WHAT IF... Mexico joined WWII on the Axis's side??

Who ruled Mexico in the WWII time period and what were his poltics ?
Also what was the opinion of the Mexican people toward WWII ?

 

what was Spain's and Mexico's relationship during this time period , looking back to 1939 when Germany was fighting in Spain and if Mexico had been involved with spain it could have led to Mexico fighting on the axis side.
perhaps the first shots or the first attack on the U.S could have come from Mexico and been the mainland rather than pearl harbor from japan.
or,a two front attack from japan and Mexico simultaneously.
the more i think about it, Mexico getting involved could have changed everything from almost day one.

 

Mexico's president during WWII was General Manuel Avila Camacho.
Since Mexican-American relationships were at a friendly point during WWII, most mexicans had no problem with the war.

Mexican-Spanish relationships have always been kinda weird. Before WWII, there was a civil war in Spain, Mexico's president at that time Lazaro Cardenas accepted political prisioners and gave them asylum, so it follows that during WWII, Franco, and Mexican government did not have a very friendly relationship.

This last topic made me think about Political Refugees in Mexico, I do not know if everyone is aware of this, but before WWII Mexico had a left-leaning president, Lazaro Cardenas. He actually gave asylum to LEON TROTSKY, I know i might be going off topic, but this seems like and interesting fact to add on to our discussion. Also Trotsky was murdered in Mexico City by an Stalinist Agent with an Icepick.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THIS IS A SMALL REVIEW OF WHAT DID SQUADRON 201 DID IN WWII

MEXICAN FIGHTING SQUADRON 201 (AZTEC EAGLES)

Axis submarines sunk 2 mexican oilers, one of them was "Potrero Del Llano", due to those attacks, on June, 11, 1942, with General Manuel Avila Camacho as president, the Mexican government issued a declaration of war against the Axis countries, making immediate plans for the organization of Fighter's Squadron 201, who would fly under the American Flag.

Most of the members of the Mexican Air Force, made up of 300 men and 38 officers, recieved training in Mexico as well as in US in Randolph Base in San Antonio Texas. All of them were later sent for their final preparation to Air Force Base in Pocatello, Idaho, where they were trained to be pilots of 25 P-47D planes. The Squadron finished all the phases of their training on the first days of March 1945, with a good efficiency record

Fighter Squadron 201, was assigned to the 58th Fighter Group of the US, this group was part of the 5th Air Force of US. They arrived at Manila on April 30, 1945, beginning combat ops on June 1945, this was during the final stages of The Battle of Luzon. Despite being rookies, they managed yo deliver on their first missions. They were sent to Okinawa with the 58th Fighter group and operated in Kyushu, south of Japan. They also participated in bombing missions in Formosa and as support for the 25th Infantry Division.
During support missions on Formosa, they had to fly for 7 horus and 15 minutes with a load of bombs weighing a ton. Such missions, cause a great deal of stress on pilots, not only due to dealing with japanese anti-air flak, but also due to fuel limitations, that make the pilots fly very carefully. Nevertheless, the Aztec Eagles accomplished their missions with good to excelent outcomes.

From June, 1 to July 10, 1945, Fighter Squadron 201:

Flew 50 missions
Dropped 181 tons of bombs
Shot 104,000 rounds of 0.50 caliber ammo
5 pilots were killed in combat and 2 during training
Veteran Carlos Faustinos, former member of the Squadron flew with the Mexican Flag while he was in his hometown, instead of the American one. This was a homage to all the members of Squadron 201 who flied and died during the fight in the Pacific Ocean. Faustinos himself, flew 25 missions and shot down 6 Japanese Zero's, this made hime winner of the Honor Cross, given to him by the Mexican Government.

SORRY IF YOU FIND A LOT OF MISTAKES IN THE TEXT ABOVE, I HAD TO TRANSLATE IT FROM SPANISH AND MY ENGLISH IS A BIT RUSTY BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN 2 YEARS SINCE I LEFT HIGHSCHOOL

 

Good information Eve. I was unaware of the involvement of Mexico in the war. I knew that many of the South American countries had been neutral, I guess I assumed the same of Mexico. The squadron had a pretty busy time to have flown 50 missions in so short a time in 1945. Do you know of any surviving members?

 

Thanks Eve , thats awsome. 100% new information to me.

 

Considering the amount of effort Mexico developed during WW2 on the Allied side, I find this what-if a little strange. It is similar to what-if the UK fought for the Axis, or what-if Japan fought for the Allies. It doesn't make much sense to me.

On another tack, this involvement of weaker nations (this is not an insult!) such as Mexico, as we have seen, Brazil in Italy, etc, however symbolic, was quite real to the troops involved. Their numbers were few (the countries could not afford more!) but the fighting spirit was there!

 

39 Congressional Medal of Honor winners to date, awarded to those of Hispanic origin. More than any other identifiable group.

 

If anyone remembers the problem i had with No.9, problem which by the way is forgotten i made a comment about a peasant army.

That peasant army did actually exist. During the mexican revolution, there were two kinds of armies. Those who had lots of money for uniforms and weapons, and those that had almost no money and mostly made up of peasants and thus had to wear clothes like the ones portrayed in the picture.

That peasant army, was mainly the factor that helped the revolutionaries overthrow Porfirio Diaz. This movemente only lasted a year or so, the problems that continued happened because Madero, the president was murdered, and then fight broke out between allies

 

Don't give it another thought EVE, todays America, China, perhaps Spain, France, and Viet Nam as well (and the list goes on), owe there beginnings to a "Peasant Army".
That designation is (for all intents and purposes...truth), but given to us by the loser, to make them feel better.
We've been on both sides of that coin (BTW)
Water off a "ducks" back.

 

OH I am really proud of the peasant army because they were the real force behind the Mexican revolution

 

somebody lock this topic...its leading to nowhere....

 

Back to subject...OK
It's absurd, not a chance of it happening.
Getting Mexico to shoot itself in the foot like that would take alot of money.
How would the Nazi's deliver it?
I'm sure Mexico wouldn't take an out-of-country check.
I don't believe even a solid gold U-Boat would've be enough.
Once in hand, what's to gaurantee that Mexico (anyone) wouldn't just take the money and run?
Before that, Germany didn't have enough money for themselves.
Money up front, and cash only....Senior
Are you saying that Germany could've convinced Mexico with just words?
If that's the case, I can see that picture of that "Bandito" saying....
Rhetoric? weeee doan knee no Stinking Rhetoric!

 

No offense intended, at all.
I'm saying that the Hispanics I know and have known, have been "street-smart" since the age of 2, none would fall for Nazi rhetoric!
They know that the only thing they would have gotten from Germany is sympathy cards.
They know that germany would have fought to the last drop of their blood.
They know they would've never been an equal partner of even a part of the Reich.
They know that they would've been next.

 

very well said skunk...very well said