World War II in Latin America

The Latin American involvement in World World II was fairly limited and was more geared to hemispherical unity. The reading did not specify any physical involvement with the war, however, it did discuss the propaganda and politics that occurred during the war and how it send a ripple effect in the eras to follow.

Pablo Gonzalez Casanova became a driving voice for the argument of the accuracy of the success of the post-revolutionary era. He felt that Mexico was an underdeveloped nation and did not correct inequalities on both the national and international level. Gonzalez was one of the first intellectuals to question revolutionary rhetoric pushed by the government. The myth that began in the 1940’s during a prolonged period of economic growth that was given the term, “The Mexican Miracle.” The government used this period to justify the way the country was ruled. The economic development shift in the country of Mexico was greatly because of the countries involvement in the second World War.

Mexico was drawn to the allied coalition and began putting out propaganda to support this. It brought about a sense of national identity and the question of democracy. During the Great Depression, Latin Americans believed that their good economy that connected them to the rest of the world should no longer be a thing. With the onset of the second World War, there was a tug-of-war between nationalism and international cooperation. However, even with the global disaster happening, national interest took precedence over foreign policy. There were pressures from Europe and the United States to act. So, with the emerging disaster, both the United States and Mexico saw this as an opportunity to unite and open the door for post-war unity in trade. Mexico put this unity as a way to deflect the pro-revolutionary past with a new pro-democracy future. The new administration used this to also to push an industrialization and modernization agenda. With the propaganda in Mexico the subtle tones of theirs showed a push of nationalism. In the United States, the propaganda showed international unity as well as hopes of leaving open a door for a good trade partner in Mexico.

The populism within the propaganda aimed to unite politicians, elites, poor all alike as one with the idea of nationalism. This was common before, during and after the war in the propaganda as well as national policy. It was not, however, just in Mexico that populism took place. All over Latin America, nationalism and populism happened in waves. In Argentina, Juan Peron did not tolerate opposition from left or right wing people. He sought to unite the country and eliminate poverty in Argentina. His rule, though, had overwhelming tones of dictatorial behavior and he supported organized violence. He was also criticized for his protection of Nazi War Criminals, many of whom fled to Argentina. He was overthrown from October 1973 through his death in 1974.