Uruguay during World War II

Uruguay remained neutral for most of World War II, although it maintained a generally pro-Allied stance. The country's involvement was limited to diplomatic actions, with no official military engagement, although some Uruguayan citizens participated individually on both sides of the conflict. The Battle of the River Plate, fought between British and German forces off the Uruguayan coast, was the only battle of the war to take place in South America.

During the early years of the war, the United Kingdom retained considerable influence over the Uruguayan government, largely through the efforts of Sir Eugen Millington-Drake, who served as British Minister in Montevideo from 1934 to 1941. In January 1942, Uruguay severed diplomatic relations with the Axis powers, and in February 1945 it declared war on Germany and Japan, subsequently signing the Declaration by United Nations.