Southern Cone cold wars: Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay (1945-1952)

Abstract

This article shows how some liberal-progressive newspapers and political parties (inside or outside of the government) processed the end of WW2 and the beginning of the Cold War in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay. It’s intended to prove that these actors displayed some transnational ideological elements (such as anti-fascism or anti-communism) in order to interpret local politics, to strength a particular national self-image, and to describe political enemies. The many ways in that Liberal groups in the four countries represented their enemies between 1945 and 1952 were due to, at least, three variables: a) Official and opposition attitude towards the war (neutrality or intervention; pro-Allies or pro-Axis); b) the nature of prevailing political regime (democracy or dictatorship); c) ideological traditions and their political and electoral power during the WWII years.