A Hemisphere Matures

If Germany should dominate the policy of one nation in this hemisphere, the security of the entire hemisphere would be threatened....Charles Wertenbaker: A New Doctrine for the Americas.

Last week this long-standing U.S. fear was laid low. The Latin American republics and Canada lined up solidly with the U.S. in a united anti-Axis front. After 118 years the Monroe Doctrine had become multilateral: the rest of the hemisphere had rallied to protect the U.S. as part of their hemisphere. Their decision, made not when victory was in immediate prospect, but in the face of an initial U.S. defeat, was an action which the U.S. would not soon forget.

The Canal. The Caribbean countries were one war front. Eight declared war against Japan, openly denounced Germany and Italy. Costa Rica and Haiti offered air fields. Colombia promised action "to prevent by all means any menace to the security of the Panama Canal directly or indirectly from Colombia territory." Venezuela strengthened guards at petroleum fields, airports, industrial and military establishments. As Ecuador drafted a pledge of solidarity with the U.S., Guayaquil's El Telegrajo urged that "islands,* ports, coast line, aviation fields and other defense facilities be placed at the disposition of [U.S.] military forces." Panama Canal defenses were in excellent order.

Brazil. On a 4,060-mile coast line that bulges in perpetual invitation to Axis invasion, Brazil responded to the Rome-Berlin war declaration by a reaffirmation of solidarity with the U.S. and the sister republics.

Argentina. From South America's stronghold of isolationism, despite earlier fears of noncooperation, came strong assurances that Argentina would stand by her Havana Convention commitments (defining aggression against one American nation as aggression against the others). Chile and Argentina debated retirement of an agreement whereby the Strait of Magellan was to remain demilitarized perpetually.

Chile, major stockholder in South America's 5,093-mile Pacific coast line, readied a cruiser, an escort of submarines and a submarine mother ship for patrol of the coast and the Strait of Magellan.

Peru rode herd on its large (30,000-40,000), centralized Japanese colony.

Bolivia, acutely conscious of a highly strategic continental position, was the only South American nation to declare war against Japan. The January 1942 issue of FORTUNE tells why: "A buffer State among five mutually jealous nations that might be swept by political cross winds of the present war...Bolivia has all the characteristics of a fortress except arms. And a fleet of bombers, based upon the interior plateau, could dominate--if means could be found to supply them--every strategic point on the continent except the Panama Canal defense zone 2,000 miles to the north." Now top tin source for the U.S., Bolivia ordered added precautions against sabotage of U.S.-bound metals shipments.

Paraguay under General Higinio Morinigo's authoritarian Government was, beyond a formal affirmation of solidarity, strangely silent. Like Bolivia. Paraguay is completely hemmed in by neighbor nations. It is in close proximity to centers of German population in southern Brazil, Uruguay and northern Argentina.

The unanimous Latin American vote of confidence in the U.S. went far beyond a mere diplomatic victory for the Good Neighbor Policy. Rather, it was a fine admixture of farsighted courage and faith in survival of the hemisphere as a single, unified world power.

Mexico broke diplomatic relations with the Axis, moved troops (with U.S. permission) across Arizona to Lower California's west coast, transferred gunboats from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific. From President Manuel Avila Camacho came a philosophical summary that might well have originated in one or all of the 21 Americas:

"The future is not built up with hostile remembrances, but with acts of confidence, reciprocal respect and with mutual faith. And the efforts which the United States has made and is making in the defense of the democratic ideals of the hemisphere place her on such a lofty plane that it constitutes in itself the best testimony of the unity of thoughts, and the strongest guarantee of the commonness of our destinies...."

* I.e., the Galapagos, which Ecuador had heretofore denied to the U.S. as a base.

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