Brazil and the 1919 Peace Negotiations: a newcomer among the greats

Abstract

After some huge funding loans at the end of the Monarchy and in early Republic, to consolidate old debt into new debt, the Great War represented a serious disturbance for Brazil’s fragile economy: reduction of its exports (mainly coffee) to Europe and no one cent lent by Brazil’s official bankers, the London Rothchilds, during the whole duration of the war. Brazil had a minor participation in the fights, either naval or terrestrial, having declared a state of war against the German Empire only in the second semester of 1917, with some naval patrols in the Atlantic waters and a “Brazilian hospital” in Paris, but most of the personnel sent to Europe succumbed to the Spanish flu at the end of the conflict. Brazilian participation in the peace conference was assured by an especial delegation, having at the head a prestigious envoy, Mr. Epitácio Pessoa, who was not only selected as presidential candidate, but also was to be elected while in Paris, without any campaign at home. Main issues in defense of Brazilian interests at the Paris Peace Conference were the payment of Brazilian coffee stocks in Hamburg and Trieste, retained by the central empires, and a financial or material compensation to be offered against German ships retained in Brazilian ports. Brazil signed only the Versailles treaty, was admitted in the League of Nations, but choose to quit the organization five years later, when Germany was elected to a post Brazil expected to be assigned for it.