul G, 1994, A naval history of World War I, US Naval Institute, ISBN 9780870212666 (hc)
- Horne, Charles F, 1923, Records of the Great War, Volume V, National Alumni
- Maia, Prado, 1961, D.N.O.G. (Divisão Naval em Operações de Guerra), 1914–1918: uma página esquecida da história da Marinha Brasileira (in Portuguese) ('DNOG - Naval Fleet in War Operations, 1914-1918: A forgotten page of Brazilian Navy History') (Brazilian) Navy General Documentation Service, OCLC 22210405
- McCann, Frank D, 2004 Soldiers of the Patria, A History of the Brazilian Army, 1889–1937, Stanford University Press, ISBN 0804732221
- Scheina, Robert L, 2003, Latin America's Wars Volume II: The Age of the Professional Soldier, 1900–2001 Potomac Books, Chapter 5. ISBN 1574884522
- Compagnon, Olivier, 2014, O Adeus à Europa. A América Latina e a Grande Guerra (Argentina e Brasil, 1914–1939), Rio de Janeiro, Editora Rocco, ISBN 9788532529275
External links
- Schulze, Frederik: Brazil , in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War.
- Cristina Luna: Brazilian Naval Division for War Operations (DNOG), in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War.
- Information about Brazil's participation in the World War I conflict.
- [1]
- [2] Archived 2009-03-08 at the Wayback Machine (in Portuguese)
- [3] Timetable and War Declaration
- Brazil's Explanation to the Vatican of the Reasons for War, October 1917.