Conservatives, members of the Radical Party and the "national interest": the Empire of Japan's support networks in Chile during World War II

Abstract

This investigation is framed within the scholarship that examines Latin American politics during WWII. We aim to reassess the Chilean experience departing from an analysis of those who supported neutrality and the activities of the Japanese legation in the country. From a methodological pint of view, we shed light on less studied actors and reveal important elements for the understanding of the Chilean situation during the War. This paper concludes that the argument for neutrality lay on a specific idea of the "national interest" which was supported by various politician, some of those were also supportive to the pro Japanese networks. This is an original study that uses archival information from the U.S., Chile and Japan in order to reveal the ideas and interests behind the support for neutrality among some conservatives and popular front members.