Mexico becomes more involved with the Allies and WW2 in general

What does it mean for a Mexico post WW2 that starts with strong support for Republican Spain followed by large formations of men and material committed to the war effort.

Let's say about as much men and material as Free France had to offer during the war.

Do they have any post-war demands? Do they pressure Franco and Spain?

What is America's reaction?, Russia's?
 
What does it mean for a Mexico post WW2 that starts with strong support for Republican Spain followed by large formations of men and material committed to the war effort.

Let's say about as much men and material as Free France had to offer during the war.

Do they have any post-war demands? Do they pressure Franco and Spain?

What is America's reaction?, Russia's?

So Mexico officially joining the Allies around the same time the US did?

My guess would mean that it would likely be the result of Japan sinking a Mexican ship. Mexico would probably be focused on liberatign former Dutch colonies from Japanese occupation, likely while stationed at the Philippines. As for with Spain... no idea. Franco joining the Axis would definitely require more forces to prevent the French from being sandwiched.
 
Probably nothing. Even Brazil, a far larger nation, only managed to send a single infantry division overseas.

Mexico could probably absorb some responsibility for Western Hemisphere defense - convoy escorts, maritime patrol, maybe a small garrison force somewhere - but that's it.

Mobilizing Mexican manpower would have required substantial American subsidies and equipment - to what purpose?
 
In the scenario you present at the very least having Mexican troops assume garrison duties does free up more American troops for other things.

A main goal for Mexican involvement would be to help put the country on the big stage, even if in a supporting role.
 
I don't think you can tie support for Republican Spain to a successful effort to take more part in WWII. Each side was tainted, either by Communism or Facism, and the ideological divide of those two totalitarian systems put everyone off, including those who supported one or the other and those who wanted nothing to do with either.
Mexico taking more of an active role however was doable. Mexico was heavily dependent upon the US for modernizing her military to enable her to do more, and it would take an even larger amount of capital and infrastructure investment to do more, except for utilizing her pool of manpower. It is conceivable the US could have used more of its growing military muscle to train and equip Mexican units for deployment overseas, just a with Brazil. This would have paid dividends later in 1944, when the shortages in infantry hit both the US and Britain. Having Mexico take part in the Italian Campaign, or garrisoning units elsewhere would have enabled some of the US and British units to deploy to France in 1944. Had things gone badly for the Allies after D-Day, it isn't inconceivable Mexican troops could have been brought in, all dependent of course, on how many could be trained and equipped.
I don't see Mexico being able to do much more in the area of her navy. Naval ratings generally take more time to train up, and more investment to do so, than many other types of military units. We were short of small escorts in the early part of the war, and by the time those two problems could be overcome (using US built ships) the U-boat threat had largely been defeated.
How would it affect the nation after the war? Hopefully they have a better infrastructural base and increased industry, and a better economy. There are other problems involved in all of this, covered in this article: https://www.thoughtco.com/mexican-involvement-in-world-war-two-2136644

As to how it affects US/Mexican relations postwar, a larger involvement, it depends. Were joint operations between the two nations successful? Were casualties equally spread between them? If not, accusations of shirking will be cast, to the detriment of postwar relations. Are Mexican troops involved in some high profile operation with heavy casualties? If they crack the Gothic Line in Italy, and or some of the other German defensive lines in Italy, that can only enhance the prestige of Mexico and the Mexican Militaries, during and postwar.

Regarding the Soviets, I don't see anything positive that can be done with them. Any enlarged relationship between Mexico and the SU will rebound against Mexico with the US, and destroy quite quickly whatever goodwill was developed during the war. The "Cold War" happened very quickly after VE Day, and it would be best to stay on better terms with a next door neighbor than a distant nation.
 

Ian_W

Banned
Mobilizing Mexican manpower would have required substantial American subsidies and equipment - to what purpose?

Same purpose as Brazil - adds another flag into the United Nations forces, and takes a bit more manpower pressure off the rest of the Allies.

I'd prefer to leave Americans in the steelworks and the aircraft factories and have trigger-pullers from South and Central America ... and the Brazillians did as well as any other Allied division in the war.
 
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Mobilizing Mexican manpower would have required substantial American subsidies and equipment - to what purpose?

Cannon fodder. The US equipped and supplied a dozen French, Chinese, Brazilian, & whatnot divisions. In terms of general military supply there was the equivalent of a dozen more. Adding a Mexican division or regiment costs the US little in material and adds more soldiers to the weight.
 
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