Brazil's War Declaration Affects All Latin-America

"Brazil's declaration of war involves both advantages and disadvantages to the United States," stated Clarence H. Harking '07, Bliss Professor of Latin-American History and Economics. "As Brazil does not possess adequate military, naval, or air forces to defend herself against attack by the Axis, responsibility for her defense devolves upon us."

"On the other hand," he continued, "should the Axis believe it to be to its interest to attack Brazil, it would undoubtedly do so whether a formal state of war exists or not."

Entry to influence Other Countries

He stated that the entry into the war of Brazil, largest of the Latin American republics in area and population and the richest in resources, coming on the heels of Mexico's declaration of war last May, must exercise a considerable influence upon the governments of the remaining Latin American countries and confirm them in their-policy of every closer cooperation with the United States.

"Really appearing spectacular to them," Harking pointed out, "must be the intimate alliance of Mexico, with the United States in view of strained relations in the past and the expropriation by Mexico a few years ago of foreign-owned oil properties. It will be especially interesting to note what effects the action of Brazil will have upon policy in Argentina."

Unity of action with the United States has been a tradition of Brazil's foreign policy for many years. In the first World War, Brazil was the only large Latin American state to follow the United States in declaring war on Germany. Harking feels that the fact that Brazil lives under a presidential dictatorship of Getulio Vargas which is of the most personal sort, lends additional interest to the stand she has taken against the dictatorships of Europe.