Featuring three papers and a commentary, this session is a collective reconsideration of transnational networks and issues in the Americas during World War II. Breanna David's paper, "Mexico and the Consequences of the Spanish Civil War: Asylum, Recognition, and Republican Legitimacy," focuses on Mexico's position as an international middle power, one that opened its doors to thousands of Spanish Republican refugees in the late 1930s and early 1940s and that also came to serve as the seat of the Republican government in exile. The paper not only analyzes the agency of the government in exile but also Mexico's Europe policy more generally, as one that defended ideas of popular sovereignty and non-intervention, and it extends its analysis through the late 1960s. Robert Alegre's presentation titled "Unpredictable Routes: Communists, Fascists, and Political Refugees in South America during World War II," examines how World War II shaped the rise of Soviet-backed communism in Latin America. It traces communist parties from their origins in the 1920s to their emergence as significant political forces between 1944 and 1948. As the Soviet Union gained prestige during the war, Latin American communists expanded cross-border organizing, building on earlier international networks. The region became a battleground against fascism, prompting anti-communist governments to suppress leftist movements. The study highlights transnational organizing efforts, including exiled European communists who strengthened local movements. Monica Rankin's paper looks at U.S. wartime intelligence in the Americas as officials prioritized intelligence gathering on possible Axis operations in the Western Hemisphere. The FBI, State Department, and Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs monitored suspected Nazi agents in Latin America, reporting significant subversive threats. Although later scholarship suggests these fears were exaggerated, contemporary intelligence heightened anxieties in Washington and contributed to the internment of thousands of Latin American Germans in the United States. Concerns about Nazi influence also shaped U.S. diplomatic strategies on trade, propaganda, and political alliances. This paper examines the reports behind these policies and their impact on wartime diplomacy. Together, these papers advance our understanding of the Americas during World War II, highlighting the importance of transnational networks in motivating and guiding both left-wing anti-imperialists and agents of the United States. Jürgen Buchenau (University of North Carolina at Charlotte) will provide commentary and chair the session.