Forthcoming Osprey, Brazilian Expeditionary Force in World War II

[carlos marighela]

Finally an Osprey I'm quite looking forward to. It's been a while between drinks. Looks promising, the authors are at least Brazilian.

http://www.ospreypublishing.com/store/Brazilian-Expeditionary-Force-in-World-War-II_9781849084833

My late father in-law served in Italy with the FEB. Hopefully this will bring wider recognition of Brazil's role in the Second World War.

[Brummie]

That is probably another book we will stock where I work here in Birmingham, looks interesting so will be sure to keep an eye open.

Wasn't the only thing Brazil did though, they were involved in the Battle for the Atlantic and offered the Royal Navy their services (having British built ships themselves!) but were turned down for whatever reason.

[meninobesta]

A cobra está fumando!

[Bugsda]

So that's how Pele ended up in a German POW camp 

[carlos marighela]

So that's how Pele ended up in a German POW camp 

I thought he suffered a far worse fate.... playing for the New York Cosmos.

Brazil played a significant role in the fight against the U-boats in the South Atlantic as well as being a critical staging point in the air route to West Africa and on to Egypt. U-boats preying on Brazilian shipping was what caused Brazil to enter the war, although the USAAF and US Navy staged out of northern Brazil well before the declaration of war.

I think the reference to Brritish refusal of warships relates to the Great War, Brazil being unique amongst South American nations in being a belligerent power in both wars.  Both British  built battleships, Minas Gerais and São Paulo were out of action by the outbreak of WWII, they served as floating batteries. Actually the only time either of them ever fired its guns in anger was against the government in Rio de Janeiro.