Mexican Involvement in World War II

Mexico Helped Push the Allied Powers Over the Top

Everyone knows the World War II Allied Powers: the United States of America, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Canada, New Zealand... and Mexico?

That's right, Mexico. In May of 1942, the United States of Mexico declared war on the Axis alliance. They even saw some combat: a Mexican fighter squad fought valiantly in the South Pacific in 1945. But their importance to the Allied effort was much greater than a handful of pilots and airplanes.

It is unfortunate that Mexico’s significant contributions are often overlooked. Even before their official declaration of war, Mexico closed its ports to German ships and submarines: had they not, the effect on US shipping might have been disastrous. Mexico’s industrial and mineral production was an important part of the US effort, and the economic importance of the thousands of farm workers manning the fields while the American men were away cannot be overstated. Also, let us not forget that while Mexico officially only saw a bit of aerial combat, thousands of Mexican grunts did fight, bleed, and die for the Allied cause, all the while wearing an American uniform.

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