“The people who do not worship their historic achievements conspire against their own greatness.”
-National FEB Veterans Association
Historical context:
-From 1930 until 1945, Getúlio Vargas, from the Brazilian Labor Party, was the Brazilian president. Autocratic in nature, he had big plans to pave Brazil’s path as a great power: his power allowed him to kickstart several industrial developments (which were yet to materialize, after failed attempts from the Baron of Mauá), expand social services (on an anti-communist platform) and suppress opposition, most notably the failed 1932 Constitutionalist Revolution in São Paulo.
-A self-described pragmatist, Getúlio’s foreign policy was centered around neutrality, which allowed him to remain in good terms with the Western Powers (the French helped with the modernization of our armed forces), the United States (the massive American industries were of great interest to him, and so were our natural resources to them) and the Berlin-Rome Axis. The latter were, in Vargas’ vision, an example of strict authority enforcement, and efforts to improve relations started during the 1936 Berlin Olympics, going as far as deporting a pregnant Jewish woman who had escaped from the NS back to Germany. Due to this policy, it was a popular saying at the time that it was easier for a snake to smoke than for Brazil to enter the war. And snake did indeed smoke.
-Everything changed after Pearl Harbor, because the war had officially reached the Western shores of the Atlantic. German U-boats would torpedo neutral ships sending supplies to the allies, with some Brazilians getting drowned in the crossfire. The Americans had also requested to set up bases in the Brazilian Northeast (there were US plans to invade the region if requests were shot down) in exchange for industrial supplies, a part of the 1941 Washington Agreements to cut distances from operations in North Africa.
As the increased friendliness with the US put an end to neutrality, Brazil formally declared war on the Axis in late 1942.
Recruitment and campagin in Italy:
-Although a few naval skirmishes in the Atlantic had happened after the declaration of war, it was only in 1944 when the Brazilian Expeditionary Forces were formed due to logistics issues both at home and with the Americans, who provided the operational framework for our soldiers. Some 25,700 men were sent to fight in Italy, many with a rugged rural background, being first trained in bases in Napoli to better understand American combat practices and adapt to them.
-The first stage of the Brazilian campaign began in mid-September 1944, being tasked in November with expelling German troops from the Northern Apennines, Lazio (Central Italy), through its mountainous surroundings. After a few failed attempts in November and December, it became clear that to be successful in such an undertaking it would be necessary a joint attack by the effective of two divisions simultaneously on the nearby villages of Belvedere, Della Torraccia, Monte Castello and Castelnuovo di Vergato.
The unintentionally aggressive attitude of the two attempts to take Monte Castello, paired with the voluntary attitude of responding to the FEB’s exploratory incursions carried out in enemy territory, caused the Germans and their allies chose another sector of the Italian front, occupied by the US 92nd division, for their counteroffensive.
-Between late February and mid-March 1945, as the FEB commander had suggested, Operation Encore took place, a joint advance with the newly arrived US 10th Mountain Division. Thus, Monte Castello and Castelnuovo were finally taken by the Brazilians, while the Americans took Belvedere and Della Torraccia. The conquest of these positions allowed for the final spring offensive in April, when the Expeditionaries and Americans advanced in Montese, Emilia Romagna, with the Brazilians reaching as far North as Turin, Piedmont, and Susa, near the French border, linking up with French troops.
Several Italian and German POWs were taken, with a camptured NS Captain infamously telling the Expeditionary commander that “you, Brazilians, are either crazy or very brave to advance under machine guns and well-defended positions with such disregard for life”, and that “you are genuine devils”.
Aftermath:
-The Expeditionary Force suffered 2,454 casualties out of the 25,700 men sent, a casualty rate of a little less than 10%, and around 12,000 men were injured. After rejecting a UN invitation to occupy Austria, the War Ministry gave the order to subordinate to the 1st Military Region Command, in Rio de Janeiro, meaning a lightning dissolution when returning home.
-The FEB veterans are highly praised in Italy and across Brazilian society, with a National Association and various local museums to keep their memories alive. They are commonly referred to as Pracinhas: in Portuguese, it is the diminutive of praça (meaning square), a jargon for lower military ranks due to military gatherings happening in squares.
The smoking snake became their uncontested symbol, used as a patch on their jackets, just as the quote “the snake is going to smoke” became a slang for a decisive reaction to a situation. It is also a cultural reference, ranging from Walt Disney’s tribute to the Pracinhas (above) to Sabaton’s Smoking Snakes song.
Here is a link to the Expeditionary’s Song, the Force’s anthem:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDvBz7LGpbw
