Vol. 16, Issue 1, Jul-Dec 2023

Page: 36-49

The American War and Peace Conference (Chapultepec Conference) of 1945

Asst. Prof. Bushra Sukker Khayoon

Received Date: 2026-01-12

Accepted Date: 2026-03-05

Published Date: 2026-03-09

The Chapultepec Conference held in Mexico City in 1945 represented a U.S. effort to shape a unified continental system that would secure its interests in the post–World War II era by promoting the principle of American solidarity, collective security, and a liberal economic order serving U.S. trade goals. Meanwhile, Latin American countries sought industrialization and independence from economic dependency. The conference addressed the establishment of a continental peace organization and economic integration, but tensions over tariff protection and the role of the state in the economy revealed significant differences between the U.S. and southern nations. Nevertheless, the conference marked a turning point in inter-American relations and paved the way for the formation of the Organization of American States and a unified approach at the later San Francisco Conference.

Back Download PDF

References

• Atkins, P. (1997). Encyclopedia of the Inter-American System. Greenwood Publisher.
• Bulmer-Thomas, V. (1994). The economic history of Latin America since independence. Cambridge University Press.
• Fagg, J. E. (1982). Pan Americanism: Its meaning and history. Robert E. Krieger Publishing Company.
• Galindo, J. (2017). The Conference of Chapultepec (1945): Latin American economic nationalism versus the free market policies of the United States. Universidad Veracruzana.
• Morgenfeld, L. A. (2010). Argentina y la vuelta al sistema interamericano: el largo camino a Chapultepec. Relaciones Internacionales.
• Smith, P. H. (2007). Talons of the eagle: Latin America, the United States, and the world. Oxford University Press.
• Toledo, M. A. (2022). Conference on problems of war and peace: Mexico, 1945. Università degli studi di Siena.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945a, January 5). The Secretary of State to the Diplomatic Representatives in the American Republics Except Argentina. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945b, January 10). The Mexican Minister for Foreign Affairs (Padilla) to the Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945c, January 11). The Acting Secretary of State to the Diplomatic Representatives in the American Republics Except Argentina and Mexico. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945d, January 12). The Chargé in Costa Rica (Washington) to the Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945e, January 12). The Chargé in Nicaragua (Finley) to the Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945f, January 12). The Ambassador in Peru (White) to the Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945g, January 12). The Ambassador in Honduras (Erwin) to the Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945h, January 12). The Ambassador in Cuba (Braden) to the Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945i, January 13). The Acting Secretary of State to the Mexican Minister for Foreign Affairs (Padilla). Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945j, January 13). The Ambassador in Bolivia (Thurston) to the Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945k, January 17). The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Mexico (Messersmith). Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945l, January 18). Suggested Agenda Approved by President Roosevelt for the Conference of American Republics Collaborating in the War Effort. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945m, January 20). The Chargé in Panama (Butler) to the Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945n, January 20). The Ambassador in Colombia (Wiley) to the Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945o, January 22). The Chargé in Brazil (Donnelly) to the Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX
• U.S. Department of State. (1945p, January 22). The Ambassador in Paraguay (Beaulac) to the Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945q, January 23). The Ambassador in Chile (Bowers) to the Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945r, January 24). The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Paraguay (Beaulac). Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945s, January 24). The Ambassador in Venezuela (Corrigan) to the Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945t, January 27). The Chargé in the Dominican Republic (Newbegin) to the Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945u, January 30). The Ambassador in Colombia (Wiley) to the Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945v, January 31). The Ambassador in Colombia (Wiley) to the Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945w, January 31). The Ambassador in Ecuador (Scotten) to the Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945x, February 6). The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Uruguay (Dawson). Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945y, February 8). The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in El Salvador (Gade). Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945z, February 9). The Ambassador in Uruguay (Dawson) to the Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945aa, February 10). The Ambassador in Guatemala (Long) to the Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945ab, February 10). Draft Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State (Rockefeller) and the Deputy Director of the Office of American Republic Affairs (Lockwood) to the Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945ac, February 12). The Honduran Ambassador (Cáceres) to the Assistant Secretary of State (Rockefeller). Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945ad, February 17). The Ambassador in Haiti (Wilson) to the Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945ae, February 23). The American Delegation to the Acting Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945af, February 24). The American Delegation to the Acting Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945ag, February 26). The American Delegation to the Acting Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945ah, February 27). The American Delegation to the Acting Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945ai, February 28). The American Delegation to the Acting Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945aj, March 5). The American Delegation to the Acting Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.
• U.S. Department of State. (1945ak, March 7). The American Delegation to the Acting Secretary of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: The American Republics, 1945, IX.