Question

Why did Latino Americans become more politically active in the decades following World War II? What were the results of Latino American political activism?

Answer 1

After World War II ended, a new conflict arose, which directly affected Latin America and even Latinos in the United States, pushing them to reflect on their rights as citizens and as U.S citizens, for those who lived in the United States. This conflict was the Cold War. The reason for this was that the Cold War brought forth the knowledge of a new system of government, Communism, which given the characteristics of Latin American governments and their people before, attracted a good amount of Latinos, who were starved for change in the power retained by the oligarchies. This led to conflict in countries like Guatemala, and best known of all, Cuba, where people began to fight back against their old systems and demand better and more equal rights as citizens.

In the United States, the effects of changes taking place in the Latin American nations did not go unnoticed and as after the two world wars, the influx of Hispanics, especially Mexicans and Cubans, increased, they too began to realize that they had the right to demand equal treatment as other U.S citizens. Following after the civil rights movement of African Americans, almost copying them and even allying with them, Hispanics also fought back for equal rights. One of the best known movements was the Chicano Movement of the 1960´s, which sought to fight for the institution and recognition of the rights of Mexican Americans.