In the years following World War II, many Latin American countries became very industrialized. Several new industries were established in these countries, and they were generally successful, as the population was large and the economic system was strong enough to support this. As new industries became more common, local leaders rose to power. Moreover, Latin America was heavily influenced by communism, which led them to nationalize many of these industries. However, further political problems would make it more difficult for these industries to succeed.