Figure 1.--Argentina remained neutral for most of World War II. There was considerable interest in the War and important sections of the population were sympathetic toward the Axis. |
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Argentina is almost unique among Latin American countries in that the population is largely of European extraction. The countries indigenous population was largely exterminated. Thus the countries national view was always largely European. The most important immigrant groups were Italian, Spanish, and German. As a result there was some support for both Fascism and the Axis in Argentina. Groups like the Alianza Juventud Nacionalista openly supported the Axis. FBI agents played major role in uncovering NAZI agents in other Latin American countries, but the Argentune Government refused to act against NAZI agents. These agents found considerable support from the German community which tended to maintain itself separate from large Argentine society. There were entire towns that were essentially German with German-speaking schools. Many of the communities adopted NAZI models. Argentines as a whole supported the Allies. This is interesting given the large number of Italian immigrants. Some Argentines volunteered to fight with the Allies. The British RAF even activated an Argentine squadron. I'm not sure if Argentines voluteered to fight on the Axis side. The Argentine Army was strongly influenced by the Germans. Col. Jun Peron idealized Mussolini. Argentina thus while theoretically neutral was pro-Axis for much of the War. After Italy withdrew from the War (1943), the Allies pressured Argentina to declare war on Germany (1944). This was only a token step. Argentina remained pro-German throught the War, even after details of NAZI attrocities emerged. A German U-boat appeared at Mar del Plata instead of surrendering to the Allies (May 1945). After the War, Argentina became a haven for NAZI war criminals, including the infamous Dr. Josef Mengele. Eva Peron is known to have accepted substantial payments in exchange for offering a refuge to NAZI war criminals and looted property. American diplomat Hiram Bingham, who had managed to save some Jewish refugees in Vichy, turned up evidence of Argentines sheltering NAZI war criminals. When the State Department refused to persue his leads, he resigned in protest (1946). German scientists who fled their country after the War set up jet aircraft production in Argentina.
Argentina is almost unique among Latin American countries in that the population is largely of European extraction. The countries indigenous population was largely exterminated during the early colonial period. Thus the countries national view was always largely European. The most important immigrant groups were Italian, Spanish, and German.
As a result of the country's ethnic mix, there was some support for both Fascism and the Axis in Argentina. Groups like the Alianza Juventud Nacionalista openly supported the Axis.
The Fascist groups provided an enviroment which could and did support NAZI agents.
FBI agents played major role in uncovering NAZI agents in other Latin American countries, but the Argentune Government refused to act against NAZI agents. These agents found considerable support from the German community which tended to maintain itself separate from large Argentine society. There were entire towns that were essentially German with German-speaking schools. Many of the communities adopted NAZI models. It is unclear just what kind of threat the NAZIs posed in Argentina. One historian claims that the threat was exagerated by the British. [Newton] Reports suggest that because of high level support (including President Ramon S. Castillo as well as Col. Peron) and important military commanders that NAZI agents including Sicherheitdienst (SD) operatives moved freely throughout the country. One historian claims that the major goal of the NAZIs and their Argentine supporters was to help bring friendly governments to power. They did have one sucess. They supported a military coup in Bolivia which overthrew a government oriented toward the United States (1943). [Goņi, Peron] Efforts in Brazil, Paraguay and Chile failed to achieve any success. (Of course if the military situation in Europe had not shifted against the NAZIS, this could hsve been different.)
Argentines as a whole seem to have supported the Allies. This is interesting given the large number of Italian immigrants.
Argentina had important economic ties to the British. And as the Royal Navy supportedby the American Navy (after 1941) dominated the sea, Argentina had no real economic alternatives but to trade with the Allies. Argentina thus throughout the War supplied food to the Britsh. As a result, Argentina benefitted economically through exporting durung the War--just as it had during World War I.
Some Argentines volunteered to fight with the Allies. Many were descdents of British and other foreign enginners who worked in Argentina on various projects, espeially constructing railroads. About 800 Argentines volunteered to serve in the air war. Many were trained in Canada. The British RAF even activated an Argentine squadron--164 Squadron. [Meunier] An estimated 4,000 Argentines served in the three British mikitary services during the War. I'm not sure if Argentines voluteered to fight on the Axis side.
The Argentine Army was strongly influenced by the Germans. Col. Jun Peron personally idealized Mussolini. Important elements in the Argentine military appear to have convinced themselves that Germany would win the War. Some continued to believe this as late as 1944.
There are claims that the NAZI SS operated a secret Black fleet of U-boats between Spain and Argentina. [Farago]. There appears to be some support for these claims in post-War Argentine naval archives . It is also mentioned in Argentina's Nazi Eagles 1933-1945. The U-Boats operated until the liberation of France (June-August 1944) cut off NAZI rail connections to Spain. The cargos were shipped from Germany thriygh France to Spain. The U-boats picked up the cargo at a bay near Cadiz. There is no clear evidence as to just what was being shipped. Some believe it was British pound sterling noyes. It is known that the NAZIs forced Jewish concentration camp inmaters to forege British notes. They were reportedly indistinguishable from actual British bank notes. The notes werre laundered through Argentine banks. Gold and other valuable may have alsi been shipped. Frederic Schwend operated the NAZI conterfeit ring. He found sanctuary in Peru after the war and was assistance by Banchero Rossi of the Caritas aid agency.
Argentina while theoretically neutral was pro-Axis for most of the War. After Italy withdrew from the War (1943), the Allies pressured Argentina to declare war on Germany (1944). It did so, but this was only a token step taken after Germany was clearly defeated. Argentina remained pro-German throught the War, even after details of NAZI attrocities emerged. A German U-boat appeared at Mar del Plata instead of surrendering to the Allies (May 1945).
The NAZI conquest of Europe resulted in entrapping a number of Argentine citizens living in occupied countries, most ominously about 100 Argentine Jews mostly living in Germany, France, Belgium, Holland, Italy and Greece. Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop after the War began to turn against Germany, attempted to maintain friendly relation with a dwindling number of countries that had not declared war on Germany. One country which was sympathetic with the Axis was Argentina. Col. Peron was an admirer of Musolini and many influential Argentines were NAZI sympathizers. Argetinawas use to the NAZIs both by harboring intelligence agents and as a place where war booty could be laundered. Ribbentrop appears to have confronted SS chief Himmler on the issue. Jews with Argentine passports were as a result given special treatment. Ribbentrop apparently took a specil interest in their welfare and on several occassins gave the Argentine Embassy in Berlin the opportunity to repatriate its Jewish nationals. German diplomats in Vichy, France discussed the situation of Argentine Jews there with Ricardo Olivera, Argentina's ambassador in Vichy. They gave Olivera 3 months to arrange for their repatriation. Olivera did nothing. Ribbentrop even after receiving no response from Argentine diplomats to his entrities sent a memo to SS Holocaust coordinator Adolf Eichman, reminding him of the importane of protecting the Argentine Jews (January 1943). The German Foreign Ministry called in Luis H. Irigoyen, the Secretary of the Argentine Embassy, to inform him that there were still 59 Argentines in Krakow, 7 in the Netherlands, and many others in Greece. The Germans showed Irigoyen 16 Argentine identity cards to proven that these people were Argentine citizens. Irigoyenreportedly glanced perfunctorily at the documents and told the Germans, "They are fake. The Argentine Embassy is not interested in the bearers of these apocryphal documents" (March 1943). The United States put pressure on Argentina and other Latin American conutries to join the war effort. By 1944 it was clear that Germany had lost the War. Argetina broke diplomatic relations with NAZI Germany (January 26, 1944). This meant that the Argentine Jews no longer were useful to the Germans. Most were reportedly transported to the Bergen-Belsen camp. Few details exist on their fate, but it is believed that all or almost all were killed. One author writes, "Argentina thus became the only country in the world to refuse the repatriation of its own citizens." Apparentlt Argentine diplomats were following secret Directive 11 issued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José María Cantilo on July 12, 1938,. Without referring specifically to Jews, Directive 11 instructed Argentine consulates to "reject visas, even those of transit or tourism, of all those people who abandoned their country of origin because they were undesirable or because they had been expelled, whatever the reasons". [Goņi, Odessa]
After the War, Argentina became a haven for NAZI war criminals, including the infamous Dr. Mengele.
The Argentine consulate in Barcelona issued false passports. Estimates vary as to the numbers of NAZIs and NAZI colaborators assisted by Argentine diplomats. [Goņi, Peron] It may have been in the thousands.
Eva Peron is known to have accepted substantial payments in exchange for offering a refuge for NAZI war criminals and looted property. American diplomat Hiram Bingham, who had managed to save some Jewish refugees in Vichy, turned up evidence of Argentines sheltering NAZI war criminals. When the State Department refused to persue his leads, he resigned in protest (1946). German scientists fleeing their defeated country set up jet aircraft production in Argentina. It was in Argentina that the SS architecht of the Holocaust, Adolf Eichman, found sanctuary. He was eventually located and spirited out of the country by Isreali agents (1960).
Farago, Ladislas.
Goņi, Uki. The Real Odessa (London, 2002).
Goņi, Uki. Peron and the Germans. Goņi played a major role in a study on Argentina's cooperation with the Axis ordered by President Menem.
Meunier, Claudio. Wings of Thunder. Meunier is an Argentine historian who has researched the involvement of Argentines in both World War I and II.
Newton, Ronald C. The "Nazi Menace" in Argentina, 1931-1947 (Stanford).
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