The Tango War

This lively book, driven by colorful personalities, strikes the ideal balance between informative and entertaining. --Publisher's Weekly (Starred Review) A lively history...Although the stories take place on a global stage, McConahay has followed their ripples to the personal level, the book's most engaging feature. --Booklist Fascinating...McConahay gives an account thick with detail and unexpected twists regarding America's efforts to control the resources of Latin America. Fast-paced and informative, this is essential reading for anyone who wants to better understand World War II and some of the forces that led to it. --Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review) A long-overdue history... In a series of deeply-compelling stories Mary Jo McConahay shows how Latin America's reputation as a sleepy backwater was a deceptively convenient cover for all sides. For anyone interested in World War II, Latin America, or just plain good old-fashioned stories, really well told, this is a fascinating read. --Jon Lee Anderson, Staff Writer, The New Yorker, author The Lion's Grave and Che Guevara What a dazzling array of stories Mary Jo McConahay has put together! The Tango War provides a highly unusual look at World War II while filling in a missing chapter of 20th-century Latin American history. It is entertaining, original, and scholarly, reflecting the author's lifetime immersion in the region she covers. --Stephen Kinzer, Senior Fellow in International and Public Affairs, the Watson Institute, author of The True Flag and The Brothers If you think the history of World War II in Latin America is just about Nazi spies, you are in for a surprise. Whether the subject is a rubber crusade in Brazil, Disney cartoon goodwill campaigns, the forced exile of Peruvian Japanese to U.S. internment camps or yes, spies, this book combines the best of historical research and journalistic story telling. A must-read. --June Carolyn Erlick, Editor-in-Chief of ReVista, The Harvard Review of Latin America, author of A Gringa in Bogota An important, compelling book. With a keen, probing eye she has developed while reporting for decades from Latin America, McConahay provides a sympathetic portrayal of the impact of global events on local developments. --Marc Becker, Professor of History, Truman State University, author of The FBI in Latin America With decades of experience in the region and a sharp eye for the telling detail, no journalist is better suited than McConahay to plumb the hidden stories of Latin America's involvement in World War II. --Jake Bernstein, Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, author of Secrecy World An instant classic that shows the interconnections of war, economy and pure greed, with political overtones still recognizable and worth studying today. --Peter Eisner, author of MacArthur's Spies The Tango War is a kaleidoscope that provides a new perspective on a crucial era. In carefully reconstructed detail, McConahay fills significant gaps in history from the periphery. --Juanita Darling, Professor of International Relations, San Francisco State University, and author of Latin America, Media and Revolution It takes two to tango, but only one like McConahay can capture the nuance and essence of this dramatic face-off between the Axis and the Allies. --W. George Lovell, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Professor of Geography, Queen's University, Canada