Brazil in WWI

On April 5th 1917, Germany had sunk a Brazilian merchant ship which led to Brazil making the decision to take action. This was the day prior to the U.S. who is well respected by Brazil declaring war on Germany in the first world war. Soon after the Brazilian ship sank, the Brazilian ambassador to the U.S. Secretary of State Robert Lansing that Brazil was revoking its previous neutrality and severing its own diplomatic relations with Germany.

In the letter written by Domicio da Gama, he expresses the “unalterable friendship of the Brazilian people and government” (Gama). Brazil was one of the few Latin American nations that actually entered the first World War. A few other Latin American countries were opposed to entering the war along with the U.S. and Brazil and instead viewed the U.S. as a powerful rival. Brazil made the decision to lean towards the U.S. because they were a powerful ally to have during the first world war.

Works Cited:

Gama, Domicio da. “Letter to Robert Lansing, U.S. Secretary of State, 4 June 1917”