Calogeras Plan The administration of
Venceslau Brás, which was in its last year in office, made statements implying that it did not intend to involve the country deeper into the conflict. Nevertheless, in early 1918, a confidential report commissioned by the presidential candidate elected that year,
Rodrigues Alves, was completed. This report, regarding the entry of Brazil into the conflict, was coordinated by the parliamentary expert on foreign policy and military affairs,
João Pandiá Calogeras. Dubbed the Calogeras Plan, it recommended that the country send an expeditionary force of considerable size to fight in the war. It also advised using all necessary means (including ships of enemy powers already seized in Brazilian waters and ports) to disembark the troops on French soil where they would be trained and equipped by the French—all was to be financed with U.S. bank loans which in turn would be settled by compensation imposed on the defeated enemies after the war. The Calogeras Plan (which was only made public after the death of its authors) contained several proposals, intended for the newly elected administration taking office in November of that year, across several government areas. However, the international and domestic events that year, as well as the specific circumstances of Brazilian politics (with a notable opposition to war in the population) and the country's unclear foreign policy, ultimately prevented it from being carried forward, precluding the country from greater involvement in the conflict.
Army The Brazilian Army was enlarged to 54,000 men following the declaration of war, but this rapid expansion meant that most immediately available resources had to be directed to the training and equipping of new recruits. Brazil's direct participation in land operations was limited to a preparatory military mission of 24 officers and sergeants sent to Europe in mid-1918. Its members were attached to allied units, mainly in the French Army, to gain awareness of modern techniques employed in organization and combat on the Western Front. One-third of the officers who were sent to France were promoted for their courage in battle. Among them were
José Pessoa, who was a lieutenant at the time. Throughout his career, he became an important ideologue and reformer of the
Brazilian Army. Also promoted was Major
Tertuliano Potiguara, a controversial figure accused of
war crimes in the
Contestado campaign, who was wounded in action at the
Battle of St. Quentin Canal during the
Meuse-Argonne Offensive. The end of World War I in November 1918 precluded the further development of the country's military involvement in the war as envisioned in the Calogeras Plan.
Navy Brazil's main military involvement in World War I took place at sea. In particular, the Secretary of the Navy ordered the use of naval power in the
anti-submarine campaign, with Admiral Alexandre Faria de Alencar organizing a task force that would allow the effective participation of the Brazilian Navy in World War I. Ministerial Notice No. 501 was issued on January 30, 1918, thus establishing the Naval Division for War Operations (Divisão Naval em Operações de Guerra, or DNOG), a
naval fleet composed of units drawn from the fleets that formed the Navy in Brazil. The
dreadnoughts and , as well as the and , were some of the major warships of the DNOG. The DNOG comprised the following vessels: • Scout cruiser • Scout cruiser • Destroyer (CT–3) • Destroyer (CT–4) • Destroyer (CT–5) • Destroyer (CT–9) • Tender
Belmonte auxiliary ship •
Laurindo Pitta fleet
tug The DNOG was initially tasked to patrol the Atlantic maritime area covered by the triangle between the city of
Dakar on the African coast, the island of
São Vicente, Cape Verde, and
Gibraltar at the entrance to the Mediterranean. The Division would remain under the orders of the British Admiralty, represented by Admiral
Hischcot Grant. As Commander, the Minister appointed one of the most well-regarded officers at the time, Admiral
Pedro de Frontin, on January 30, 1918. The war at sea fought by Brazil's navy began on August 1, 1918, following the departure of the force from the port of
Rio de Janeiro. On August 3, 1918, the German submarine torpedoed the Brazilian ship
Maceió. On August 9, 1918, the mission reached
Freetown in
Sierra Leone, with the fleet staying 14 days, during which the crew began falling ill with
Spanish flu during a
pandemic. On the night of August 25, while sailing from Freetown to Dakar, the
division suffered a torpedo attack by German submarines, but no casualties or damage were suffered by the Brazilian vessels; the torpedoes passed harmlessly between the Brazilian ships. A successful counter-attack using
depth charges was launched, and the Royal Navy credited the Brazilians with the destruction of a
U-boat. Subsequently, after anchoring in the port of Dakar, the crews were again severely hit by the Spanish flu, which claimed the lives of over a hundred sailors and kept the Division restricted to port for almost two months. Among the Allied naval command, there was debate about how the forces of the Brazilian fleet should be used: "The Italians wanted them in the
Mediterranean, the Americans wanted them to work closely with US forces, and the French wanted to keep them protecting the commercial maritime traffic along the African coast Between Dakar and Gibraltar". This indecision among the Allied command, combined with operational problems and the
Spanish flu pandemic, led to extended delays. In effect, the fleet didn't arrive at Gibraltar until the beginning of November 1918, just days before the signing of the
armistice and the
end of the war. As another preparatory military mission, the navy sent a group of
military aviators who served with the
Royal Air Force on the western front.
Military medical mission On August 18, 1918, the Brazilian Medical Mission, led by Dr. Nabuco Gouveia and directed by General Aché, was established with 86 doctors, civilian pharmacists, administrative support staff, and a security platoon. They were sent to the European Theatre to establish a hospital. On September 24, 1918, the Mission landed at the French port of
Marseille. The hospital was opened in Paris, but the main roles performed by the Medical Mission were in providing treatment for French sufferers during the
Spanish flu epidemic and in ensuring the continuity of logistical support to the troops at the front. The Medical Mission was terminated in February 1919. ==Aftermath==