Government:
- Brazil is a Left-Wing Radical dictatorship ruled by Getulio Vargas, an Autocratic Charmer who makes it easier to reduce dissent but seriously hurts industrial production. To understand Vargas, imagine if America's FDR were to be transported at birth to a society with a much weaker constitutional foundation, a largely illiterate population for whom democracy is a game their social superiors reserve to themselves, an excessive focus on cash crops and foreign trade and funding, under constant threat from both the militarist right and (more recently) the urban radical left. FDR, in such an environment, might become something like a Vargas.
Apologetic explanations of Getulio notwithstanding, we plan to usher him out of office as soon as practicable. However, we cannot go democratic just yet; Vargas isn't ready to leave so easily!
Jose de Macedo Soares, foreign minister, is probably the most immediately useful member of the cabinet. Following traditions of Brazilian diplomacy going back to that extraordinary turn of the century historian-diplomat-statesman Jose Maria da Silva Parahos (Jr), Baron of Rio-Branco, he specializes in influencing other nations to our point of view. The Brazilian foreign ministry, known as
Itamaraty, will be a valuable national asset in the coming years.
The remainder of our cabinet is unexciting: Our ministers currently do well at reducing consumer good demand, raising supplies, and improving unit defence, but poorly at most other tasks. None can as yet be changed. Domestically, we are highly isolationist, mildly but increasingly hawkish, and fairly free market.
Technology:
- Brazilian technology is actually fairly acceptable. Our current military knowledge is, of course, weak, but Brazil has some skilled teams that, if we can get industry rolling and blueprints coming in, will allow us to eventually field forces capable of fighting modern wars.
Of these, the IPT and the Organizacao Henrique Lage are the most generally useful. Whether it be industry, electronics, or aircraft, the
IPT and the
Organizacao Henrique Lage will be our mainstays. For naval design, the
Ilha das Cobras is a solid option. Land, sea, and air doctrines have several fine leaders available. We are, however, weak in armour, artillery, and infantry development capability; this will be a continuing handicap.
Brazil immediately begins research on Basic Machine Tools and Census Tabulating Machine.
Industry and manpower:
- Critical to Brazilian national goals is industrial growth. We must devote everything to national self-strengthening, and waste no time in beginning factory construction along the relatively accessible coast.
- Our mobilizeable reserves, in contrast, are fairly substantial. After mothballing some obsolete divisions and ships, Brazil starts with 404 manpower. After our +1 hawk move, and with just the first agriculture tech developed, we get 0.34 per day. For a middling power in 1936 these sorts of figures are cause for joy.
Foreign Affairs and Trade:
Jose Soares'
Itamaraty undertakes a major initiative: Joining the Allies. During January and February, we set up numerous small trade agreements with the United Kingdom, and so develop a solid working understanding essential for larger discussions. Our authoritarian government makes it more difficult to cozy up with the democracies, but the solution -- becoming a democracy, which Brazil can do with one slider move -- will, because of our high isolationism, render us incapable of allying with anyone. So we must retain our Radical Leftist government for the time being.
Of all nations, the United States of America is the only one willing to grant Brazil any preference in trade, and will be a vital source of resources and finance. We can offer substantial rare materials in exchange for the energy, metal, and hard currency we lack.
Military
- After the latest defence reductions imposed by the extremely difficult economic situation during this, the era of the Great Depression, ...
... Brazilian armed forces stand at two WW1 battleships (and ten escorts), two transports (and five convoys), one half-strength biplane flotilla, two militia units, and one professional infantry division commanded by our best Army commander: Mascarenhas de Morais. Orders go out to cancel all planned promotions; we want our Mj. Generals and Rear Admirals to stay at that rank until further notice.