The news of Pearl Harbour spread across the globe, it immediately put the U.S on the allies, and at the same time both Churchill and Getúlio declared war on the Empire of Japan. Most South American countries besides Brazil were in a way or another suporting Germany, and when the US joined the allies, it requested that all trade between these countries and Germany, Italy and Japan should be stopped. Unfortunately only Venezuela, Honduras and Panama agreed, all the others refused, and the United States then droped the guarantee of their independence. At the moment that happened Brazil, in an effort to damage the Axis war effort, put in action Operation Riachuelo, the invasion of Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia, followed by Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.
In May 28 the first Brazilian divisions advanced towards Uruguay and the other two countries, Brazil had the upper hand in all three branches, and it outnumbered 5 to 1 the Axis sympathisers.
In the start of the next month, two highly important things occured, after Casablanca was captured, Vichy French surrendered to Brazil, and the Free French under de Gaulle were given command of all pre war french colonies.
The French Glory restored
The other thing was the German attack on the Soviet Union, it took the world by surprise, and from there on the Grand Alliance was formed. Stalin, Churchill, Roosevelt and Getúlio had one objective, unconditional surrender of the axis powers. Soon as the Eastern front was opened, Britain attacked and captured Persia, opening another route of supplies to the Soviet Union.
Meanwhile in North Africa the whole FEB was free of action, 4 corps each with 60.000 men and two British divisions were sitting there, and in June 2 their next assignment was picked. Giving the new Japanese threat, it was decided in a meeting between Mascarenhas de Moraes and Montgomery that the British army, which in this time outnumbered the FEB from 2 to 1, should continue advancing east from Persia to Siam, as the Japanese were already attacking Malaya. In South America the Brazilians continued their advance.
The Battle of Asuncion
The Battle of Montevideo
So it was left for the FEB to, for now, handle all the allied forces in Western Europe, the next target was Norway. Operation Jupiter was formed, and it was decided that one Corps should land in Oslo and another in Stavanger, and after these ports were secured the rest of the army would arrive. In June 18, after being transfered from Tripoli to Britain, the Brazilian forces started landing in Norway. Thanks to spies and false plans being planted in the hands of the Germans the attack was unopposed, as they thought we were going for Narvik instead.
In June 30 all was in schedule, Oslo was captured, and the allied forces moved inland. The Brazilian navy also met its first engagement, and the two German ships were sunked after heavy fighting.
Brazilian Advance
Mascarenhas de Moraes Arriving in Oslo
Brazilian navy attacking german ships
The Battleship São Paulo did most of the fighting, sinking both enemy ships
By July 1 Paraguay and Uruguay surrendered, and the bulk of the brazilian army started moving to Bolivia (which would surrender a week later) . Four days later, in Scandinavia, large ammounts of german reinforcements arrived through neutral Sweden, and the Brazilian divisions rushed to form a defensive line in Oslo.
German Reinforcements arriving through Sweden
In the rest of the month the front remained static, with reinforcements arriving from both sides near Oslo. Only in 11 August something changed, the port of Bergen was captured and one division advanced north to Narvik. From there to September only minor resistances were met, and the two forces grew stronger in Oslo.
Stalemate
Brazilian patrol in the frontlines
It was decided that, due to recent events and the entering of the United States and Soviet Union in the war against the Axis, a meeting between the Heads of Government of Brazil, United Kingdom, Soviet Union and the United States of America should be held. The date was agreed to be September 13, and it was held in Tripoli, one of the allied conquered territories.
After one week of meetings and conferences between the leaders and their Chiefs of Staff several issues were resolved, and important decisions were agreed, for example:
1: The creation of lend lease, with the object of giving aid to Brazil, United Kingdom and the Soviet Union.
2: The main tasks of each nation: USA should handle the pacific, Brazil Western Europe (and South America), Soviet Union Eastern europe, United Kingdom South East Asia and Western Europe.
3: All efforts should be made to assist the Soviet Union in their main struggle, as they were facing the most and strongest Axis divisions.
4: After victory in Scandinavia it should be followed by an invasion of the weakest nation in the Axis pact, Italy, with all forces under Brazilian control, and assistance to the anti fascist parties in Rome should be delivered, perhaps with the object to make a coup against Mussolini and bring the Italian army and navy to the allied side.
5: UK should continue its massive bombing campaign of Germany, drawing men and resources to the defence of it away from the main eastern front.
6: USA should help partisans throughout occupied europe in all manners possible.
Lend Lease given to Brazil
In the second day of the conference Stalin, the host of the day, showed the German advance while everyone was having dinner in the Soviet embassy. In less than four months the germans were near Leningrad, and had already started entering the Crimea peninsula. This was what made Roosevelt rush the lend lease project.
The Eastern Front in September 15
After it ended plans were made to invade neutral sweden in October to keep german reinforcements from arriving in Norway, British intelligence reported that the german forces were out of supply, as most swedish roads and tracks were destroyed by Commando's, therefore the plan was to first land a Corps in Copenhagen, capture the island (freeing the british fleet trapped near Danzig.), then move another Corps and land in Stockholm, while the other two Corps in Norway encircled the Germans.