Page 411 - 1992 - XVIII Congresso Internazionale di Storia Militare

ll-IE BIIAZIUAN MIIJTAIIY PllESENCE IN WOlU.D WAll Il 377
The Brazilian Expeditiooary Force, commanded by Major Genera!Joao Bati-
sta Mascarenbas De Moraes, taok part in che operations of che lralian campaign
from july 1944 co May 1945, with a full strength of 25 334 men, incorporaced t o
che Generai Mark Clark's 5'b U.S. Army, and subordinaced co the rv U.S. Army
Corps under the command of Generai Willis Criccenberg.
In order co have a bricf picrure of the opcradona.l performance of che Brazi-
lian Expedirionary Force, ler us quote che message of its Comma n der when announ-
cing che Allied viaory in Europe:
"The Brazilian Expediclonary Force thac reprcsenced Bruil in chis bloody war,
gallandy accomplished the mission thac i c was emrusced with, a c the mercy of God
and despite adverse condirions and d rcumsra.nces. In a mountainous ccrrain, who·
se peaks man reaches wirh difficulry; a rigorous winrer rhac the whole uoop faced
for che firsc cime, and agninsr an audacious, combadve and vcry well crnined cnc:-
my, and we may say chac also, and because of chat, our brave soldiers d id noc fai!
ro deserve the confidence thac was enrrusced in them by their commandcrs and
che wole BraziJiao Nacioo".
" After eighc monchs of consmnc comb:ns wc re, as ali che armi es, we suffered
hcavy reverscs and gained remarkable viccories, the checking of rhc accouncs is fa-
vorable to our a rms. Since September t6<~~, 1944, the BraziJian Expeditionary Force
moved over about 400 Km, conquering the enemy, sometimes inch by inch, from
Lucca to Alessandria, through che vaJJcys of the Scrd1io. Reno a od Panaro rivers
and chrough the Po plnin; it liberated almosr fifty villages and towns; ic had more
than 2000 casualùcs, among dead, wounded and missing; caprurcd che considera-
ble number of more chan 20000 prisoners; winning by che use of arms and impo·
sing unconditionRI surrcnder on cwo cncmy's divisions. One day ir will be
acknowlegded thac it was supcrior to ics materia! porentialiry, although pcrfccdy
in kceping with the norion of ducy and love of rcsponsibilicy reveaJed by our men
in evcry stcp and echelon of hicrarchy. and in ali che crises and circumstanccs of
the campaign rh:lf we h ave just finished".
"We rerurn wounded, stili blceding from che hm engagemencs, bue never be·
cause of our performance. ha ve che prestige and name of Brazil been jeopardized
or compromised. lt is crue and worth sayiog i c was a high pnce we paid for this resulr".
"The blood of our brave comrades painred chese beautiful darkgreen Appen·
nines mountains red and hundreds of our companions will nor rerurn co our coun·
rry wich us, because chcy slet.-p the ecerna.l rese under che humid and green land
of the Toscana plains".
"The months we stayed hcre were not so many, but so many wcre che triumphs
we incorporaced in our rich military pacrimooy and tradicions. Camaiore. Monce
Prano, Barga - in the valley of Serchio: Monte Cascelo. La Serra, Castelnuovo
- in thc vallcy of Reno; Montese, Zocca., Marano su Panaro - in the valley of
Panaro; Collechio and Fornovo di Taro - in che rich Po plain".