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by **agentesecreto** on 17 Feb 2008, 03:45

Mexico - Forgotten World War II Ally
By Shep Lenchek © 2001

His Bio
His E-mail

Asked to name the Allies in World War II, very few people would include Mexico in the list. Largely ignored by historians, it is time that Mexico's aid to the U. S. and the Allies is brought to the attention of both Mexicans and the world. Although their participation in actual combat was minimal, those Mexicans who were given the opportunity to show their mettle did so with bravery and elan. Mexicans should be proud of them, the Allies grateful to them. Had Mexico thrown in its lot with the Axis, the consequences might well have changed the entire course of history.

In a sense, Mexican commitment to the Allied cause rather than the Axis powers, had its origins in internal Mexican politics. In the late 1930's, President Lazaro Cardenas had declared Mexican neutrality, but even before the 1940 presidential election campaign between conservative candidate Juan Almazan and P.R.I. designate Avila Camacho, tensions between pro-fascist and pro-communist groups that had simmered since the middle 1930's began to erupt into violence.

Alarmed by the possibilities of an unstable pro-fascist or pro-communist government below the Rio Grande, the U.S. began to offer both overt and clandestine aid to the established government. A financial crisis in Mexico had brought some economic co-operation as the U.S. Government had come to the aid of the Cardenas regime by purchasing silver and granting U.S. government backed loans. Attempting to solve the economic problems, in 1938 the Cardenas-led government had nationalized the Mexican oil industry. Because U.S. Ambassador Josephus Daniels was willing to accept this in principal, as long as compensation was paid to the oil multinationals, a new era of co-operation between the Mexican and American governments was to begin. Largely, this was based on the desire to maintain the status quo on the part of both nations. Although both Germany and Japan made overtures to Mexico and did purchase some oil in 1939, by 1940 it was obvious that neither one of them could deliver the raw materials they had agreed to furnish in payment. After the election of Avila Camacho to the presidency in 1941, Mexico agreed to compensate the multi-nationals for their losses and a new market for Mexican oil opened, i.e. the United States.

Elected in July of 1940, the new President did not take office until December of that year. During the five month hiatus the right wing forces of the defeated candidate, Almazan, continued to struggle to overturn the election results. His followers in the U.S. started buying arms and agents of the fascist Spanish Falange headed for Mexico to foment subversive activities. Elected to a second term, President Roosevelt, always a friend to Mexico, used both the F.B.I and U.S. military intelligence to assist the Mexican Army in their struggle against the pro-Almazan forces.

By quickly recognizing the newly elected Mexican President, he gave legitimacy to the Camacho presidency. Sending Vice-President-elect Henry Wallace to the December inauguration, was the first public demonstration of how close the Avila Camacho camp and the Roosevelt Administration had become in the struggle against pro-fascist forces. It also presaged the abandonment of the Cardenista foreign policy that called for a Latin-American trade bloc aimed against the United States. Even before President Camacho took office, U.S undersecretary of State Sumner Wells had met with Mexican officials and the foundations for settlement of most of the issues dividing the two republics had been laid. Soon, most of the major problems that had plagued U.S.- Mexican relations for the last 20 years were resolved. Among new issues, the question of how to handle Mexican citizens who chose to join the U.S. Armed Forces was resolved and Mexico became the beneficiary of Lend-lease assistance, thus allowing the country to modernize its Air Force, Army and Navy. The improved climate now permitted U.S. petroleum technology and expertise to again become available below the Rio Grande. In fact, Mexican raw materials fueled over 40% of the U.S. war industries, a fact that historians have chosen to ignore. This in itself was a great contribution to the American and Allied war effort and merits acknowledgment.

But the road to a continual alliance was not a smooth one.

By 1943, when it became obvious that Mexico was no longer in danger of an invasion by Japan, forces in both the United States and Mexico became critical of the close economic ties that were developing. Radical politicians in Mexico were claiming that soon the U.S. would establish a lasting control over their entire economy. North of the border there was grumbling about the cost of the aid being given to support the Camacho government. While Mexico had broken off relationships with the Axis after the attack on Pearl Harbor, they had stopped short of a declaration of war. They were still being wooed by both by Germany and Fascist Spain. Large Italian minorities also exerted pressure on the government. The treaty between Stalin and Hitler had cooled the anti-fascist fervor of the Mexican Communist Party and had indeed made some of them pro-German. Thus the Mexican Government was caught between its own left and right wing partisans and was frozen into inaction.

Now, a miscalculation by Germany provided the impetus to break the stalemate. Numerous submarine attacks on Mexican ships, coupled with a massive propaganda campaign launched by the U.S., British and French began to turn the tide of public opinion. Fearful that an invasion by either Germany or Japan would lead to a massive invasion by the U.S. and turn Mexico into a battleground, the Mexican government, albiet secretly, had permitted U.S. agents to enter the country to train Mexican counter-intelligence forces and to help secure both of Mexico's coasts against possible incursions by saboteurs. There is some evidence that Germany, Italy and Spain did maintain extensive spy networks and had planted saboteurs in the Federal Republic who were planning to take over Acapulco and launch attacks against aircraft factories in San Diego. Prompt action by the joint Mexican-U. S, counterintelligence forces nipped several such plots in the bud. The final straw was the sinking of a Mexican oil tanker, the Potero de Llano and in June 1942 Mexico declared war against the Axis.

Now the leaders of the Mexican military, seeking the glory that can only come to generals from war, began to clamour for an active part in the fighting. Even President Camacho is said to have expressed a desire to lead the Mexican Army into combat, saying that only the Presidency was keeping him from doing so.

However, only the already modernized Mexican Air Force was to actually engage in combat. Mexican pilots received additional training in the United States and in 1945 fought valiantly in the air war in the Phillipines. Only one squadron, Number 201, actually saw combat. Nicknamed "The Aztec Eagles," they flew P-47 Thunderbolt fighters and offered close ground support for U.S. and Philipino ground forces as they struggled to liberate the islands from the Japanese. Decorated by the United States, Mexico and the Phillipines, its 31 pilots and approximately 150 ground support personnel were the only Mexican military force to serve outside of Mexico. Of the squadron's 31 pilots, 5 were killed in action. Its personnel, both pilots and ground support elements certainly deserve to be regarded as heros by both Mexico and the United States.

Also unrecognized, untold numbers of Mexicans, particularly those with relatives in the U.S., flocked across the border and served in all branches of the U.S. military. How many of them were killed is unknown. For those who chose to become U.S. citizens, citizenship was automatic. However, over the years, many returned to Mexico despite their new citizenship.

Although the role of Mexicans in combat was minimal, the denial of Mexico as a safe harbor for German submarines was of great importance. Mexican oil also helped fuel the U.S. war machine. With over 6 million American men in the armed forces and thousands of women in the factories, Mexican agricultural workers kept the food chain moving and, as we have already noted, Mexican raw materials were vital to the war effort. The supply was secure from submarine attacks and did not tie up warships in convoy duty.

Finally, although they depended on U.S. help to do so, the determination of the Mexican Government to resist the forces that might well have created either a Fascist or Communist Government next door to the U.S., removed the threat of sabotage or across-the-border forays that would, in essence, have necessitated either an American invasion of Mexico or the deployment of large forces to guard its southern border. Either one of these alternatives would have seriously hampered America's march to victory.

We can only hope that the U.S. and the Allies will more publicly acknowledge Mexico's assistance during WW II. The Mexicans who shed their blood in the skies over the Philippines, as well as those who volunteered to fight for freedom under the Stars and Stripes deserve no less.

Muchas Gracias, Mexicanos. We who know you, salute you.

by **agentesecreto** on 17 Feb 2008, 03:54

But Arcane:

My post about the marshall plan is a post by an American. See, igonorant folks like you believe that the USA is Lilly White or Western European, but that doesn't surprise me as your people have a long history of racism and oppression of the Irish, the Scottish, the Jews, blacks and others who occupy your not so Great Britain. It is afterall your descvendants that taugh our founding European fathers to kill and maim all natives. Of all immigrants to this continent, the British were the cruelest, the ones that killed more natives and the ones that didn't mix with the natives. Let's not forget you also brought your ideas of religious intolerance.

Sorry to disappoint you, John Smith but the Southwest of this great country has been the land to Mexicans and natives before your ancestors came looking for Pocahontas and before you invented human zoos with folks from all over the world.

by **agentesecreto** on 17 Feb 2008, 03:58

Arcane:

In case you want to claim that the Human Zoos are my invention:

Read on cracker!!

http://migs.concordia.ca/occpapers/zoo.htm

by **Leonid** on 17 Feb 2008, 07:19

That's what you learn from the above article:

"...17 Chicano youths were convicted of charges ranging from assault to first-degree murder..."

Great contribution. We bow our heads. But not too low, cause we gotta leave something as a token of our appreciation for the Mexican "handouts".

by **Arcade Fire** on 17 Feb 2008, 23:34

LOL@Palo. Nice googling. I thought you didn't like cut and paste? Who the hell is Shep Lenchek? Which publications does he write for, and why should his opinion be worth anything to me?

by **agentesecreto** on 18 Feb 2008, 02:21

NOt only a google. If you like, you can read plenty in high school books. At least theones in the USA.
Yes, and Chiocano youtrh fought back due to the racialially based abuse by serviuceman. We didn't just coil and allowed to be taken to the slaughterhouse. What was the word that Kurt Vonnegut uses to descride the meek and helpless who did nothing to save their own lives?

Briquets!

Yes, some chicano youth were arrested and some beat up but just like whenthe French invaded Mexico, our kids fought back and not cowardly huddle for the world to save them. We fought like men with dignity.

But Arcane, I challenge you to read up on Mexicans in all wars, unfortunately, our country stilluses the labelk, Mexican American, African American, Asian- American, Jewish-American to identify Americans by birthright.

by **agentesecreto** on 18 Feb 2008, 02:27

Chapter Three

Briquets . . .

The guard who relieves Andor Gutman at six each night is Arpad Kovacs. Arpad is a Roman candle of a man, loud and gay.

When Arpad came on duty at six last night, he demanded to see what I'd written so far. I gave him the very few pages, and Arpad walked up and down the corridor, waving and praising the pages extravagantly.

He didn't read them. He praised them for what he imagined to be in them.

"Give it to the complacent bastards!" he said last night. "Tell those smug briquets!"

By briquets he meant people who did nothing to save their own lives or anybody else's life when the Nazis took over, who were willing to go meekly all the way to the gas chambers, if that was where the Nazis wanted them to go. A briquet, of course, is a molded block of coal dust, the soul of convenience where transportation, storage and combustion are concerned.

Arpad, faced with the problem of being a Jew in Nazi Hungary, did not become a briquet. On the contrary, Arpad got himself false papers and joined the Hungarian S.S.

by **agentesecreto** on 18 Feb 2008, 02:31

Arcane Fired:

The wroiter is just a plain old American who now lives in Mexico.

Here is an article on Jews in Mexico.

He's a pretty objective historian.

http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/travel/slenchek/sljewsinmexico1.html

by **Leonid** on 18 Feb 2008, 05:53

Why would a "plain old American" live in Mexico? Even plain old Mexicans don't want to live there -

by **agentesecreto** on 18 Feb 2008, 12:34

You're just an ignorant who is ashamed of his national background. There is large retired American community and there is a significant Jewish community, a diaspora that spawns several centuries. We have Mexicans of Jewish ancestry that date back to the 18th century and those that arrived around the time of the Great Worldd War.

Educate yourself, old fool!
Join your local library.

by **Leonid** on 18 Feb 2008, 17:52

Oh, I vaguely remember now...you also have doctors and teachers, superior to American ones:)

by **agentesecreto** on 19 Feb 2008, 01:06

That's right. Unlike the USA, teachers get into as a vocation. In the U&SA folks who can't , teach. But you still fail to see the point. You're a shameful man full of hatred for your own kind. That is why you admire the Germans, the Brits, the Americans and all those in power. You;'re a classic rape victim.

Next biatch!!

by **Pabs** on 19 Feb 2008, 01:07

USA: 18 of the top 20 universities in the world

You. lost. the. war. Deal. with. it.

by **Leonid** on 19 Feb 2008, 01:24

I also admire Spaniards...because they have as much contempt for the diploma-less theraupists as other civilized nations do -

by **agentesecreto** on 19 Feb 2008, 01:37

Pabs:

The USA has the best universities in the world but the students don't reflect the population. Most come from elite high schools and many are foreigners. Among industralized nation the USA has consistently scored in the bottom tier, the only other industralized nation which have scored lower are Italy and Norway.

Many of our public Universities, the non-elite- have to spend respources teaching their students basic skills like reading and writing.

WQhy do you thinjhk we have to import so many engineers and scientists?

IOn other countries a high school diploma means you have complated a course of study sufficient to enter the work force or enter college but in the USA it means that you managed to saty in school for 12 years.

In Mexico and Lation America the system is differnt. If you don't learn, you don't pass baby!!

School here is like sports and the "all play" leagues. That is the main reason my kids go to private Catholic schools like most of my family's children.

Look it up and see for yourslef. But we do'spend more money thahn any other country.

latin America has other problems with education. Access. Rural communities and the indigenous do not have equal access to education, sort of the same way it was here with slavery. The folks in power have not wanted to provided them with access to education. But one thing is sure, if you graduate from high school in Mexico and Latin America, you are well prepared for life.

by **agentesecreto** on 19 Feb 2008, 01:46

Read this Pabs:

http://sitemaker.umich.edu/salas.356/usa_vs._world

by **lillie** on 19 Feb 2008, 14:33

Why would a "plain old American" live in Mexico?

Because they're higher ranked than a expatriate russian regardless of where they live, while perhaps not on a general level? And it's not just about citizenship nor of USA claiming jurisdiction over all her subjects either. A lot of appropriate americans (even fairly new ones) would recognize differences in how you can proceed in business, a lot of americans would rate some russian domestics higher than americans.
It may not only be due to american businessmen's presence in Russia that USA have not publicly made much effort in finding searching for Politkovskayas murderer, who despite being upper middle class and daughter of ambassadors obviously had some rather vulgar and irrational concepts in how she estimated some things. sort of like a typical gullible fool you could to try and reason the incomprehensible.

by **bineaz** on 19 Feb 2008, 15:57

I didn't know Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn Monroe was not a friend of mine. But Lindsey Lohan is no Marilyn Monroe.

She does get an E for effort, however.

by **Pabs** on 19 Feb 2008, 23:39

I knew she had a nice body. Not bad at all.

by **agentesecreto** on 20 Feb 2008, 00:14

too bad you're into men.

Did you learn anything about the condition of the American educatioanl system?

I am tired of teaching you,Pabs.

by **Pabs** on 20 Feb 2008, 01:44

see Gen Chat.

by **Eugene Berkovich** on 20 Feb 2008, 11:27

bineaz wrote:I didn't know Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn Monroe was not a friend of mine. But Lindsey Lohan is no Marilyn Monroe.

She does get an E for effort, however.

Man, I want to be her first-born!

by **lillie** on 20 Feb 2008, 14:40

Great contribution. We bow our heads. But not too low, cause we gotta leave something as a token of our appreciation for the Mexican "handouts".

I see you're familiar with the famed Elvis quote "merry in the morning...kill that blower...or.... blow that killer. Whatever"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N5Isy1k ... re=related

Did you learn anything about the condition of the American educatioanl system?

Palo, that Elvis video is rather instructive (and not only the beginning) to help you in your mission.

by **Pabs** on 27 Feb 2008, 18:21

So.

Hollywood's biggest night came and went and not even a mention on here ? Buzz ? palo ?

TV viewership indicates 14% less viewers from the previous worst rating since the Oscars were first televised.

by **agentesecreto** on 28 Feb 2008, 01:00

I could care less for a show about show people to show off their showmanship, shallowness and self-centeredness. I already read Mate's posts for that type of Enlightenment.

by **Buzzz** on 28 Feb 2008, 09:17

I work on Sunday nights so I was not home sorry. To besides I have never had much interest in the Oscars. My taste in movies is totally different from the Motion Picture Academy.

by **agentesecreto** on 28 Feb 2008, 10:41

Maybe you like "popular"movies. I don;t watch too many movies as it is. If I want quality in my life, I read a book.

by **Arcade Fire** on 28 Feb 2008, 17:53

I loathe the Oscars, and pretty much every award ceremony. Out of all the films I've ever seen, I'd probably say at least 95% were shit.

by **Buzzz** on 04 Mar 2008, 10:29

10,000 B.C. opens this weekend and I am really, rrrrrreally looking forward to this movie.

by **bineaz** on 04 Mar 2008, 12:00

Buzzz wrote:10,000 B.C. opens this weekend and I am really, rrrrrreally looking forward to this movie.

This movie is on my radar though I won't go out and see it. I'll wait for DVD, besides how good can a March release be.

by **agentesecreto** on 05 Mar 2008, 00:01

10,000 BC.

I thought the world was only 5 thousand years old?

by **Buzzz** on 05 Mar 2008, 09:07

No we were not talking about your age Palo. :hide:

by **agentesecreto** on 06 Mar 2008, 03:17

my winnie is aged. Like good wine.

by **Buzzz** on 08 Mar 2008, 12:09

LOL@Palo

10,000 B.C.
Much more creative, and entertaining than anything released so far this year by far. Very nice movie. I liked it anyway. Even if the critics did not.

by **agentesecreto** on 08 Mar 2008, 14:12

the critics usuaally suck. I may take your advice and enjoy a movie this weekend.

by **Buzzz** on 26 Mar 2008, 09:43

I have a couple of recommendations for you all. First books, if you feel the need to read some non fiction, here are a couple of good books to read.

The Paradox Of Choice - Barry Schwartz
&
COOKED: From the Streets to the Stove, from Cocaine to Foie Gras - Jeff Henderson

Feel like renting? Try THE GAME PLAN starring Dwayne Johnson. An american football star and complete irresponsible jock is suddenly saddled with the young daughter he never knew he had. I loved this adorable comedy and it is so rare these days to find a story within a movie that I find almost totally believable and enjoyable.