Brasil
| Reino do Brasil | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom of Brasil | |
 | |
| Capital | Rio de Janeiro |
| Population | 3 million (1922) 4,5 million (1935) |
| Government Type | Constitutional monarchy |
The Kingdom of Brasil (Reino do Brasil) was a constituent part of the Union of Portugal-Brasil. Established in 1922, comprised every former Portuguese colonial holding in South America by that year. Differently from a colonial possession or a dominion, the kingdom was an integral part of the Lusophone nation of Portugal-Brasil, so the same citizenship was granted to both born in South America and in Europe.
History
Establishment
The Luso-Brazilian Compromise (1922)
The end of the colonial rule in Carolina sparked once again the feeling of nationalism and independence in Brazil, many republican authors, republican associations and communard societies across Brazil started to advocate for the end of Portuguese rule in the continent. These ideals gained more force after Brazil got hit directly by the economic crisis in Europe during most of the 1920s.
The economic crisis hit Brazil severely, coffee customers across the world, Brazil’s most important economic partners, started to reduce the purchase of the product, thus the many coffee plantations started to suffer from overproduction and devaluation of the prices. Many businesses closed and unemployment skyrocketed. In this context, opposition to the semi-colonial government of Brazil started to gain force. Many saw the problem as consequences of the crown heavily influencing the political and economic decisions, and from August 1922 to November of the same year, protests demanding more political freedoms, and in the most radical cases, total independence, started to happen.
On November the 2nd, 1922, in a radio broadcast, the province president of São Paulo, Rafael Tobias, declared a revolt. The province of Minas Gerais followed the same strategy soon later in the same day. The presidents of the two provinces had been in secret talks since September of 1922, the plan was to send an ultimatum to the crown. To prevent a bloody conflict in the continent, the rebel provinces stated openage to dialogue with the crown.
Portugal wasn’t in shape to fight a war thousands of kilometers away, and in telegram, agreed to discuss terms with the new Brazilian Government, which already comprised four of the six provinces of Brazil. On November 25th, Portuguese envoys and the Brazilian Independent Government gathered in Rio de Janeiro to solve the situation diplomatically.
On December 4th, the Luso-Brazilian Compromise, or Treaty of Rio, established the dual monarchy of Portugal and Brazil. The main terms of the treaty were:
- Creation of a new Brazilian constitution, which were an adaptation of the Portuguese constitution, but with more political rights to Brazil;
- The Kingdom of Brazil would consists of every Portuguese territory in South America, while the Kingdom of Portugal would consists of the rest of the empire;
- Abolition of the title of Governor of Brazil and creation of the title of Prime Minister;
- Political rights to any man, regardless of his income;
- Abolition of the title of Governor of Brazil and creation of the title of Prime Minister;
- Establishment of a single citizenship. Luso-Brazilian;
- Brazilians could be elected to all political offices;
- End of Portuguese influence over local politics.
Involvement in the Great War (1935-1939)
When Portugal declared war on France and Austria in July 1935, Brazil was dragged along due the constitutional obligation to fight along the Portuguese in any conflict. Brazil was the only luso-american nation to fight directly in through the entirety of the conflict.
Brazilian Expeditionary Force
Composed of 30,000 troops, the Brazilian Expeditionary Force was created in September 1935. The troops were later divided in two groups: 7,500 men were sent to integrate the Portuguese forces in Europe, while the second group, 22,500 men, were sent on a mission to retake Portuguese colonies occupied by France in Africa.
The Brazilian forces were outdated, since South America was a relatively peaceful continent, and Brazil wasn't involved directly in any war or major armed conflict fought on luso-american territory since the independence of Equador. So it took two years to develop better equipment and vehicles for the army, which were granted by British investments.
Retake of Portuguese Guinea, Bioko and São Tomé e Príncipe
In October 1937, the Brazilian Expeditionary Force (FEB) landed on the island of São Tomé, retaking it in a matter of a week. After the news of the expulsion of the French from São Tomé, revolts quickly started to happen in Príncipe and Bioko, forcing the occupation forces to retreat to Niger.
The operation to retake Portuguese Guinea took place two months later, in the beginning of December. In the meantime, the FEB received reinforcements from Angola.
The Brazilian-Angolese force landed on Portuguese Guinea on December 10th, and found an mostly unprotected coastline, but once entered more into the interior of the colony, in the search of conquering Abome, fighting with the French occupation forces began.
On December 21th, the Brazilian-Angolse forces started a siege over Abome, which lasted until January 30th of 1938, when facing supply shortage, the occupation forces surrendered, ending the conflict in Portuguese Africa.
