the brazilian revolution of 1930 overthrew the oligarchic coffee plantation owners and brought to power urban middle class that and business interests that promoted industrialization and modernization. aggressive promotion of new industry turned around the economy by 1933, and encouraged american investors. brazil's leaders in the 1920s and 1930s decided that argentina's implicit foreign policy goal was to isolate portuguese-speaking brazil from spanish-speaking neighbors, thus facilitating the expansion of argentine economic and political influence in south america. even worse, was the fear that a more powerful argentine army would launch a surprise attack on the weaker brazilian army. to counter this threat, brazil forged closer links with the united states. meanwhile, argentina moved in the opposite direction.