ABSTRACT
The Estado Novo maintained close, cordial links with Brazil’s ruling classes, namely the rural oligarchy and the urban bourgeoisie, and thus Vargas was able to introduce sweeping political changes with the minimum of reaction. The cultural dimension entailed the promotion of Brazilian music and popular song. By 1941 Brazil’s foreign policy obviously hinged on its relations with the USA, and Brazil finally declared war on Germany and Italy on 21 August 1942, in response to torpedo attacks on Brazilian shipping off the northeastern coast. The regime’s immediate response to central concern was to tighten immigration policy. In the long term every effort was made to promote a self-consciously national culture, of which popular culture formed an important part, and to shape a new historical identity for Brazilians. Along with the Departamento de Imprensa e Propaganda existing censorship of all the media-press, radio, cinema, books, theatre-postal censorship was also imposed with Brazil’s entry into the world conflict in 1942.
