Mascarenhas de Moraes
Encyclopedia
Marshal João Baptista Mascarenhas de Morais (November 13, 1883 – September 17, 1968) was a Spanish Brazilian
Army Officer and commander of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force
in the Second World War.
, a municipality
and a comark (county
) of the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul
. His father was a trader, son of a veteran official from the 'War of Tatters
' (Guerra dos Farrapos).
He attended The Praia Vermelha Military School in Rio de Janeiro
and had a legalist position in the many military revolts of the 1920s and early 1930s. During the 1930 Revolution
Mascarenhas kept his loyalty to President Washington Luiz and was arrested by the rebels headed by Getúlio Vargas
, who became president himself in that same year after ousting Washington Luiz. After release, Mascarenhas continued his career in the army and was put under arrest for a second time in 1932 when he proclaimed his support for a military and civil uprising against Vargas in São Paulo
during 1932. Once again, after the defeat of the uprising, Mascarenhas was released and not prosecuted.
In 1935, while serving in the Realengo Military School, Mascarenhas de Morais took part in the fight against a communist uprising in Rio de Janeiro. This time his loyalty was with the constitutional government of Getulio Vargas. In 1937 he became a General and was, in the following years, commander of the 7th and 9th military regions in Recife
and São Paulo respectively.
In 1943 he was named Commander of The First Expeditionary Infantry Division of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force, the 1st DIE (in Portuguese, "Primeira Divisão de Infantaria Expedicionária"). With the cancellation of the 2nd and 3rd Divisions he thus became Commander of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force, comprising only the 1st DIE. During the organization of the 1st DIE he was also head of the Brazil Military Commission with the USA and visited the Mediterranean Theater of operations in 1943, before the arrival of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force.
The General arrived in Italy
with the first Brazilian troops in June 1944 and commanded the Brazilian forces until the surrender of the Axis forces in Italy, on May 2, 1945.
After the end of the war he returned to Brazil and, in 1946, was made a Marshal by The Brazilian Congress and received the command of the 1st Military Region in the then Brazilian capital, Rio de Janeiro.
After a short retirement Mascarenhas returned to active duty in 1951 as Chief of Staff of the Brazilian Armed Forces during the second Vargas government (1951–1954). After the President's suicide, in August 1954, he returned to retirement and wrote his memoirs of his time as commander of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force. A federal
special law was approved by the National Congress declaring him in army's active service for life, with all responsibilities and privileges, with the rank of Field Marshal
. He died in Rio de Janeiro
in 1968.
Spanish Brazilian
Brazilians of Spanish descent are Brazilian people of full or partial Spanish ancestry. Brazilians of Spanish descent can be estimated as being 15 million people or 20 million according the Spanish government. -Figures:...
Army Officer and commander of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force
Brazilian Expeditionary Force
The Brazilian Expeditionary Force or BEF was a force about 25,700 men and women arranged by the Army and Air Force to fight alongside the Allied forces in the Mediterranean Theatre of World War II...
in the Second World War.
Biography
Mascarenhas de Morais was born in São GabrielSão Gabriel
São Gabriel is a municipality in the state Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.It's the birthplace of the Field Marshal Mascarenhas de Morais and Baron of Candiota.- Paleontology :This city belongs to the geopark of Paleorrota....
, a municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
and a comark (county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
) of the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...
. His father was a trader, son of a veteran official from the 'War of Tatters
War of Tatters
The War of the Ragamuffins was a Republican uprising that began in southern Brazil, in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina in 1835...
' (Guerra dos Farrapos).
He attended The Praia Vermelha Military School in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
and had a legalist position in the many military revolts of the 1920s and early 1930s. During the 1930 Revolution
Brazilian Revolution of 1930
The Revolution of 1930 was a movement that overthrew President Washington Luís and installed Getúlio Vargas as Provisional President.-See also:*Revolutions of Brazil*History of Brazil...
Mascarenhas kept his loyalty to President Washington Luiz and was arrested by the rebels headed by Getúlio Vargas
Getúlio Vargas
Getúlio Dornelles Vargas served as President of Brazil, first as dictator, from 1930 to 1945, and in a democratically elected term from 1951 until his suicide in 1954. Vargas led Brazil for 18 years, the most for any President, and second in Brazilian history to Emperor Pedro II...
, who became president himself in that same year after ousting Washington Luiz. After release, Mascarenhas continued his career in the army and was put under arrest for a second time in 1932 when he proclaimed his support for a military and civil uprising against Vargas in São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
during 1932. Once again, after the defeat of the uprising, Mascarenhas was released and not prosecuted.
In 1935, while serving in the Realengo Military School, Mascarenhas de Morais took part in the fight against a communist uprising in Rio de Janeiro. This time his loyalty was with the constitutional government of Getulio Vargas. In 1937 he became a General and was, in the following years, commander of the 7th and 9th military regions in Recife
Recife
Recife is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Brazil with 4,136,506 inhabitants, the largest metropolitan area of the North/Northeast Regions, the 5th-largest metropolitan influence area in Brazil, and the capital and largest city of the state of Pernambuco. The population of the city proper...
and São Paulo respectively.
In 1943 he was named Commander of The First Expeditionary Infantry Division of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force, the 1st DIE (in Portuguese, "Primeira Divisão de Infantaria Expedicionária"). With the cancellation of the 2nd and 3rd Divisions he thus became Commander of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force, comprising only the 1st DIE. During the organization of the 1st DIE he was also head of the Brazil Military Commission with the USA and visited the Mediterranean Theater of operations in 1943, before the arrival of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force.
The General arrived in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
with the first Brazilian troops in June 1944 and commanded the Brazilian forces until the surrender of the Axis forces in Italy, on May 2, 1945.
After the end of the war he returned to Brazil and, in 1946, was made a Marshal by The Brazilian Congress and received the command of the 1st Military Region in the then Brazilian capital, Rio de Janeiro.
After a short retirement Mascarenhas returned to active duty in 1951 as Chief of Staff of the Brazilian Armed Forces during the second Vargas government (1951–1954). After the President's suicide, in August 1954, he returned to retirement and wrote his memoirs of his time as commander of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force. A federal
Federal government
The federal government is the common government of a federation. The structure of federal governments varies from institution to institution. Based on a broad definition of a basic federal political system, there are two or more levels of government that exist within an established territory and...
special law was approved by the National Congress declaring him in army's active service for life, with all responsibilities and privileges, with the rank of Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
. He died in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
in 1968.
External links
- Brazilian Army in Second World War (in Portuguese)