Not really a question, just a loose end I was idly tugging at , I was just looking into Peru during world war 2, and noticing that they had their own conflict then, after coming across a passing 24th L war diary ref. There's a reference in the war diary of the 24th Lancers for a few days around May 1942, when they had a Peruvian guest... 5/5/42 Regimental HQ moved from Mayfield to West Camp, Crowborough. 6/5/42 Officers of the Regiment attended a demonstration showing the working and handling of the scissors bridge. Captain C.P.Diarderas of the Peruvian Army visited the Regiment. 8-10/5/42 The Regiment took part in the 29th Armoured Brigade Exercise “Shikar”. This was just a few months after the Ecuadorian–Peruvian War (5 July 1941 – 31 January 1942)... Looking at: Ecuadorian–Peruvian War - Wikipedia "Although the Ecuadorian–Peruvian War occurred during World War II, it was not part of the conflict; Ecuador and Peru were affiliated neither to the Allies or Axis nor supported by either side." Albeit I've seen other refs including Declarations of war during World War II - Wikipedia for example with both Peru and Ecuador declaring war against the axis in Feb of 1945. Not sure why "Captain C.P.Diarderas of the Peruvian Army visited the Regiment." but perhaps he was there to see "the working and handling of the scissors bridge." For instance, we might have been on the cusp of selling them some, or else it was just a courtesy to a foreign guest, and potential future ally: Armoured vehicle-launched bridge - Wikipedia At the moment I can't find anything on a "Diarderas" surname, so it might be a typo or transcription error from the 24th L wardiary, or a false or just fairly uncommon name google hasn't collated any info on yet.
imagine they declared war then knowing it was all over been hedging their bets perhaps a few Peruvian casualties on CWGC a couple for info below HARRISON, DENNIS GOODWIN Rank: Lieutenant Date of Death: 16/01/1944 Age: 26 Regiment/Service: Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve H.M.S. Saker. Grave Reference: Lot 5199. Grave 333. Cemetery: EVERETT (WOODLAWN) CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of Ernest and Annie Gladys Harrison, of Lima, Peru. B.Sc. (Engr.). GAVATZ, LUIS Rank: Fireman and Trimmer Date of Death: 13/03/1917 Age: 30 Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine S.S. "Luciline" (London) Panel Reference: Memorial: TOWER HILL MEMORIAL Additional Information: Born in Peru.
The World at War - Diplomatic Timeline 1939-1945 Has…January 24th 1942 - Peru breaks diplomatic relations with Germany, Italy and Japan. Then just after a year later: January 26th 1943 - Peru breaks diplomatic relations with Vichy France. And: February 12th 1945 - Peru in state of belligerency with Germany and Japan. As regards why they declared war only in 1945 though, I have seen various refs. that it was part of the process then of their joining the UN, and this was made clear to them, i.e. there's some interesting text in here for instance: http://images.library.wisc.edu/FRUS/EFacs/1945v09/reference/frus.frus1945v09.i0023.pdf Which also refs. what the US could do for Peru, and wanted in return etc. as well as not wanting to alarm Peru's close neighbours by strengthening their offensive arms too much, as Peru seemed to desire. I was finding too that wiki was redirecting me to here (Japanese Peruvians page below), which again rather refutes the overt claim (above - "Ecuador and Peru were affiliated neither to the Allies or Axis nor supported by either side" that Peru was neither allied to the allies or axis during ww2, albeit that might just refer to the local dispute between Ecuador and Peru, or that they were covert allied allies etc.: Japanese Peruvians - Wikipedia "After the Japanese air raids on Pearl Harbor and the Philippines, the U.S Office of Strategic Services (OSS), formed during World War II to coordinate secret espionage activities against the Axis Powers for the branches of the United States Armed Forcesand the United States State Department, were alarmed at the large Japanese Peruvian community living in Peru, and were also wary of the increasing new arrivals of Japanese nationals to Peru. Fearing the Empire of Japan could sooner or later decide to invade the Republic of Peru and use the southern American country as a landing base for its troops, and its nationals living there as foreign agents against America, in order to open another military front in the American Pacific, the U.S. government quickly negotiated with Lima a political-military alliance agreement in 1942; 1,799[12] This political-military alliance provided Peru with new military technology such as military aircraft, tanks, modern infantry equipment, and new boats for the Peruvian Navy, as well as new American bank loans and new investments in the Peruvian economy. In return, the Americans ordered the Peruvians to track, identify and create ID files for all the Japanese Peruvians living in Peru. Later, at the end of 1942 and during all of 1943 and 1944, the Peruvian government on behalf of the U.S. Government and the OSS organized and started the massive arrests, without warrants and without judicial proceedings or hearings, and the deportation of almost all the Japanese Peruvian community to several American internment camps run by the U.S. Justice Department in the states of Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Georgia and Virginia" Given the number of Germans that fled to South America after the war and could not (apparently) be found or returned in many instances, it paints quite a different picture there re. the situation for the Peruvian Japanese.
