Bolivia during World War II

During World War II, Bolivia maintained a stance of neutrality and did not actively participate in the conflict. However, its geographical position and the global nature of the war meant that it was not entirely unaffected.
Bolivia officially declared its neutrality at the outbreak of World War II and remained largely uninvolved in the conflict. This decision was influenced by the country's desire to avoid being drawn into the war and to protect its own interests. Despite its neutral status, Bolivia's economy was impacted by the war. The global demand for tin, which was one of Bolivia's main exports, increased significantly due to the war effort. This resulted in economic benefits for Bolivia as tin prices rose, leading to increased production and export revenues. Bolivia maintained diplomatic relations with both the Allied and Axis powers during the war. However, it leaned more towards the Allied side, especially after the United States became a major trading partner and source of economic assistance. Although Bolivia did not actively participate in the war, it did take some measures to strengthen its military defenses. This included modernizing its armed forces and improving infrastructure, particularly in remote border areas. Bolivia's position in South America also influenced its experience during the war. The country had territorial disputes with neighboring countries, particularly Chile, and these tensions continued during the war years. After WW2 members of the Third Reich made their way to Bolivia: Hans Ertl and Klaus Barbie.
Overall, Bolivia's neutrality allowed it to avoid direct involvement in the conflict, but the war still had economic and geopolitical implications for the country.



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SOURCES
– The Cambridge History of Latin America. Latin America since 1930. Spanish South America. Volume 8 (Leslie Bethell).
– Latin America During World War II (Thomas M. Leonard, John F. Bratzel).
– A Concise History of Bolivia (Herbert S. Klein).
– Bolivia and the United States: a limited partnership (Kenneth D. Lehman).


IMAGES
Images from commons.wikimedia.org.

VIDEO
Video material from:
   • La Paz, Bolivia 1943 (parte 1)  
La Paz, Bolivia 1943 (parte 1)
   • 1930: Across Bolivia  
1930: Across Bolivia
   • The Chaco War (1932-1935) Bolivian tr...  
The Chaco War (1932-1935) Bolivian troops documentary film
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"Constancy Part One" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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"Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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