Records of the Department of State Relating to Political Relations between the United States and Uruguay, 1945-1959
In February 1945 Uruguay signed the Declaration by United Nations and officially declared war on the Axis power, although it did not participate in any actual fighting. Prior to 1945, Uruguay came to the attention of the world as the final resting place of the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee, scuttled in the port of Montevideo in December 1939 following the Battle of the River Plate. During the Second World War and the Korean War, Uruguay saw economic prosperity supplying beef, wool, and leather to the Allies. Juan José de Amézaga Landaroso, President from 1943-1947, led his country through the closing years of the Second World War. From 1952-1967, the presidency was effectively abolished and a nine-member National Council of Government (Consejo Nacional de Gobierno) was established in its place. The “presidency” rotated among the members of the majority party, with presidents serving annual terms. The idea behind this collegiate body (colegiado) was that it would lower the risk of a dictatorship emerging. Publications relating to political relations between the United States and other states generally include cables, memoranda, and correspondence addressing the political affairs and concerns affecting the particular state. Covering primarily the early Cold War documents, this collection gives researchers a unique insight into American foreign policy during one of its most stressful periods in international relations. After World War II, with only two superpowers vying for influence, access, and control, the United States looked to its state department to provide detailed analyses and insight into political affairs. As such these records are bound to be of great interest to diplomatic historians and historians studying these countries, seeking to understand American foreign affairs during this period.