“The Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs Presents”, “Gracias Amigos”, “Gracias Amigos WWII Film w/ Lowell Thomas BW”,

“Made in World War II by the U.S. government as part of the war effort, GRACIAS AMIGOS is hosted by venerable radio reporter Lowell Thomas. The film explains how the USA came to rely on its Latin American and South American neighbors for aid during the war, in the form of vital raw materials. With rubber supplies from Indonesia cut off, and even hemp for rope in short supply, the USA had to look elsewhere for materials. Nations like Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, Brazil and other republics provided quinine, natural rubber, nitrate, quartz, sisal rope, tin, industrial diamonds, wood, mahogany, cotton, arsenic for insecticides, and manganese. The film contains images from throughout Mexico, Central and South America of mines, agriculture, industry.

At 9:18, Major General Harold L. George, head of the Army Transport Command, speaks about the vital importance of “our friends and neighbors in Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean cannot be revealed until after the war … ” but is very important to the success of the Allies.”