What is Brazil in World War II?
[[File:Brasil-uboat-Propaganda.jpg|thumb|right|200px|{{Center|World War II Brazilian anti-[[Nazi]] poster}}]] Brazil was one of the [[Allies of World War II]]. It was also the only Ally from [[South America]] to provide [[wikt:troop|troop]]s. The country made [[wikt:significant|significant]] [[wikt:contribution|contribution]]s to the war effort. They sent an [[expedition]]ary [[Military|force]] to fight alongside the allies in the [[Spring 1945 offensive in Italy]]. The Brazilian Navy and Air Force helped the Allies in the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] from 1942 until the end of the war in 1945. == Background == At the beginning of World War II [[Brazil]] was [[neutral]]. They traded with both the Allied and Axis Forces. But after 1939 the war made trade with Europe difficult.<ref name=Folly34>Martin Folly; Niall Palmer, ''Historical Dictionary of U.S. Diplomacy from World War I through World War II'' (Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2010), p. 34</ref> They turned to the United States as a trading partner.<ref name=Folly34/> The Americans pressured Brazil to join the Allies. This led to the Joint Brazil-U.S Defense Commission, which was designed to counter Axis influence in South America. At the beginning of 1942 Brazil permitted the US to set up [[air bases]] on its soil. This came as an agreement that the US would help establishing a national steel industry in Brazil, the Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional. This would initially help supply the Allies industrial demand for steel, and after the war, contribute to the country’s industrialization and development. Brazil also broke off diplomatic relations with [[Third Reich|Germany]], [[Japan]], and [[Italy]]. As a result of Brazil´s decision, from the end of [[January]] to July 1942, [[Kriegsmarine|German navy]] [[U-boat]]s sank 13 Brazilian [[merchant]] ships, causing severe damage to Brazilian shipping. In total, 21 German and two Italian [[submarines]] caused the sinking of 36 Brazilian merchant ships causing 1,691 [[drowning|drownings]] and 1,079 other casualties.