U.S. PLANES FOR BRAZIL

Southland Times, Issue 24831, 25 August 1942, Page 5

U.S. PLANES FOR BRAZIL

SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT (Rec. 8.45 YORK; August 23 As Brazil entered the war Brazilian Air Force pilots arrived in Rio de Janiero after a successful mass flight of 3000 miles from the United States with 44 new American planes, it was learned here. The flight consisted of 25 Fairchild primary trainers and 19 cabin monoplanes which will replace obsolete German Focke-Wulf trainers. After the introduction of the new trainers Brazil will begin the production of American craft in a Government factory. _ _ Broadcasts from Berlin, Rome and Tokyo, commenting in exactly the same tenor on Brazil’s declaration of war against Germany and Italy, sought to blame the United States for it. Axis broadcasts heard here minimized the provocation given Brazil by the submarine actions off her coast and ignored the outbursts of popular indignation in Rio de Janiero. . Berlin said Brazil had yielded to United States blackmailing requests by declaring war and added that since Brazil had already surrendered her military facilities to the United States the declaration of war was without military significance. Tokyo asserted that Brazil was influenced by dollar diplomacy. AXIS NATIONALS FLEE

Sweeping searchlights over Rio de Janeiro harbour, shrieking police cars rounding up Axis nationals and patriotic crowds chanting “Give us guns. Death to Germany!” marked Brazil’s entry into the war while hundreds of Axis nationals tried by night to escape to Uruguay. The Uruguayan Government, however, has granted Brazil nonbelligerent treatment and has hinted that “further steps will probably be taken.” It has ordered the authorities to detain Axis refugees and to extradite them to Brazil. Military authorities are concentrating

on stiffening the defences of Brazil’s Atlantic bulge, which is only 1700 miles from Africa, and is, therefore, the continent’s most vulnerable point. They are also paying close attention to the Vichy-ruled French islands which are athwart the Brazil-American communication line.

The British Ambassador at Rio de Janeiro, Sir Noel Charles, has been instructed to convey to the Brazilian Government the deep satisfaction of the British Government with the decision of the Brazilian Government to declare war on Germany and Italy.