Gateways and Good Neighbors: The Gulf South and Latin America during World War II

Throughout the twentieth century, the Gulf South ports of Houston, New Orleans, and Miami competed for recognition as the “gateway to Latin America,” a title business leaders designed to connote both the advantages of their ports for hemispheric commerce and an intangible sense of “understanding” between themselves and their Latin American counterparts.  I argue that the transnational relationships forged in this process are critical for understanding the larger picture of U.S.-Latin relations, especially at midcentury when Gulf South business leaders’ desire for trade aligned with the desire of Latin American elites for development capital and Washington’s desire for hemispheric solidarity.