Figure 1.--Chile was neutral through much of World War and resisted breaking relations with the Axis despite American diplomatic presure. The Government even hesitated to move against a NAZI spy ring which was supplying shipping information being used by German U-boats. (Including Chilean shipping.) Chile assisted in the Allied war effort, however, because the Royal Navy blockade of Germany and Italy and the U.S. Navy blockade of Japan meant that Chile had no alternative but to trde witn the Allies which at any were paying high prices. Chile was an important source of copper, a critical war material. Here a mother with her baby see off her husband on a merchant ship during 1943. This was the year that the Chilean Government finally broke the NAZI spy ring in the port of Valpariso. Unknown at the time thriughout Latin America was the degree to which NAZI racial theorists abhored mixed race peoples, meaning much of the Latin American population.

Chile was neutral during World War I and the scene of a notable surface naval battle. After the War a period of considerable political turmoil ensued. A liberal government led by Radical Party leader Pedro Aguirre Cerda as president was elected through a coalition of democratic groups, a popular front (1938). He launched a New Deal-like program to deal with the effects of the Depression, but was largely undone by a devastating earth quake which killed about 28,000 people and did extensive property damage (1939). Fascist ideas gained some popularity in the 1930s and not just among the German immigrant community. World War II broke out the same year. There was no repeat of naval battles off Chile in World war II. The Southern Cone countries of Argentina and Chile were where the Axis found a degree of support, mostly because of German and Italian immigrant populations, mostly Germans in Chile. Germans in Chile interfered domestic affairs, engaged in espionage, and distributing propaganda. The Germans focused on anti-Semitism and avoided discussions of how NAZI racial theorists ranked Chileans and other Latin Americans--something that is still not widely understood in the region. Chile with its influential German minority did not join with most of the other Latin American nations after Pearl Harbor (December 1941) and break relations or declare war on Axis countries. There were both pro-Allied and pro-Axis elements. Public opinion began to change when the Germans invaded the Soviet Union (June 1941). This was not the case earlier because the Soviets began the War as NAZI allies and the Soviets ordered Communist parties throughout the world to tone down anti-NAZI rhetoric and to criticize the Allies. This of course changed when the NAZIs invaded the Soviet Union (June 1941). There was pro-Soviet sentiment within the Chilean labor movement. The British naval blockade on Germany and Italy and the subsequent American blockade on Japan left the Chilean dependent on Allied markets, especially the United States. Chile had a small, but influential German minority with supported a NAZI spy ring. It was centered in the important port of Valpariso near Santiago. They were able to supply the German Navy and its U-boats with valuable information on Allied shipping. The Popular Front under Radical Party candidate Juan Antonio Ríos was elected president (1942). He oversaw a moderate government. Ríos led his country into a pro-Allies position. The NAZI spy ring was finally exposed (1943). The Rios Government finally entering the war on the side of the United States when it was clear that the NAZI would not survive the war and be totally defeated (1944). Chile did not actively participate in the War, but raw material exports like copper aided the Allied war effort. Both Argentina and Chile received minimal military aid from the United States, because for most of the war neither broke relations with the Axis powers. This caused concern in Chile because Bolivia and Peru which severed relations with the Axis did receive Lend Lease aid and had claims on territory seized from them in the 19th century War of the Pacific. Fascism had had some appeal in the 1930s, but this shifted during the war with the Communist Party emerged as one of the strongest political organizations in Chile. The country became a charter member of the United Nations (June 1945). A few NAZIs sought refuge in Chile after the war.

World War I (1914-18)

Chile was neutral during World War I, but and the scene of a notable surface naval battle along the coast (1914). Chile had important cultural and commercial ties with Germany before the War. This markets were lost, but they were more than made up for new markets opening up in America and wuth the allies.

Inter-War Era (1920s-30s)

After the War a period of considerable political turmoil ensued. As a result of the Wall treet Crash (1939), the Cinnunists grew in strength ans the Chukean NAZI Party was founded (1932). Yhe Nacxuistas staged an aborted coup which was brutally supressed (1938). A liberal government led by Radical Party leader Pedro Aguirre Cerda as president was elected through a coalition of democratic groups, a popular front (1938). He launched a New Deal-like program to deal with the effects of the Depression, but was largely undone by a devastating earth quake which killed about 28,000 people and did extensive property damage (1939). Fascist ideas gained some popularity in the 1930s, especially but not exclusively among the German ethnic community. Another Fascist party was the Popular Socialist Vanguard.

Outbreak of World War II (September 1939)

Hitler and Stalin launched World War II by invaduing Poland (Seoembrrb 1939). World War II broke out the same year. There was no repeat of naval battles off Chile as in World War II. German and Japanese submarines dis not operate in the eastern Pacific. The Southern Cone countries of Argentina and Chile were where the Axis found a degree of support, mostly because of German and Italian immigrant populations. In Chile it was largely ethnic Germans.

Ethnic Germans

Ethnic Germans in Chile were a small, but influential minority. There was considrrable s=upport for the NAZIs among etnic Germans. They even launched a coup attempto a year before the War resukting in the Seguro Obrero massacre (September 1938). Germans in Chile interfered in domestic affairs, engaged in espionage, and distributing propaganda. A NAZI spy ring developed within the Germn community. It was centered in the important port of Valpariso near Santiago. They were able to supply the German Navy and its U-boats with valuable information on Allied shipping. The Germans focused on anti-Semitism and avoided discussions of how NAZI racial theorists ranked Chileans and other Latin Americans--something that is still not widely understood in the region.

Divided Country

There were both pro-Allied and pro-Axis elements. The German community mostly favired the Axis. It mist be mentioned thatvthis was mostly German natuionlist sentimnt. Infonmation in the terrible atricities being committed by the Germans had not yet come out yet. But there was also support for the Axis from the Communists affecting worker sentinent. Stalin and Hitler has signed an alliance (August 1939maling the wasr possible and parioning allm of Easter and Central Europe between them. Most Communist Parties around the world were controlled by Stalin. And to placate his new ally, Stalin ordered Communist parties ariiund the wold to end their anti-NAZI propaganda and attack the Allies. This is a little complicated. Many Chileans seem to have been affected by kingering ant0Americanism. For more than the first 2 years of the War, the United States was neutral and thus not aart of the Allied alliance (Bruitain and France). Even so it was ckear which side the Americans, at least the Roosevely=t adminisration favored. There were historical reasons for this. As a result od a dispute with Spain, the Soanishbattacked Chikeab ports (1866). This was interesting, Latin ameruicans cionstantly complain about American interference, but there are also many times that America is criticised for not interfearing. This was one of them. There was also resentment because America seemed to favor Peru in the War of the Pacific (1879-84). The United States appears to have supported the wrong side in the Chilean Civil War (1891). The same year as the Baltimore Affair. Probabky the most serious issue was the Great Depression when the Unitesd States put protectionist trade barriers in place that harmed Chilean exports. Many other countries did the same, but America is a big country and American actions can have far greater impacts than most other countries. Many other Chileans were neutral just not wanting to get involved in the War. But ithers jad sympathies toward the Allies abnd saw the dangers the NAZIs posed to small contries like Chile, although few understood the mortal dangers od NAZI racist docrine to Chile and other Latin American countries. .

Pearl Harbor (1941)

The Japanese carrier attack on Pearl Hrbor brought America into the War Chile with its influential German minority did not join with most of the other Latin American nations after Pearl Harbor (December 1941) and break relations or declare war on Japan and Axis countries. Although Pearl Harbor meant the beginning of the Pacific War, it did not much impact Chile. Chiean trade with Japan and Asia was limited and the fighting primarily occurred far away in the western Pacific. Substantial numbers of Chileans favored the Axis and the Government did not want to upset the German-Chileans. In addition there were people of German and Italian ancestry in the Government. And no one at the time could predict how the war was going to win the War. The Germans were deep in the Soviet Union and looked as though they had defeatedcthe Soviets. And Pearl Harbot=r looked to be a huge success. The foreign ministers of Western henimsphere countries met in Rio de Janeiri, Brazil to discuss the War by which time most had or woukd shortly stand with the United States (January 1942). Pro-Axis Chilean foreign minister Juan Bautista Rossetti after being told that the United States wiuld defend Chike withits fleet, asked, "What fleet? The one sunk at Pearl Harbor?" (Of course he should have bee asking about the Italian fleet, the Royal Navy sank in the Mediteranean.) Bautista no doubtwas pleased with hius repare, but the next month brought dramatic changes in Chile and he was out of a job. Juan Antonio Rossetti defeated his boss, conservative president Carlos Ibáñe who had been supported bythe Germans. Ríos and the Popular Front had received support from the Britush, making change possible. Ríos was, however, still cautious.

Chilean Trade

Chile and most of Latin Anmerica had export driven economies, large raw materials. Thus the war could not adversely impact Chile, unlss the U-boats began sinking large numbers of vessels carrying shipments to the United states and Britain. The British naval blockade on Germany and Italy and the subsequent American blockade on Japan left the Chilean dependent on Allied markets, especially the United States. This actually had a positive impact. The United States and the Bruitish would more than make up for the German trade lost. And Chile received high prices for the materials exported. The Allies bought all Chile could produce.

Shift to the Allies (1942)

Public opinion had began to change when the Germans invaded the Soviet Union (June 1941). This was not the case earlier because the Soviets began the War as NAZI allies and the Soviets ordered Communist parties throughout the world to tone down anti-NAZI rhetoric and to criticize the Allies. This of course changed when the NAZIs invaded the Soviet Union (June 1941). There was considerabkle pro-Soviet sentiment within the Chilean labor movement. The Popular Front under Radical Party candidate Juan Antonio Ríos was elected president (1942). He oversaw a moderate government. Ríos led his country into a pro-Allies position. Here he was assisted by the Germans. A German U-boat sank a Chilean merchantman (March 1942). The Germans claimed it was mistake. Ríos assumed office (April 1942). He chose a man who has veen decribed as pro-Axisfir his foreign minister, Ernesto Barros. He may have been best desctibed as a firey Chunlean nationlist wgo saw both the Axis and Allies as imperualit powers. He opposed cutting diplomasric relations and ignored evidence of German espionage. Ríos ordered Axis enbassies closed and slowly guided Chile into a more pro-Allied stance. Herehe was aided by better war news, first in the Pacific with the U.S. Navy victory at Midway (June 1942). Than South Amerucan was ricked by reirts that Gernan U-boas had sunk five Brazilian merchantmen. The lost of nerchant sailors was substantial (August 1942). Chile in solidarity cindemned the attack. Brazil deckared war on gthe Axis countries. Chile deported some Germns, but retained relstions with the Germans. The Americans pressed the Chileans. President Ríos wanted mssive American aid nefore breaking relatiins, but he waschesitantb priomary because of the prevailing Anti-Amerivan sentiments. The United States was unwilling to ualify Chile fior Lend Lease aid until Chile took concrete steps. Neigbiring Bolivia and Peru were already receiving Lend Lease shipments. The NAZI spy ring was finally exposed (1943). The Rios Government at long last entered the war on the side of the United States when it was clear that the NAZI would not survive the war and be totally defeated (1944). Chile did not actively participate in the War, but raw material exports like copper aided the Allied war effort. Both Argentina and Chile were not important Lend Lease recipients. They thus received minimal military aid from the United States, because for most of the war neither broke relations with the Axis powers. This caused concern in Chile because Bolivia and Peru which severed relations with the Axis did receive Lend Lease militry aid and had claims on territory seized from them in the 19th century War of the Pacific. Fascism had had some appeal in the 1930s, but this shifted during the war with the Communist Party emerged as one of the strongest political organizations in Chile. The country became a charter member of the United Nations (June 1945).

NAZI Haven (1945)

A few NAZIs sought refuge in Chile after the war.

Created: 7:24 PM 3/21/2016
Last updated: 7:24 PM 3/21/2016