Brazil Under Vargas

Brazil Under Vargas 1932—1954

IB Objectives  Latin America’s responses to the Depression: either

G Vargas or the Concordancia in Argentina; Import Substitution Industrialization (ISI) or any relevant case study of a Latin American country

IB Paper 3 Sample Questions  Compare and contrast the rise to power of two

populist leaders in Latin America between 1945 and 1979.  For what reasons was Getulio Vargas’s era (1930– 1945) a significant turning point in Brazilian history?  Examine the methods used and the conditions which helped the rise to power of one single party state leader in one country of Latin America in the first half of the twentieth century.

IB Paper 3 Sample Questions  How did either Getulio Vargas of Brazil or

Juan Perón of Argentina gain and retain the support of the urban workers?  For what reasons, and with what success, was there opposition to the Vargas regime between 1930 and 1945?  For what reasons, and what with results, did Populist movements emerge in Latin America in the first half of the twentieth century? Support your answer with specific examples from one country of the region.

IB Paper 3 Sample Questions  For what reasons, and by what means, did either

Perón or Vargas obtain power?  Assess the nature and effectiveness of opposition to either Juan Domingo Perón (1946–55) or Getulio Vargas (1930–45).  Analyse the aims and achievements of one populist leader in Latin America in the first half of the twentieth century.  In what ways, and with what results, did either Perón or Vargas pursue populist policies?

Lecture Outline I. II. III. IV. V. VI.

Sao Paulo Political Reforms Estado Novo Estado Novo and ISI Brazil and WWII Effects of the War

Key Terms  Estado Novo

Sao Paulo  Vargas spent his first years in office taking power

away from Sao Paulo.  The Sao Paulo oligarchy would not accept the changes and in July 1932 the state militia rose in revolt against Vargas.  By September federal troops had defeated the rebels.

Political Reforms  In February 1932 Vargas established the secret

ballot, lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, and extended the vote to women.  95% of Brazilians still remained ineligible to vote.  Since Vargas ruled as a dictator there were no national elections between 1930 and 1945.  July 1934 a new constitution retained the country’s federal system but considerably strengthened the powers of the executive.

Estado Novo  November 1935 the left began an armed uprising

that was quickly crushed.  November 10, 1937 Vargas canceled the 1938 presidential election, dissolved Congress and assumed dictatorial power under a new constitution patterned on European fascist models.

Estado Novo and ISI  Industrial production doubled between 1931 and

1936.  By 1941 Brazil had 44,100 plants employing 944,000 workers compared to 13,336 plants with about 300,000 workers in 1920.  The German bank for South America established 300 branches in Brazil.  Foreign investment grew and by 1940 foreign capital represented 44% of the total investment in Brazilian stock companies.

Impact of Estado Novo on Brazil  Heavy control and regulation by government  Censorship  Rhetoric outpaced reality

Picking a Side  In November 1940 Brazil and the US signed a secret

agreement that allowed the US to build airfields on the Brazilian bulge.  In January 1942 Brazil broke diplomatic relations with Germany and German U-boats began to sink Brazilian merchant ships.  In May 1942, after losing 2 ships to German submarines, Mexico declared war on Germany increasing the pressure on Brazil to do the same.

Picking a Side  In August 1942 10 German submarines attacked

Brazilian coastal shipping. A Brazilian troop transport ship was sunk killing 257 Brazilian soldiers.  Pres. Roosevelt sent anti-submarine ships to the Brazilian navy and instructed the US embassy to purchase surplus coffee, cacao, and Brazil nuts.  On August 22, 1942 Brazil declared war on Germany.

Brazil Joins the Fight  Roosevelt and Vargas met in late January 1943.  In July 1944 the first wave of what would total

25,344 Brazilian troops were sent to Italy.  Brazil lost 1,889 soldiers and sailors, 31 merchant ships, 3 warships, and 22 fighter aircraft.  Brazil received 70% of all US Lend-Lease equipment sent to Latin America.

Effects of the War  Vargas announced an amnesty for political prisoners,

allowed political parties to function openly and set December 2, 1945 as the date for elections.  In 1946 General Eurico Dutra was elected president.  In 1950 Vargas ran for president again and won.  August 24, 1954 the military ordered Vargas to resign or be deposed and the 72 year old Vargas committed suicide.