THE CRUX - A (slightly modded) Brazilian Empire AAR

[MisterImperium]

Hello! I'm Mister Imperium and this is my very first time posting here. And, yeah, it's for a AAR.

I've been watching HOI4 for a year and half, and playing since the beginning of the year and I decided to try my hand at telling a story as I play through the reform of the Empire of Brazil.

This game uses the VF's Brazil National Focus mod, which you can find at Steam and ModDB

(btw sorry for any english mistakes, not my first language lol)

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PART I - VARGAS' REGIME
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- CHAPTER 1 - The Starting Point (January 1st, 1936)
- CHAPTER 2 - Moving Forward (January 1st to January 21st, 1936)
- CHAPTER 3 - Sorry, We're Closed (January 28th to March 4, 1936)

 

[MisterImperium]

"At the Guanabara, 19 hours"

Getúlio Dornelles Vargas, the 14th President of Brazil.
​

After finishing his New Year's discourse to the nation on the National Program, a daily governmental radio program, the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Getulio Vargas, started to analyze the situation on the biggest latin american country.

At the wake of the year 1936, Brazil has almost 40 million citizens - from the extremely poor comunities at the "Sertão" arid areas of the Northeast region, to the bustling, living metropolises of São Paulo, the country's biggest city, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's Federal District and main tourist attraction. Brazil was not only divided by the social-economic gap, but also by its opinion on Vargas.

​

From many of the working class, Getulio was a kind yet firm leader, and recieved the nickname "Father of the Poor", making him more likeable to the most needed communities, like the northeasterners and the black communities. He was also well respected by the military ranks.

Plinio Salgado (left) and Luis Carlos Prestes (right)​

However, Vargas had a small, albeit vocal opposition, who was very critical of his - quite frankly - very dictatorial ways of government. His government base was strong on the Congress, although it had to continuosly hear the cries of the rivals: the Brazilian Democratic Union (União Democrática Brasileira - UDB), an unofficial alliance that was composed by various small parties who wanted a more open, popular and parlamentarist government; the Brazilian Integralist Action (Ação Integralista Brasileira - AIB), a brazilian version of fascism, leaded by Plinio Salgado - who Vargas was very sympathetic with; and the National Liberating Alliance (ANL - Aliança Nacional Libertadora), Vargas' main rivals, backed by the International Communist Commitern and leaded by Luis Carlos Prestes. It was up to Vargas to control, please or anniquilate these many different voices and ideologies that were on the government.

But, different ideologies was to be expected in an antropophagic country. Discovered by the portuguese, invaded by the french and the dutch, who has the biggest number of africans and african descendents outside their mother continent, home to many immigrating italian, jewish, japanese, german, polish families AND with a touch of the local native indigenous communities... all these different cultures and costumes makes the brazilian identity so unique back then and still to this day.
Brazil has to thank the bravery and determination of the Bandeirantes, groups of settlers and explorers that used the trails and the knowlege from the natives to explore and inhabitate the inner country. Their influence is still felt on the military culture, who use the country's vast and varied nature for training. If the enemy dared to enter brazilian ground, the army would be ready.

Back to Vargas, as it was said earlier, he was a popular figure even with his detractors. But the country itself was still feeling the effects that put him at the presidency, six years ago. Back then, the "Old Republic" was controled by mostly the military brass of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Vargas, a "gaúcho"(born in Rio Grande do Sul), with the help of his Tenentistas, managed to make a 'coup' to take the old elite out of the government. But not without resistance, which was felt especially two years later, in 1932, with the Constitutionalist Revolution of São Paulo, the closest thing Brazil has had to a full blown civil war.

Economically, the country had a problem. They were still dependent of the old, outdated Coffee Baron's monopoly. With their control over the rural areas and their political spheres, they were constantly amassing political and economical power towards themselves and sacrificing the industrial developement of the country.

The Brazilian Army was... well, not bad, but not good either. It had 10 infantry divisions, 2 Cavalry divisions and 2 armored cavalry (tank) divisions. Their equipment was outdated and in grave need of updates, and Vargas knew that in times of war, a large army was good, but a large army with good guns was better.

The Brazilian Air Force was non-existant. Seriously. There were no planes around that time and Vargas knew that this had to be fixed, even if for now, they had to use old airplane models. Meanwhile, the Navy had a small, but respectable fleet. Vargas was interested in expanding the submarine flotilla, right now composed by a sole unit.
And that's how Brazil has reached the first day of January of 1936. A country that had potential, if it could solve it's inner conflicts of radical integralists, Marxist sindicalists, ambitious democrats and the people inbetween.

Vargas had a plan for this. And it would be put in progress the following week.

 

[Ebanu8]

Not many times I see a Brazilian Empire AAR. Subbed.

 

[Henry v. Keiper]

Interesting start! I'm learning Brazilian history. Subbed.

 

[Crimson Lionheart]

Looks really interesting! Subbed!

 

[MisterImperium]

Before the very first day of 1936 was over, President Vargas was making notes on his future projects and ideas for the nation. First, he wanted to update a little bit of the armed forces' structure and give them more power.

The project for the creation of the Ministry of the Armed Forces (left) / Gen. João Gomes Ribeiro Filho, its first minister (right)​

This idea was soon to start to evolve to the creation of the Ministry of the Armed Forces, which would be the evolution of the current Ministry of War, currently headed by general João Gomes Ribeiro Filho. With this change, general Eurico Gaspar Dutra - who became a much respected figure by Vargas, after repressing the Communist Uprising of '35 - became the innaugural head of the department. This project began in January 7th and was going to be put in action at the following week.

The researches for electronic engineering and construction methods

Vargas ordered the construction of over seventeen civilian factories al over the country and one extra dockyard in the state of Bahia.

Current trading and resources situation in Brazil​

In other matters, Vargas had an extensive talk with the Minister of Work, Industry and Commerce, Agamenon Magalhães, for the research and development of electronic upgrades and new construction methods. He also ordered multiple constructions of civilian factories all over the national territory. Vargas knew that, if he wanted Brazil to be a strong country, the industrial and economical areas have to be solid and extensive.
Speaking of economy, Vargas also spoke with it's Minister, Artur de Souza Costa, about the current state of the country. Costa was honest in saying that the current civilian-focused economy laws were helping stagnate the country, not allowing it to fully grow and, if there were not any changes at it, the construction of new industries - civilian or military - would still be slow and outdated. Vargas gave Costa free pass to implement new laws to update the economic situation.
Vargas was also analysing the trade situation. Brazil was the world's biggest rubber exporter, and the country was proud of it. But he was also considering slowing down on all those export actions, because soon the country would need to use it's natural resources, because they were going to need it...

Current military production situation in Brazil.​

...to help kicstart the production of weaponry and equipment to the armed forces. The army would recieve the average infantry and support equipment, outdated compared to other countries, while the Air Force would finally be restarted, with the production of the old T-6 monomotor plane.
In the Navy, the production would be dedicated to expand the number of transport convoys and Humaytá-class submarines. Vargas wanted, at least, 10 units to form its flotilla.

The three army main groups​

The structure of the Army was also changed, with the separation between basic infantry (10 battalions), armored forces (2 battalions) and cavalry (2 battalions), which would be responsible for garrisoning the federal area - the State and Capital City of Rio de Janeiro.

The Navy reform and its newest admiral, Protógenes Guimarãaes​

In January 14th, the Ministry of Armed Forces was oficially created and Vargas already started to concentrate his moves to update and bring new glory to the Navy, by talking to old admirals to help update what was once the most important branch of the forces into something of respect again.
After a week, Vargas has found a name to help rebuild the Navy's prestige - admiral Protógenes Guimarães. The admiral was a fellow tenentista and was also the current governor of the State of RJ.

​

At the Army subject, Vargas has put three new generals to command each army group - João Batista Mascarenhas de Moraes, at the Basic Infantry; José Pessoa Cavalcanti de Albuquerque, at the armored forces; and José Fernandes Leite de Castro, at the Cavalry. Moraes and Albuquerque would be directly ordered by the now Field Marshall Gaspar Dutra.

Finished the talks with the Admiralty, Vargas was ready for the second step of this year's government strategy. One was a longtime, public problem that he wanted to confront. Other was a secret project, only know for his Inner Circle.

A public (and private) hunt strategy was on.


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Thanks to Ebanu8, Henry V. Kilper and Crimson Lionheart for the messages!​

 

[MisterImperium]

In unrelated news, I'm having problems with some of the features, such as changing my avatar and adding links to my postings. How can i solve this?

 

[PaleoGamer86]

Subbed.

 

[Ebanu8]

Nice to see another update.

In unrelated news, I'm having problems with some of the features, such as changing my avatar and adding links to my postings. How can i solve this?

To answer your question, for the avatar, you simply click your username on the top right of your browser, and when the window opens, you click on your profile picture within that window to edit it accordingly.

As for adding links, you highlight any text and then click the button that looks like a chain link while text is highlighted, and then put in the URL inside. Hope this helps.

 

[stnylan]

All getting rather militaristic