Hypothetical - If Venezuala had joined the Axis in 1940 what impact would it have had on ww2

Out of the Foxholes Questions
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A what if, Venezuala wanting to seize the dutch ABC islands and British Guyana attacked both, does this have any sort of domino effect for other Latin american and caribbean countries joining allies or axis? Does Mexico attempt to seize Belize?

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This hypothetical is entirely impossible, the only latin american nation with even a remote chance of actually joining the axis was brazil and even that is extremely unlikely.

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The biggest problem is that Britain in a war with Venezuela would not have been able to buy Venezuelan oil. After Italy joined the war against Britain, oil from the Middle East could no longer be shipped through the Mediterranean to Britain and Britain did not have enough ships to transport enough oil from the Middle East around the Cape. Therefore Britain needed Venezuelan oil. Ik have read about that in the book ‘Oil and the great powers’ written by Anand Toprani.

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But couldn’t they get that oil from the good old USA? The largest oil producer in the world, then.

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If they join axis, they lose. Join allies, win.

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Probably Britain could have bought more oil from the USA. Anand Toprani mentions in his book ‘Oil and the great powers’ that Britain bought oil both from the USA and Venezuela.

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Venezuela is cheaper than American oil…I think. Is that why they bought more oil from Venezuela?

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Good suggestion, Venezuela always wanted the ABC Islands and still wants them. The Dutch after all took these Islands in 1634 because they could intercept Spanish trade/looting to Europe.

That was part of the 80 years war with Spain for Dutch independence/Religious war between Catholics and Protestants.

As the Dutch and British were part of the Allies this would have put Venezuela In the corner of the Axis and by 1940 it was not obvious that the Axis would win. I think it would be a very risky move with the possibility of the US sending out a punitive expedition to take back the ABC islands with their oil as well! The US was involved in a lot of small wars so that is not unthinkable.

But like I said great what if any views are very welcome. (I used to work in the ABC Islands for a while and recommend their Carnival and Jump up to Carnaval parades )

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