Portugal during World War II
Upon the start of World War II in 1939, the Portuguese Government announced on 1 September that the 600-year-old Anglo-Portuguese Alliance remained intact, but that since the British did not seek Portuguese assistance, Portugal was free to remain neutral in the war and would do so. In an aide-mémoire of 5 September 1939, the British Government confirmed the understanding. As Hitler's occupation swept across Europe, neutral Portugal became one of the Continent's last escape routes. Portugal managed to remain neutral throughout the war despite extraordinary pressures from both sides, notably over the strategically located Azores islands and over the wolfram (tungsten) trade.
Road 47
During World War II Brazil became an ally of Soviet Union, United States, UK and Free France, among other Allies. In the second half of 1944, it sent to the Italian Campaign, in several stages, a military contingent formed mainly by an infantry "division" to fight the forces of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Almost all these soldiers came from rural and poor backgrounds, and with no previous military experience, they had to learn in practice to fight for survival at the front.