Chapter 9 (January 1943 - October 1943)
Lodgement
By 1943 South America was no longer a war zone, and the Brazilian Army in there was renamed -2o Exército da FEB- and placed under orders of the FEB commander, Field Marshal Mascarenhas de Moraes, those soldiers started their long journey to Tripoli, the main Brazilian Outpost in North Africa.
An invasion of Fortress Europe was considered a military impossibility by many of the Brazilian ministers, they thought that the country had already done its job, and asked that no more Brazilian blood be spilled in a European war.
Getúlio considered such an idea to be not only false, but misleading as well. The Country had entered the war on its own will, and the intentions of the Axis nations was clear to everyone, if Britain fell, the world would be doomed. Without the Royal Navy, who would protect the South American shores against german invasion? certainly not the small Brazilian navy, incapable of fighting major engagements.
With that in mind, those such Ministers were replaced to ones who would assist the country's war effort to their maximum capability.
FEB Order of Battle
Government Reform
In the first weeks of 1943 the first Brazilian tank brigades were starting to be deployed in Rio de Janeiro, they were equipped with the British Cromwell tank. Such brigades were considered a necessity to accomplish a succesful Invasion of Italy. Mascarenhas de Moraes postponed the invasion until all the tank brigades were ready for battle in Tripoli. He decided for a small scale operation in Sicily, named Operation Husky, to achieve a firm beachhead to the main invasion, while also capturing several Italian radar stations that assisted the Regia Marina and the Italian Air force, even though both were almost no existant due to British efforts.
In Iberia tentions were high, mass peaceful demonstrations in Portugal were massacred by Salazar's government, and Spain was giving hints that it would either join the Axis, or at least accept the movement of German forces through the country that were going to attack Gibraltar. Without The Rock, all of the allied supply lines would have to be relocated to go through the Suez Canal, delaying the supplies arrival in North Africa by weeks.
But since the invasion of Italy was postponed, the 1o Exército da FEB was free, and Mascarenhas devised a plan to liberate Portugal from their fascist government, and increase the Spanish fear of invasion. The landing crafts would be protected by a British task force, consisting of the Aircraft Carrier HMS Illustrious and several destroyers. One Brazilian Corps would land near Lisboa and siege the city, while other two corps would liberate the two main Portuguese colonies in Southern Africa.
At January 28 the Brazilian army landed simultaneously in Portugal, Angola and Mozambique. In Africa no resistance was met, as most of the native populations were hostile to Portuguese colonists
Liberation of Mozambique
Liberation of Angola
Amphibious Landing
Portugal
HMS Illustrious covering the landings
A second european front would soon be open, giving much needed assistance to the Soviet Union. With that in mind, the Soviet Winter Offensive started in February 1, the objective was to flank the german Army Group South from the Crimea peninsula, liberating most of Ukraine.
Soviet Winter Offensive
Soviet Tank advances through a Ukranian village occupied by the Germans
After fierce opposition a beachhead was secured in Portugal, and at once the bulk of the Brazilian forces started attacking Lisboa, behind the enemies lines several Portuguese partisans started fighting the Government forces. In Lisboa a massive uprising took place, forcing Salazar's forces to retreat, with such a success, half of the Brazilian divisions were redeployed and started an amphibious landing in Porto, much of the country was already liberated by the Partisans, and once Porto fell Salazar capitulated.
Lisboa Front
Porto
All Portuguese speaking nations united once more
In the Eastern Front the Soviet Offensive was highly succesful, the forces in Crimea broke through the German forces, uniting with the main front and forcing several German divisions to capitulate, and with the upcoming invasion of Italy, the order was given to all underground resistances throughout Occupied Europe to rise up. In April massive revolts took place in Greece, Yugoslavia and France. Meanwhile British forces set up a raid in Holland, destroying several V1 and V2 launch sites. All these operations and uprisings made Germany relocate several divisions in Italy and in the Eastern Front to surpress the partisans, assisting greatly the Invasion of Italy as well as the Soviet Army.
Eastern Front after the Winter Offensive
British Raid
Uprisings in Occupied Europe
The 2o Exército da FEB arrived at Tripoli in April 21. Mascarenhas de Moraes then started Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. It was a small scale Operation, consisting of the three Corps that fought in South America, with the purpose of giving them some training in fighting against Italians before the invasion of Continental Italy. One Corps each would land at Palermo, Messina and Syracuse. The British Royal Navy would secure the strait of Messina and the Royal Air Force would keep the Italian planes of giving ground assistance.
By April 24 a beachhead was secured in Sicily near Palermo and Messina was captured. Surprisingly to the Brazilians the population welcomed them as Liberators, it seems most of them were actually hostile to Mussolini and fascism.
Palermo Front
Messina Front
Liberation of Messina
(note this photo was actually taken during the liberation of Massarosa by the FEB)
By May Syracuse, Palermo and Messina were captured and most of the Italian forces were driven inland, they made their last stand at Cattagirone, where they capitulated to almost 100.000 Brazilians, the Italians were vastly outnumbered and the few tanks they had could be penetrated by the smallest Brazilian anti tank weapons.
Sicily
Italian light tank in Cattagirone
The axis nations, specially Germany, had their own Underground operations going on, and they supplied several Nazi Sympathizers in South America, in August they all rose up, most of the Brazilian militia's were still in training and if it wasnt for the few American paratroopers who came to assist all would be lost.
Paraguayan Revolts
South America in August 1943
In the Eastern Front the Soviets continued their advance, but slowly. Stalin insisted in recapturing Leningrad but Zhukov made one of the biggest decisions, one which would doom the entire German Army Group North (Army Group South was already destroyed in the Soviet Winter Offensive). While the Soviet army put pressure in the Army Group Centre, they would retreat in the north, making way to Germany invade Finland.
Operation Kutuzov started in September
The Germans took the bait and started invading Finland, they had some initial successes as the Fins werent prepared.
On October things changed, several Swedish, Norwegian, British and Canadian forces arrived in Finland, halting the German advance, while the Soviet Army forced the retreat of several German divisions during Operation Kutuzov, the Army Group Centre was in full withdraw to Poland and East Prussia.
Finnish Front
Finnish Patrols in the frontlines
Operation Kutuzov in October
The preparations for the invasion of Italy were taking place, Sicily was captured, most of the Brazilian tank brigades were deployed and the allies had both air and naval superiority in the mediterranean. To fix the logistic problem of such mass invasions several ships were being gathered in convoys to supply the Brazilian army.