The Dirty War

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The Dirty War

• 1976-1983

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Juan Domingo Peron

• Lived in forced exile since his populist
  government was ousted in 1955.
• Returned in 1973 and was re-elected
• Backed by fascists, trade unionists, and the
  socialists
• Died in 1974
• Left his wife and vice president Isabel Martinez
  de Peron in charge

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The Rise to Power

• After Juan Perons death, both left and right
  wing groups resorted to violence against the
  government
• Left assassinations and kidnappings
• Right death squads against the guerillas and
  communists

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As many people as necessary must die in
Argentina so that the country will again be
secure-Videla 1975
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coup detat

• Isabel appoints Jorge Rafeal Videla as Commander
  in Chief of the army in 1975 under pressure from
  the army.
• Admiral Emilio Eduardo Massera General Orlando
  Agosti and Videla lead a military coup against
  Isabel Peron

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"We are going to have to kill 50,000 people
25,000 subversives, 20,000 sympathizers, and we
will make 5,000 mistakes.-1976
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Los Desaparecidos

• Between 5,000-30,000 Argentineans were killed or
  disappeared from 1979-1983.
• 11,000 of which were disappeared
• Rio de la Plata death flights
• In comparison 900 were killed in death
  squadsorganized by the Peron Administration
  before the coup in 1976.

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Leftist Violence

• The guerrillas are attributed to killing almost
  2000 people and 1800 kidnappings

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• Trade Unionists, Communists, suspected guerilla
  cobatants and left wing people (mainly students)
  were all victims of these atrocities
• The guerrillas are attributed to killing almost
  2000 people and 1800 kidnappings

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Las Madres de La Plaza Mayo

• Silvia Quintelas case
• About 500 children are suspected of being born in
  prison and adopted by soldiers
• For 3 decades, Las Madres have gathered and
  demanded to know what happened to these children

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The Falkland Islands

• After Videla retired in 1981, Robert Eduardo
  Viola took over, then stepped down due to health
  reasons
• In 1982, the Argentine military, under orders
  from Leopoldo Fortunato Galtieri invaded the
  British-ruled Falkland Islands

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End of the Junta

• The invasion failed and the Argentine army was
  defeated by Margaret Thatchers military.
• The defeat in the Falkland Islands quickly led to
  the end of the regime
• Galtieri resigned on June 17

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US Involvement

• This period often referred to as Operation Condor
  
• These atrocities are well documented and well
  known by the US State Department, headed by Henry
  Kissinger
• Anti-Communism
• Jimmy Carter in the 1970s

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Truth Commisions

• Democratically elected Raul Alfonsin created the
  National Commission for Forced Disappearences
  (CONADEP) in 1983
• Many of the leaders of the Junta were actually
  convicted and sentenced, but were pardoned by
  President Carlos Menem in 1990.
• The fate of Videla
• International invetigation