Strategic Landscape 1914-1918
Latin America - From Neutrality to Polarization 1914-1918
By Jamie Bisher
1914-1916
The World War immediately brought hostilities to the seas around the Americas, and touched every aspect of international commerce, finance and communications. In European expatriate and immigrant communities, the war wreaked havoc by taking away husbands, fathers and young men for indefinite military service abroad. However, outside of Latin America’s ports and cities, the war was a minor distraction (if any) to most people, a drawn-out bloodfeud between European empires. Officially, the war involved only colonies of the French and British West Indies and Guianas, the Bahamas, Bermuda, British Honduras, Jamaica and the Falkland Islands.
1917
German unrestricted submarine warfare against merchant shipping, reckless sabotage plots, and political meddling—both real and imagined—pushed the US into war against the Central Powers in April 1917. US allies Cuba and Panama soon joined her. Germany taunted Brazil with the marauding raider Seeadler, careless influence-peddling, and the sinking of Brazilian freighter Paraná. Brazil teetered on the brink of war.
1918
The World War polarized Latin America into pro-Allied and pro-German camps, although the façade of neutrality often masked pro-German sentiments and policies.
The World War immediately brought hostilities to the seas around the Americas, and touched every aspect of international commerce, finance and communications. In European expatriate and immigrant communities, the war wreaked havoc by taking away husbands, fathers and young men for indefinite military service abroad. However, outside of Latin America’s ports and cities, the war was a minor distraction (if any) to most people, a drawn-out bloodfeud between European empires. Officially, the war involved only colonies of the French and British West Indies and Guianas, the Bahamas, Bermuda, British Honduras, Jamaica and the Falkland Islands.
1917
German unrestricted submarine warfare against merchant shipping, reckless sabotage plots, and political meddling—both real and imagined—pushed the US into war against the Central Powers in April 1917. US allies Cuba and Panama soon joined her. Germany taunted Brazil with the marauding raider Seeadler, careless influence-peddling, and the sinking of Brazilian freighter Paraná. Brazil teetered on the brink of war.
1918
The World War polarized Latin America into pro-Allied and pro-German camps, although the façade of neutrality often masked pro-German sentiments and policies.
Allied Belligerents (declared war on Germany):
Bahamas, Bermuda, Brazil, British Guiana, British Honduras, British West Indies, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, French Guiana, French West Indies, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, US Neutrals - Pro-Allied (ruptured diplomatic relations with Germany): Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay |
Neutrals - Pro-German:
Argentina, Chile, El Salvador, Mexico, Venezuela Neutrals: Bolivia, Colombia, Dutch Guiana, Paraguay |
Go to Mexico 1914 Go to Andean Republics 1914 Go to ABC Republics 1914 Go to Venezuela and Guianas 1914
Copyright 2020, Jamie Bisher.