In the aftermath of Pearl Harbor and faced with fighting a 2-ocean war, the U.S. 70 years ago this month had a deep interest in hemispheric solidarity built on the adminitration's reputation for its "Good Neighboor" policy. Integral to this pursuit was Mexico, where we found a steadfast ally helpful in many ways.
Diplomatically Mexico took the lead in severing relations with the Axis powers and in persuading most of her Latin American sister states to follow suit at the Rio conference in January 1942.
In May, after U-Boats torpedoed 2 Mexican tankers, the Mexican congress declared war on Germany, Italy and Japan.
Even earlier, the U.S. and Mexico had established a joint defense commission to coordinate military measures. Under its auspices Mexico did something unprecedented and almost unique in Latin America: it provided a small combat unit to fight in the war. Mexican pilots and mechanics trained in the U.S., and starting in early 1945 and flying the P-47, Squadron 201 engaged in bombing and strafing operations out of the Philippines, earning commendations from Gen. MacArthur.
Perhaps more vital to the war effort were the strategic materials Mexico provided to our factories.
Unique and controversial was the agreement by Presidents Roosevelt and Avila Camacho to start the "bracero" program, under which Mexican nationals might work as agricultural laborers in the U.S., filling a need created by the draft. By the end of the war almost half a million Mexicans had participated.
World War II transformed life everywhere and not least in our relations with our southern neighbor and ally.
Source: http://blog.oregonlive.com/myoregon/2012/01/mxico_our_faihful_ally_in_worl.html
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