Latin America between the Second World War and the Cold War
Crisis and Containment, 1944–1948

The period from 1944–45 to 1947–48 represents an important conjuncture in the political and social history of twentieth-century Latin America.

Leslie Bethell (Edited by), Ian Roxborough (Edited by)

9780521574259, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 28 February 1997

368 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.3 cm, 0.56 kg

"...the eleven essays in this volume are remarkably even in their high quality....a valuable addition to the relatively sparse historical literature on the early Cold War years in Latin America." Daniel Masterson, The Americas

This volume aims to establish that the period between the end of the Second World War II and the beginning of the Cold War (1944–5 to 1947–8) hitherto neglected, represents an important conjuncture in the political and social history of twentieth-century Latin America. Despite differences in political regime, different levels of economic and social development, and different relations with the regional hegemony. There are striking similarities in the experiences of most of the Latin American republics at this time, which can be divided into two phases. The first, coinciding with the Allied victory, was characterized by democratization, a shift to the Left, and labor militancy. In the second phase, coinciding with the onset of the Cold War, labor was disciplined by the State and often excluded from politics, communist parties were severely repressed, reformist 'progressive' parties moved to the right, and the democratic advance was contained, when not reversed. The opportunity for social democracy was lost.

Part I. Introduction: The Post-War Conjuncture in Latin America: 1. Democracy, labor and the left Leslie Bethell, Ian Roxborough
Part II. Country Studies: 1. Brazil Leslie Bethell
2. Chile Andrew Barnard
3. Argentina Mario Rapoport
4. Bolivia Laurence Whitehead
5. Venezuela Steve Ellner
6. Peru Nigel Haworth
7. Mexico Ian Roxborough
8. Cuba Harold Sims
9. Nicaragua Jeffrey Gould
10. Costa Rica Rodolfo Cerdas Cruz
11. Guatemala James Dunkerley
Conclusion: the post-war conjuncture in Latin America and its consequences
Index.

Subject Areas: Postwar 20th century history, from c 1945 to c 2000 [HBLW3], History of the Americas [HBJK]