SOUTH AMERICA

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 6, 6 July 1940, Page 13

SOUTH AMERICA

LACK OF DEFENCE

LOOKING TO UNITED STATES

POINTS OF DANGER

(From "The Post's" Representative.) BUENOS AIRES, June 12. President Roosevelt took steps, immediately after Mr. Winston Churchill's remarks in the House of Commons, as to America's destiny as the saviour of the Old World, to assume the defence iof the Western Hemisphere against any inroads of Hitlerism. He dispatched two cruisers to Brazil on hearing of the activity of the Nazis, shortly after the blitzkrieg on the Western Front started. Three Brazilian Sta,tes, notably Rio Grande do Sul, whose capital is Sao Paolo, are dominantly proNazi, with a candidate for the Presi- ! dency of Brazil. The President's action has been welcomed in South America, the Governments of whlcn are suddenly aware that not only are they unprepared to defend themselves but are not even equipped to co-operate efficiently in any joint inter-American defence plan. The ten republics in South America could mobilise only five old battleships; three cruisers, 24 destroyers, and 14 submarines for the defence of 13,000 miles of coastline on three oceans. The remaining naval equipment is useless, except for training purposes. Furthermore, if they pooled their resources for common defence of their 7,000,000 square miles of territory, and 88,000,000 of population, they could muster a combined army of only 290,000 men. Their combined air forces could I assemble not more than 600 planes. All agree that, in the event of invasion, their only possible defence would be the United States. American naval missions are instructing and advising the navies of Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. All now look to the United States for the equipment and instruction of their air forces. Argentina and Brazil have approximately 250 planes each. Colombia is the only other country with an efficient air force. American air missions are in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, and Peru, and one is being sent to Bolivia. With the exception of Uruguay, all South American countries have compulsory military training. TWO COURSES OF NAZI ACTION. The Nazis appear to have two clearly-defined plans for getting possession of South America. One is actual invasion—after victory in Europe, They openly boast that they could capture . Argentina and Brazil with 20,000 men in each. The second plan is boring from within, causing the overthrow of existing Governments, and setting up pro-Nazi regimes. The invasion plans provide for a landing in Southern Brazil, rapid occupation of Uruguay, Paraguay, and eventually Chile. The latter plan causes grave concern. Several South American countries have nationalistic parties, composed largely of youths whose faith in democracy has been undermined by Nazi and Fascist professors in colleges and_ universities. Under the recent ueglaration of Lima, the United States and all other American nations are pledged to go to. "the assistance of any one of them, when threatened: from outside or within: Under this agreement, any open attempt by the Nazis- could be combated by the assistance of neighbouring countries. But, if the local nationalists overthrew existing Governments, and set up new regimes, the United States and other republics would be tied by their repeatedly-pledged policies not to interfere in the internal affairs of one another.