Misplaced Pages

#356643

129-789: Servicio de Inteligencia del Ejército ( Army Intelligence Service , SIE) is the Argentine Army's intelligence agency . It is a division of J-2 and reports to the Army's Jefatura II (the General Staff's intelligence service). The Service is composite of 11 Intelligence Companies, 30 Independent Intelligence Platoons, 1 Intelligence Support Group, 1 Military Intelligence Collector Centre , 3 Division Intelligence Collection Centre, and 2 Combat Army Intelligence Detachment (601 & 602), two units of special intelligence operations. Argentine Army The Army's official foundation date

258-514: A white paper , otherwise known as the Blue Book accusing Perón, President Farrell and others of Fascist ties. Fluent in Spanish, Braden addressed Democratic Union rallies in person, but his move backfired when Perón summarized the election as a choice between "Perón or Braden". He also rallied further support by responding to the "Blue Book" with his own "Blue and White Book", which was a play on

387-508: A 12 pages report qualified by Robin as the summum of bad faith. It claimed that no agreement had been signed, despite the agreement found by Robin in the Quai d'Orsay When Minister of Foreign Affairs Dominique de Villepin traveled to Chile in February 2004, he claimed that no cooperation between France and the military regimes had occurred. On 2 April 1982, Leopoldo Galtieri initiated

516-406: A 22 km (14 mi) freeway into Buenos Aires. This freeway was followed by one between Rosario and Santa Fe . Perón had mixed success in expanding the country's inadequate electric grid, which grew by only one fourth during his tenure. Argentina's installed hydroelectric capacity, however, leapt from 45 to 350 MW during his first term (to about a fifth of the total public grid). He promoted

645-544: A Spanish economist who had years earlier advised that nation's ill-fated regime of Miguel Primo de Rivera . Intervention of their behalf by Perón's appointees encouraged the CGT to call strikes in the face of employers reluctant to grant benefits or honor new labour legislation. Strike activity (with 500,000 working days lost in 1945) leapt to 2 million in 1946 and to over 3 million in 1947, helping wrest needed labour reforms, though permanently aligning large employers against

774-535: A U.S. Army division (+). Each Army Division has an area of responsibility over a specific region of the country; First Army Division covers the northeast of the country, Second Army Division covers the center and northwest of Argentina and Third Army Division covers the south and Patagonia . In addition to the three Army Divisions, the Rapid Deployment Force ( Fuerza de Despliegue Rápido , FDR) forms an additional fourth divisional-level formation, while

903-524: A bomb inside the Army's headquarters in Buenos Aires, injuring at least six soldiers. The Montoneros movement successfully utilized divers in underwater infiltrations and blew the pier where the Argentine destroyer ARA Santísima Trinidad was being built, on 22 August 1975. The ship was effectively immobilized for several years. French journalist Marie-Monique Robin has found in the archives of

1032-554: A broad constitutional reform in September. The elected convention (whose opposition members soon resigned) approved the wholesale replacement of the 1853 Constitution of Argentina with a new magna carta in March, explicitly guaranteeing social reforms; but also allowing the mass nationalization of natural resources and public services, as well as the re-election of the president. Emphasizing an economic policy centerpiece dating from

1161-467: A final nail into the coffin that bore Perón's ambitions to transform Argentina into an industrial power". The policy deprived Argentina of potential agricultural markets in Western Europe to the benefit of Canadian exporters , for instance. As relations with the U.S. deteriorated, Perón made efforts to mitigate the misunderstandings, which were made easier after President Harry Truman replaced

1290-430: A fourth during Perón's first two years, saw zero growth from 1948 to 1952. After 1952, however, wages began rising in real terms once more. The increasing frequency of strikes, increasingly directed against Perón as the economy slid into stagflation in late 1954, was dealt with through the expulsion of organizers from the CGT ranks. To consolidate his political grasp on the eve of colder economic winds, Perón called for

1419-537: A giant thermometer hung from the Buenos Aires Obelisk to track the fundraising. The effort's success and relief for earthquake victims earned Perón widespread public approval. At this time, he met a minor radio matinee star, Eva Duarte . Following President Ramírez's January 1944 suspension of diplomatic relations with the Axis Powers (against whom the new junta would declare war in March 1945),

SECTION 10

#1732776649357

1548-552: A heavy machine gun had downed the aircraft. In response, Ítalo Luder , President of the National Assembly who acted as interim President substituting himself to Isabel Perón who was ill for a short period, signed in February 1975 the secret presidential decree 261, which ordered the army to neutralize and/or annihilate the insurgency in Tucumán , the smallest province of Argentina. Operativo Independencia gave power to

1677-603: A little-known rank-and-filer who was close to the first lady. The meat-packers' union leader, Cipriano Reyes  [ es ] , turned against Perón when he replaced the Labour Party with the Peronist Party in 1947. Organizing a strike in protest, Reyes was arrested on the charge of plotting against the lives of the president and first lady; according to Time , Reyes was contacted by two police officers posing as disloyal airforce lieutenants who convinced him of

1806-584: A lump sum at the end of the year amounting to one-twelfth of the annual wage) and the National Institute of Compensation, which implemented a minimum wage and collected data on living standards, prices, and wages. Leveraging his authority on behalf of striking abattoir workers and the right to unionise, Perón became increasingly thought of as presidential material. On 18 September 1945, he delivered an address billed as "from work to home and from home to work". The speech, prefaced by an excoriation of

1935-485: A main stockholder in its sugar industry. As a colonel, Perón took a significant part in the military coup by the GOU ( United Officers' Group , a secret society) against the conservative civilian government of Castillo. At first an assistant to Secretary of War General Edelmiro Farrell , under the administration of General Pedro Ramírez , he later became the head of the then-insignificant Department of Labour. Perón's work in

2064-541: A major reorganization of the Armed Forces' administrative and command structure. Two additional Army Corps, the First and Fourth, had already been dissolved in 1984 and 1991 respectively, with their dependent units reassigned to the remaining three Army Corps. As of 2011, army forces are geographically grouped into three Army Divisions ( Divisiones de Ejército ), each roughly equivalent in terms of nominal organization to

2193-541: A number of Radical -led uprisings. Meanwhile, the military in general and the Army, in particular, contributed to develop Argentina's unsettled southern frontier and its nascent industrial complex. The main foreign influence during this period was, by and large, the Prussian (and then German ) doctrine. Partly because of that, during both World Wars most of the officers supported the Germans, more or less openly, while

2322-415: A recently aired History Channel documentary , the secrecy, Nazi connections, declassified US intelligence documents, and military infrastructure located around the remote facility all argue for the more likely objective of atomic bomb development. The Argentine navy actually bombed multiple buildings in 1955 – an unusual method of decommissioning a legitimate research facility. Eva Perón was instrumental as

2451-410: A regimental headquarters. 63 guerrillas, seven army troops and three policemen were killed. In addition 20 civilians were killed in the crossfire. Many of the civilian deaths occurred when the guerrillas and supporting militants burned 15 city buses near the arsenal to hamper military reinforcements. This development was to have far-reaching ramifications. On 30 December 1975, urban guerrillas exploded

2580-650: A request for the constitution of a Parliamentary Commission on the "role of France in the support of military regimes in Latin America from 1973 to 1984" before the Foreign Affairs Commission of the National Assembly, presided by Edouard Balladur . Apart from Le Monde , newspapers remained silent about this request. However, deputy Roland Blum , in charge of the commission, refused to hear Marie-Monique Robin, and published in December 2003

2709-618: A scientific team to investigate Richter's activities. Reports by José Antonio Balseiro and Mario Báncora revealed that the project was a fraud. After that, the Huemul Project was transferred to the Centro Atómico Bariloche (CAB) of the new National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA) and to the physics institute of the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo , later named Instituto Balseiro (IB). According to

SECTION 20

#1732776649357

2838-736: A single purchaser for the nation's mostly export-oriented grains and oilseeds, the Institute for the Promotion of Trade ( IAPI ). The IAPI wrested control of Argentina's famed grain export sector from entrenched conglomerates such as Bunge y Born ; but when commodity prices fell after 1948, it began shortchanging growers. IAPI profits were used to fund welfare projects, while internal demand was encouraged by large wage increases given to workers; average real wages rose by about 35% from 1945 to 1949, while during that same period, labour's share of national income rose from 40% to 49%. Access to health care

2967-778: A staunch anti-communist and champion of containment , fed U.S. suspicions that Argentine goals for economic sovereignty and neutrality were Perón's disguise for a resurgence of communism in the Americas. The U.S. Congress took a dislike to Perón and his government. In 1948 they excluded Argentine exports from the Marshall Plan , the landmark Truman administration effort to combat communism and help rebuild war-torn European nations by offering U.S. aid. This contributed to Argentine financial crises after 1948 and, according to Perón biographer Joseph Page, "the Marshall Plan drove

3096-680: A successful coup deposed him . During the following period of two military dictatorships , interrupted by two civilian governments, the Peronist party was outlawed and Perón was exiled. Over the years he lived in Paraguay , Venezuela , Panama , and Spain . When the Peronist Héctor José Cámpora was elected president in 1973, Perón returned to Argentina amidst the Ezeiza massacre and was soon after elected president for

3225-414: A symbol of hope to the common labourer during the first five-year plan . When she died in 1952, the year of the presidential elections, the people felt they had lost an ally. Coming from humble origins, she was loathed by the elite but adored by the poor for her work with the sick, elderly, and orphans. It was due to her behind-the-scenes work that women's suffrage was granted in 1947 and a feminist wing of

3354-620: A term refused by jurists during the 1985 Trial of the Juntas . Batallón de Inteligencia 601 (the 601st Intelligence Battalion) became infamous during this period. It was a special military intelligence service set up in the late 1970s, active in the Dirty War and Operation Condor , and disbanded in 2000. Its personnel collected information on and infiltrated guerrilla groups and human rights organisations, and coordinated killings, kidnappings and other abuses. The unit also participated in

3483-510: A third time (12 October 1973 – 1 July 1974). During this term, left- and right-wing Peronists were permanently divided and violence between them erupted, which Perón was unable to resolve. His minister José López Rega formed the Argentine Anticommunist Alliance , believed to have committed at least hundreds of extrajudicial killings and kidnappings. Perón's third wife, María Estela Martínez , known as Isabel Perón,

3612-423: A total of 350 to 700 troops. In 2006, a Rapid Deployment Force was created based on the 4th Paratrooper Brigade . In 2008, a Special Operations Forces Group was created comprising two Commando Companies, one Special Forces Company and one psychological operations company. Insignia for all ranks except volunteers is worn on shoulder boards. Ranks from colonel major onwards use red-trimmed shoulderboards and

3741-461: A treaty negotiated by Central Bank President Miguel Miranda; but after a year, British Prime Minister Clement Attlee suspended the provision. Perón accepted the transfer of over 24,000 km (15,000 mi) of British-owned railways (over half the total in Argentina) in exchange for the debt in March 1948. Due to political disputes between Perón and the U.S. government (as well as to pressure by

3870-468: A viable alternative to liberal democracy (which he viewed as a veiled plutocracy ) or to totalitarian régimes (which he viewed as oppressive). He returned to Argentina in 1941, and served as an Army skiing-instructor in Mendoza Province . In 1943 a coup d'état was led by General Arturo Rawson against Ramón Castillo , who had assumed the presidency a little less than a year earlier as

3999-422: A wide range of social welfare benefits for unionised workers. Employers were forced to improve working conditions and to provide severance pay and accident compensation, the conditions under which workers could be dismissed were restricted, a system of labour courts to handle the grievances of workers was established, the working day was reduced in various industries, and paid holidays/vacations were generalised to

Army Intelligence Service - Misplaced Pages Continue

4128-866: Is May 29, 1810 (celebrated in Argentina as the Army Day ), four days after the Spanish colonial administration in Buenos Aires was overthrown . The new national army was formed out of several pre-existing colonial militia units and locally manned regiments; most notably the Infantry Regiment "Patricios" , which to this date is still an active unit. Several armed expeditions were sent to the Upper Peru (now Bolivia ), Paraguay , Uruguay and Chile to fight Spanish forces and secure Argentina's newly gained independence . The most famous of these expeditions

4257-738: Is strict justice... I do nothing but return to the poor what the rest of us owe them, because we had taken it away from them unjustly." In 1948 she established the Eva Perón Foundation , which was perhaps the greatest contribution to her husband's social policy. Enjoying an annual budget of around US$ 50 million (nearly 1% of GDP at the time), the Foundation had 14,000 employees and founded hundreds of new schools, clinics, old-age homes and holiday facilities; it also distributed hundreds of thousands of household necessities, physicians' visits and scholarships, among other benefits. Among

4386-845: The Quai d'Orsay , the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, the original document proving that a 1959 agreement between Paris and Buenos Aires instaured a "permanent French military mission," formed of veterans who had fought in the Algerian War , and which was located in the offices of the chief of staff of the Argentine Army. She showed how Valéry Giscard d'Estaing 's government secretly collaborated with Jorge Rafael Videla's junta in Argentina and with Augusto Pinochet 's regime in Chile. Green deputies Noël Mamère , Martine Billard and Yves Cochet deposed on September 10, 2003,

4515-564: The 1951 Pan American Games , both of which Argentine athletes won resoundingly. He also sponsored numerous notable athletes, including the five-time Formula 1 world champion, Juan Manuel Fangio , who, without this funding, would have most likely never competed in Europe. Perón's bid to host the 1956 Summer Olympics in Buenos Aires was defeated by the International Olympic Committee by one vote. Economic success

4644-660: The 1982 invasion of the Falkland Islands or Operation Rosario as a result of negotiations with the United Kingdom running long. The Argentine Army contributed forces to Operation Rosario and occupation that followed. Army forces also opposed the amphibious landing in San Carlos Water on 21 May, and fought the British at Goose Green , Mount Kent, and the battles around Port Stanley that lead to

4773-510: The 24 February 1946 presidential elections . When Perón became president on 4 June 1946, his two stated goals were social justice and economic independence. These two goals avoided Cold War entanglements from choosing between capitalism and socialism, but he had no concrete means to achieve those goals. Perón instructed his economic advisers to develop a five-year plan with the goals of increasing workers' pay, achieving full employment, stimulating industrial growth of over 40% while diversifying

4902-610: The Argentine Navy favored the British instead. In 1930, a small group of Army forces (not more than 600 troops) deposed President Hipólito Yrigoyen without much response from the rest of the Army and the Navy . This was the beginning of a long history of political intervention by the military. Another coup, in 1943, was responsible for bringing an obscure colonel into the political limelight: Juan Perón . Even though Perón had

5031-728: The Bank of England . The money was useless to the Argentine government, because the treaty allowed Bank of England to hold the funds in trust, something British planners could not compromise on as a result of that country's debts accrued under the Lend-Lease Act . The nation's need for U.S. made capital goods increased, though ongoing limits on the Central Bank's availability of hard currency hampered access to them. Argentina's pound Sterling surpluses earned after 1946 (worth over US$ 200 million) were made convertible to dollars by

5160-449: The CGT on Buenos Aires' wide Nueve de Julio Avenue failed to turn the tide. On 28 September, elements in the Argentine Army led by General Benjamín Andrés Menéndez attempted a coup against Perón. Although unsuccessful, the mutiny marked the end of the first lady's political hopes. She died the following July. The first to vocally oppose Perón's rule were the Argentine intelligentsia and

5289-569: The Catholic Church . After he deported two Catholic priests and was mistakenly thought to be excommunicated , pro-Church elements of the Argentine Navy and Air Force driven by the U.S government bombed Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires , where supporters of Perón had gathered, in June 1955. More than 300 civilians were killed in this coup attempt, which in turn prompted violent reprisals against many churches by Perón's supporters. Within months,

Army Intelligence Service - Misplaced Pages Continue

5418-533: The Democratic Union nominated José Tamborini and Enrique Mosca , two prominent UCR congressmen. The alliance failed to win over several prominent lawmakers, such as congressmen Ricardo Balbín and Arturo Frondizi and former Córdoba governor Amadeo Sabattini , all of whom opposed the Union's ties to conservative interests. In a bid to support their campaign, US Ambassador Spruille Braden published

5547-535: The General Confederation of Labour (CGT) was given overwhelming support by the new administration, which introduced labour courts and filled its cabinet with labour union appointees, such as Juan Atilio Bramuglia (Foreign Ministry) and Ángel Borlenghi (Interior Ministry, which, in Argentina, oversees law enforcement). It also made room for amenable wealthy industrialists (Central Bank President Miguel Miranda) and socialists such as José Figuerola ,

5676-498: The Huemul Project would produce nuclear fusion before any other country. The project was led by an Austrian, Ronald Richter , who had been recommended by Kurt Tank . Tank expected to power his aircraft with Richter's invention. Perón announced that energy produced by the fusion process would be delivered in milk-bottle sized containers. Richter announced success in 1951, but no proof was given. The next year, Perón appointed

5805-710: The Italian Alps in 1939. He also attended the University of Turin for a semester and served as a military observer in countries across Europe – holding positions as a military attaché in Berlin and in Rome. He studied Benito Mussolini 's Italian Fascism , Nazi Germany , and other European governments of the time, concluding in his summary, Apuntes de historia militar ( Notes about military history , first published in 1932, 2nd ed., 1934 ), that social democracy could be

5934-545: The Port of Buenos Aires and domestic and foreign-owned private cargo ships , as well as the purchase of others, nearly tripled the national merchant marine to 1.2 million tons' displacement, reducing the need for over US$ 100 million in shipping fees (then the largest source of Argentina's invisible balance deficit) and leading to the inauguration of the Río Santiago Shipyards at Ensenada (on line to

6063-515: The fossil fuel industry by ordering these resources nationalized, inaugurating Río Turbio (Argentina's only active coal mine), having natural gas flared by the state oil firm YPF captured, and establishing Gas del Estado . The 1949 completion of a gas pipeline between Comodoro Rivadavia and Buenos Aires was another significant accomplishment in this regard. The 1,700 km (1,060 mi) pipeline allowed natural gas production to rise quickly from 300,000 m to 15 million m daily, making

6192-525: The "Dirty War", which involved hijacking a civilian airliner, taking over the provincial airport, attacking the 29th Infantry Regiment (which had retired to barracks in Formosa province ) and capturing its cache of arms, and finally escaping by air. Once the operation was over, they escaped towards a remote area in Santa Fe province . The aircraft, a Boeing 737 , eventually landed on a crop field not far from

6321-526: The 1830s; in later life Perón would publicly express his pride in his Sardinian roots. He also had Spanish, British, and French ancestry. Perón's great-grandfather became a successful shoe merchant in Buenos Aires, and his grandfather was a prosperous physician; his death in 1889 left his widow nearly destitute, however, and Perón's father moved to then-rural Lobos, where he administered an estancia and met his future wife. The couple had their two sons out of wedlock and married in 1901. His father moved to

6450-414: The 1920s, Perón made record investments in Argentina's infrastructure. Investing over US$ 100 million to modernize the railways (originally built on myriad incompatible gauges), he also nationalized a number of small, regional air carriers, forcing them into Aerolíneas Argentinas in 1950. The airline, equipped with 36 new DC-3 and DC-4 aircraft, was supplemented with a new international airport and

6579-658: The 19th, 20th and 29th Mountain Infantry Regiments and commanded by Brigadier-General Acdel Vilas received the order to move to Famailla in the foothills of the Monteros mountains on 8 February 1975. While fighting the guerrillas in the jungle, Vilas concentrated on uprooting the ERP support network in the towns, using tactics later adopted nationwide, as well as a civic action campaign. By July 1975, anti-guerrilla commandos were mounting search-and-destroy missions in

SECTION 50

#1732776649357

6708-420: The 20th century, and his influence extends to the present day. Perón's ideas, policies and movement are known as Peronism , which continues to be one of the major forces in Argentine politics. Perón had previously served in several government positions, including Minister of Labour and Vice President under presidents Pedro Pablo Ramírez and Edelmiro Farrell . His first presidential term (1946–1952), Perón

6837-470: The 3rd Infantry Brigade was converted into a motorized training formation, which was ultimately dissolved in 2003. Depending on its type, each brigade includes two to five Cavalry or Infantry Regiments, one or two Artillery Groups, a scout cavalry squadron, one battalion or company-sized engineer unit, one intelligence company, one communications company, one command company and a battalion-sized logistical support unit. The terms "regiment" and "group", found in

6966-435: The 3rd party in Argentina was formed. Simultaneous to Perón's five-year plans, Eva supported a women's movement that concentrated on the rights of women, poor people, and disabled people. Although her role in the politics of Perón's first term remains disputed, Eva introduced social justice and equality into the national discourse. She stated, "It is not philanthropy, nor is it charity... It is not even social welfare; to me, it

7095-473: The Argentine flag colors, and focused on the antagonism of Yankee imperialism. He persuaded the president to sign the nationalization of the Central Bank and the extension of mandatory Christmas bonuses, actions that contributed to his decisive victory. Perón and his running mate, Hortensio Quijano , leveraged popular support to victory over a Radical Civic Union -led opposition alliance by about 11% in

7224-540: The Armed Forces to "execute all military operations necessary for the effects of neutralizing or annihilating the action of subversive elements acting in the Province of Tucumán." Santucho had declared a 620-mile (1,000 km) "liberated zone" in Tucuman and demanded Soviet-backed protection for its borders as well as proper treatment of captured guerrillas as POWs. The Argentine Army Fifth Brigade, then consisting of

7353-578: The Buenos Aires Military Garrison operates independently from any division-sized command. There are also several separate groups, including an anti-aircraft group and the Argentine Army Aviation group. Each division has varying numbers of brigades of armor, mechanized forces and infantry. As of 2011, the Argentine Army has eleven brigades: Note: The 7th Infantry Brigade was dissolved in early 1985, while

7482-464: The Desert"): the campaign to occupy Patagonia and root out the natives, who conducted looting raids throughout the country. Between 1880 and 1930, the Army sought to become a professional force without active involvement in politics, even though many a political figure -President Julio Argentino Roca , for example- benefitted from a past military career. The Army prevented the fall of the government in

7611-464: The Fatherland. Kill a Student" ( Haga patria, mate a un estudiante ). Perón opposed the universities, which questioned his methods and his goals. A well-remembered slogan was, Alpargatas sí, libros no ("Shoes? Yes! Books? No!") ... Universities were "intervened". In some a peronista mediocrity was appointed rector. Others were closed for years. The labour movement that had brought Perón to power

7740-491: The GOU junta unseated him in favor of General Edelmiro Farrell . For contributing to his success, Perón was appointed vice president and Secretary of War, while retaining his Labour portfolio. As Minister of Labour, Perón established the INPS (the first national social insurance system in Argentina), settled industrial disputes in favour of labour unions (as long as their leaders pledged political allegiance to him), and introduced

7869-484: The General Reynaldo Bignone , who began the process of return to democracy in 1983. Since the return to civilian rule in 1983, the Argentine military have been reduced both in number and budget and, by law, cannot intervene anymore in internal civil conflicts. They became more professional, especially after conscription was abolished. In 1998, Argentina was granted Major non-NATO ally status by

SECTION 60

#1732776649357

7998-405: The General Staff (known also by their Roman numerals) are: There are also a number of Commands and Directorates responsible for development and implementation of policies within the Army regarding technological and operational areas. They also handle administrative affairs. As of 2020, these include the following: In the 1960s, the Army was reorganised into five Army Corps. This structure replaced

8127-587: The June 20, 1973 Ezeiza massacre , left and right-wing Peronism broke apart, and the Triple A a far-right terrorist group founded by José López Rega , the right-hand man of Juan Peron and, later, Isabel Perón , started a campaign of terror and death against any perceived political rivals. Isabel Perón herself was ousted during the March 1976 coup by a military junta . The new military government, self-named Proceso de Reorganización Nacional , initially tried to end

8256-687: The Labour Department witnessed the passage of a broad range of progressive social reforms designed to improve working conditions, and led to an alliance with the socialist and syndicalist movements in the Argentine labour unions, which increased his power and influence in the military government. After the coup, socialists from the CGT -Nº1 labour union, through mercantile labour leader Ángel Borlenghi and railway union lawyer Juan Atilio Bramuglia , made contact with Perón and fellow GOU Colonel Domingo Mercante . They established an alliance to promote labour laws that had long been demanded by

8385-777: The Patagonia region that year, where he later purchased a sheep ranch . Juan himself was sent away in 1904 to a boarding school in Buenos Aires directed by his paternal grandmother, where he received a strict Catholic upbringing. His father's undertaking ultimately failed, and he died in Buenos Aires in 1928. The youth entered the National Military College in 1911 at age 16 and graduated in 1913. He excelled less in his studies than in athletics, particularly boxing and fencing. Perón began his military career in an Infantry post in Paraná, Entre Ríos . He went on to command

8514-470: The Peronist movement to the working-class people from which Eva had come. Her strong ties to the poor and her position as Perón's wife brought credibility to his promises during his first presidential term and ushered in a new wave of supporters. The first lady's willingness to replace the ailing Hortensio Quijano as Perón's running mate for the 1951 campaign was defeated by her own frail health and by military opposition. A 22 August rally organized for her by

8643-402: The Peronists. Labour unions grew in ranks from around 500,000 to over 2 million by 1950, primarily in the CGT, which has since been Argentina's paramount labour union. As the country's labour force numbered around 5 million people at the time, Argentina's labour force was the most unionized in South America. During the first half of the 20th century, a widening gap had existed between

8772-896: The Secretary of the Media, Raúl Apold , socialist dailies such as La Vanguardia or Democracia, and conservative ones such as La Prensa or La Razón , were simply closed or expropriated in favor of the CGT or ALEA, the regime's new state media company. Intimidation of the press increased: between 1943 and 1946, 110 publications were closed down; others such as La Nación and Roberto Noble 's Clarín became more cautious and self-censoring. Perón appeared more threatened by dissident artists than by opposition political figures (though UCR leader Ricardo Balbín spent most of 1950 in jail). Numerous prominent cultural and intellectual figures were imprisoned (publisher and critic Victoria Ocampo , for one) or forced into exile, among them comedian Niní Marshall , film maker Luis Saslavsky , pianist Osvaldo Pugliese and actress Libertad Lamarque , victim of

8901-484: The Soviet Union, as allies rather than enemies. He restored diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union, severed since the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, and opened grain sales to the shortage-stricken Soviets. Peron’s ability to effectively deal with points of contention abroad was hampered by Perón's own mistrust of potential rivals, which harmed foreign relations with Juan Atilio Bramuglia 's 1949 dismissal. The rising influence of American diplomat George F. Kennan ,

9030-422: The U.S. agricultural lobby through the Agricultural Act of 1949 ), Argentine foreign exchange earnings via its exports to the United States fell, turning a US$ 100 million surplus with the United States into a US$ 300 million deficit. The combined pressure practically devoured Argentina's liquid reserves and Miranda issued a temporary restriction on the outflow of dollars to U.S. banks. The nationalization of

9159-414: The United States. The modern Argentine Army is fully committed to international peacekeeping under United Nations mandates, humanitarian aid and emergencies relief. In 2010, the Army incorporated Chinese Norinco armored wheeled APCs to deploy with its peacekeeping forces. In 2016 President Mauricio Macri modified a decree made by the 1984 government of Raúl Alfonsín which had removed much of

9288-517: The army, to the extent that there was armed fighting between contending military units during the early 1960s. The military government ruled Argentina between 1966 and 1973. During that decade the saw the rise of several terrorist groups including Montoneros and the ERP . During Héctor Cámpora 's first months of government, a rather moderate and left-wing Peronist, approximatively 600 social conflicts, strikes and factory occupations took place. Following

9417-585: The best-known of the Foundation's many large construction projects are the Evita City development south of Buenos Aires (25,000 homes) and the " Republic of the Children ", a theme park based on tales from the Brothers Grimm . Following Perón's 1955 ousting, twenty such construction projects were abandoned incomplete, and the foundation's US$ 290 million endowment was liquidated. The portion of

9546-471: The ceasefire of 14 June followed by the surrender of the Argentine troops. The Argentine Army suffered 194 men killed and 1,308 wounded and lost much equipment. The war left the army weakened in equipment, personal, moral and supremacy in the region. The Dirty War events, coupled with the defeat in the Falklands War , precipitated the fall of the military junta that ruled the country, then enters

9675-639: The centrist Radical Civic Union (UCR), the Socialist Party , the Communist Party and most of the conservative National Autonomist Party (in power during most of the 1874–1916 era) had already been forged into a fractious alliance in June by interests in the financial sector and the chamber of commerce, united solely by the goal of keeping Perón from the Casa Rosada . Organizing a massive kick-off rally in front of Congress on 8 December,

9804-471: The city of Rafaela. In the aftermath, twelve soldiers and two policemen were killed and several wounded. The sophistication of the operation, and the getaway cars and safehouses they used to escape from the crash-landing site, suggest several hundred guerrillas and their supporters were involved. The Argentine security forces admitted to 43 army troops killed in action in Tucuman, although this figure does not take into account police and Gendarmerie troops, and

9933-440: The classes; Perón hoped to close it through the increase of wages and employment, making the nation more pluralistic and less reliant on foreign trade. Before taking office in 1946, President Perón took dramatic steps which he believed would result in a more economically independent Argentina, better insulated from events such as World War II. He thought there would be another international war. The reduced availability of imports and

10062-422: The conservative opposition, provoked an ovation by declaring that "we've passed social reforms to make the Argentine people proud to live where they live, once again." This move fed growing rivalries against Perón and on 9 October 1945, he was forced to resign by opponents within the armed forces. Arrested four days later, he was released due to mass demonstrations organised by the CGT and other supporters; 17 October

10191-492: The construction of 650,000 new, public sector homes, as well as of the international airport , one of the largest in the world at the time. The reactivation of the dormant National Mortgage Bank spurred private-sector housing development: averaging over 8 units per 1,000 inhabitants (150,000 a year), the pace was, at the time, at par with that of the United States and one of the highest rates of residential construction in

10320-404: The country self-sufficient in the critical energy staple; the pipeline was, at the time, the longest in the world. Propelled by an 80% increase in output at the state-owed energy firm YPF , oil production rose from 3.3 million m to over 4.8 million m during Perón's tenure; but since most manufacturing was powered by on-site generators and the number of motor vehicles grew by a third,

10449-466: The director of the War Academy , General José Félix Uriburu , to collaborate in the latter's plans for a military coup against President Hipólito Yrigoyen of Argentina. Perón, who instead supported General Agustín Justo , was banished to a remote post in northwestern Argentina after Uriburu's successful coup in September 1930 . He was promoted to the rank of Major the following year and named to

10578-425: The economically active population) were covered by social security. Health insurance also spread to new industries, including banking and metalworking . Between 1945 and 1949, real wages went up by 22%, fell between 1949 and 1952, and then increased again from 1953 to 1955, ending up at least 30% higher than in 1946. In proportional terms, wages rose from 41% of national income in 1946–48 to 49% in 1952–55. The boost in

10707-444: The entire workforce. Perón also passed a law providing minimum wages, maximum hours and vacations for rural workers, froze rural rents, presided over a large increase in rural wages, and helped lumber, wine, sugar and migrant workers organize themselves. From 1943 to 1946, real wages grew by only 4%, but in 1945 Perón established two new institutions that would later increase wages: the " aguinaldo " (a bonus that provided each worker with

10836-450: The existence of an organised conspiracy to overthrow Perón in the air force, which Reyes agreed to support. Tortured in prison, Reyes was denied parole five years later, and freed only after the regime's 1955 downfall. Cipriano Reyes was one of hundreds of Perón's opponents held at Buenos Aires' Ramos Mejía General Hospital, one of whose basements was converted into a police detention center where torture became routine. The populist leader

10965-628: The face of public opposition). Perón was opposed to borrowing from foreign credit markets, preferring to float bonds domestically. He refused to enter the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (precursor to the World Trade Organization ) or the International Monetary Fund . Believing that international sports created goodwill, however, Perón hosted the 1950 World Basketball Championship and

11094-589: The faculty at the Superior War School, however, where he taught military history and published a number of treatises on the subject. He served as military attaché in the Argentine Embassy in Chile from 1936 to 1938 and returned to his teaching post. His wife was diagnosed with uterine cancer that year and died on 10 September at age 36; the couple had no children. The Argentine War Ministry assigned Perón to study mountain warfare in

11223-492: The first half of the nineteenth century, the Argentine Army became fractionalized under the leadership of the so-called caudillos ("leaders" or "warlords"), provincial leaders who waged a war against the centralist Buenos Aires administration. However, the Army was briefly re-unified during the war with the Brazilian Empire (1824–1827). It was only with the establishment of a constitution (which explicitly forbade

11352-414: The five-year plans which argued for full employment, public healthcare and housing, labour benefits, and raises were a result of Eva's influence on the policymaking of Perón in his first term, as historians note that initially he simply wanted to keep imperialists out of Argentina and create effective businesses. The humanitarian relief efforts embedded in the five-year plan were Eva's creation, which endeared

11481-404: The guerrilla's campaigns, but the nation rapidly descended into a state of civil unrest. Terrorist organisations and guerilla movements were often met with a mixture of state terror and general paranoia. The civilian population was now caught in a police state between a paranoid and brutal military dictatorship and violent dissident communist guerrillas. The PRN called this period the " Dirty War " —

11610-566: The hostile Braden with Ambassador George Messersmith . Perón negotiated the release of Argentine assets in the U.S. in exchange for preferential treatment for U.S. goods, followed by Argentine ratification of the Act of Chapultepec , a centerpiece of Truman's Latin America policy. He even proposed the enlistment of Argentine troops into the Korean War in 1950 under UN auspices (a move retracted in

11739-582: The induction of new volunteer service personnel of both genders. The Army is headed by a Chief of General Staff directly appointed by the President. The current Chief of the General Staff (since September 2008) is General Luis Alberto Pozzi. The General Staff of the Army ( Estado Mayor General del Ejército ) includes the Chief of Staff, a Deputy Chief of the General Staff and the heads of the General Staff's six departments ( Jefaturas ). The current departments of

11868-451: The middle-class. University students and professors were seen as particularly troublesome. Perón fired over 2000 university professors and faculty members from all major public education institutions. These included Nobel laureate Bernardo Houssay , a physiologist, University of La Plata physicist Rafael Grinfeld, painter Emilio Pettoruti , art scholars Pío Collivadino and Jorge Romero Brest , and noted author Jorge Luis Borges who at

11997-449: The military's autonomy. A major problem of today's Army is that most of its combat units are understrength in manpower due to budgetary limitations; the current Table of Organization and Equipment being established at a time during which the Army could rely on larger budgets and conscripted troops. Current plans call for the expansion of all combat units until all combat units are again full-strength, as soon as budget constraints allow for

12126-486: The mountains (including reinforcements in the form of the elite Montoneros 65-strong "Compañía de Monte" ( Jungle Company ) and the ERP's "Decididos de Córdoba" Urban Company), which the Argentine Army managed to defeat, but at a cost. On 5 January 1975, an Army DHC-6 transport plane was downed near the Monteros mountains, apparently shot down by the Guerrillas. All thirteen on board were killed. The military believe

12255-662: The mountains. Army special forces discovered Santucho's base camp in August, then raided the ERP urban headquarters in September. Most of the Compañia de Monte's general staff was killed in October and was dispersed by the end of the year. The leadership of the rural guerrilla force was mostly eradicated and many of the ERP guerrillas and civilian sympathizers in Tucumán were either killed or forcefully disappeared. Efforts to restrain

12384-684: The need for oil imports grew from 40% to half of the consumption, costing the national balance sheet over US$ 300 million a year (over a fifth of the import bill). Perón's government is remembered for its record social investments. He introduced a Ministry of Health to the cabinet; its first head, the neurologist Ramón Carrillo , oversaw the completion of over 4,200 health care facilities. Related works included construction of more than 1,000 kindergartens and over 8,000 schools, including several hundred technological, nursing and teachers' schools, among an array of other public investments. The new Minister of Public Works, General Juan Pistarini , oversaw

12513-1101: The official designations of cavalry, infantry and artillery units, are used due to historical reasons. During the Argentine War of Independence , the Argentine Army fielded traditional regiment-sized units. 'Regiments' are more accurately described as battalions; similar-sized units that do not belong to the above-mentioned services are referred to as "battalions". In addition to their service, Regiments and Groups are also specialized according to their area of operations (Mountain Infantry, Jungle Infantry, Mountain Cavalry), their equipment (Tank Cavalry, Light Cavalry, Mechanized Infantry) or their special training (Paratroopers, Commandos, Air Assault, Mountain Cazadores or Jungle Cazadores ). Regiments are made up by four maneuver sub-units (companies in infantry regiments and squadrons in cavalry regiments) and one command and support sub-unit for

12642-557: The old structure based on divisions following the French model. There was a further reorganisation in 1991, when brigades were assigned to six new divisions, two stationed at Santa Cruz and Mendoza. Until late 2010, the First, Second and Third Army Divisions were designated as the Second, Third and Fifth Army Corps ( Cuerpos de Ejército ) respectively, without any intermediate division-level commands. These redesignations took place as part of

12771-614: The other half to finance both public and private investments; the roughly 70% jump in domestic fixed investment was accounted for mostly by industrial growth in the private sector. All this much-needed activity exposed an intrinsic weakness in the plan: it subsidized growth which, in the short term, led to a wave of imports of the capital goods that local industry could not supply. Whereas the end of World War II had allowed Argentine exports to rise from US$ 700 million to US$ 1.6 billion, Perón's changes led to skyrocketing imports (from US$ 300 million to US$ 1.6 billion) and erased

12900-590: The political movement known as Peronism, which in present-day Argentina is represented mainly by the Justicialist Party . Juan Domingo Perón was born in Lobos, Buenos Aires Province , on 8 October 1895. He was the son of Juana Sosa Toledo and Mario Tomás Perón. The Perón branch of his family was originally Spanish, but settled in Spanish Sardinia , from which his great-grandfather emigrated in

13029-574: The post, and in this capacity mediated a prolonged labour conflict in 1920 at La Forestal , then a leading firm in forestry in Argentina . He earned instructor's credentials at the Superior War School , and in 1929 was appointed to the Army General Staff Headquarters. Perón married his first wife, Aurelia Tizón ( Potota , as Perón fondly called her), on 5 January 1929. Perón was recruited by supporters of

13158-489: The present day). Exports fell sharply, to around US$ 1.1 billion during the 1949–54 era (a severe 1952 drought trimmed this to US$ 700 million), due in part to a deterioration in terms of trade of about a third. The Central Bank was forced to devalue the peso at an unprecedented rate: the peso lost about 70% of its value from early 1948 to early 1950, leading to a decline in the imports fueling industrial growth and to recession. Short of central bank reserves, Perón

13287-487: The press was closely controlled. Several high-profile fascist war criminals, such as Josef Mengele , Adolf Eichmann , and Ante Pavelić , were given refuge in Argentina during this time. Perón was re-elected by a fairly wide margin, though his second term (1952–1955) was far more troubled. Eva, a major source of support, died a month after his inauguration in 1952. An economic crisis was ongoing, Perón and his plans to legalise divorce and prostitution damaged his standing with

13416-529: The provinces from maintaining military forces of their own) and a national government recognized by all the provinces that the Army became a single force, absorbing the older provincial militias. The Army went on to fight the War of the Triple Alliance in the 1860s together with Brazil and Uruguay against Paraguay. After that war, the Army became involved in Argentina's Conquista del Desierto ("Conquest of

13545-417: The real incomes of workers was encouraged by government policies such as the enforcement of minimum wage laws, controls on the prices of food and other basic consumption items and extending housing credits to workers. Perón first articulated his foreign policy, the "Third Way", in 1949. This policy was developed to avoid the binary Cold War divisions and keep other world powers, such as the United States and

13674-538: The rural guerrilla activity to Tucumán, however, remained unsuccessful despite the use of 24 recently arrived US-made Bell UH-1H Huey troop-transport helicopters. In early October, the 5th Brigade suffered a major blow at the hands of the Montoneros, when more than one hundred, and possibly several hundred Montoneros and supporters were involved in the Operation Primicia , the most elaborate operation of

13803-476: The sector (then dominated by food processing), and greatly improving transportation, communication, energy and social infrastructure (in the private, as well as public, sectors). Perón's planning prominently included political considerations. Numerous military allies were fielded as candidates, notably Colonel Domingo Mercante who, when elected Governor of the paramount Province of Buenos Aires , became renowned for his housing program. Having brought him to power,

13932-565: The soldiers who died defending their barracks in Formosa province on 5 October 1975. By December 1975, the Argentine military could, with some justification claim that it was winning the 'Dirty War', but it was dismayed to find no evidence of overall victory. On 23 December 1975, several hundred ERP fighters with the help of hundreds of underground supporters, staged an all-out battle with the 601st Arsenal Battalion nine miles (14 km) from Buenos Aires and occupied four local police stations and

14061-414: The suns denoting rank are gold-braid; the suns on other officers' shoulder boards are metallic. Generals also wear golden wreath leaves on their coat lapels. The rank insignia for volunteers 1st class, 2nd class and commissioned 2nd class is worn on the sleeves. Collar versions of the ranks are used in combat uniforms. The highest army rank in use is lieutenant-general. A higher army rank, captain-general,

14190-569: The support of the military during his two consecutive terms of office (1946–1952 and 1952–1955), his increasingly repressive government alienated many officers, which finally led to a military uprising which overthrew him in September 1955. Between 1955 and 1973 the Army and the rest of the military became vigilant over the possible re-emergence of Peronism in the political arena, which led to two new coups against elected Presidents in 1962 (deposing Arturo Frondizi ) and 1966 (ousting Arturo Illia ). Political infighting eroded discipline and cohesion within

14319-413: The surplus by 1948. Perón's bid for economic independence was further complicated by a number of inherited external factors. Great Britain owed Argentina over 150 million pounds Sterling (nearly US$ 650 million) from agricultural exports to that nation during the war. This debt was mostly in the form of Argentine Central Bank reserves which, per the 1933 Roca-Runciman Treaty , were deposited in

14448-610: The test flights, the planes were flown by Lieutenant Edmundo Osvaldo Weiss and Tank, reaching 1,000 km/h (620 mph) with the Pulqui II. Argentina continued testing the Pulqui II until 1959; in the tests, two pilots lost their lives. The Pulqui project opened the door to two successful Argentinian planes: the IA 58 Pucará and the IA 63 Pampa , manufactured at the Aircraft Factory of Córdoba. Perón announced in 1951 that

14577-600: The time was head of the National Library of Buenos Aires , was appointed "poultry inspector" at the Buenos Aires Municipal Wholesale Market (a post he refused). Many left the country and migrated to Mexico, United States or Europe. The theologian Herold B. Weiss recalls events in the universities: As a young student in Buenos Aires in the early 1950s, I well remember the graffiti found on many an empty wall all over town: "Build

14706-574: The training of Nicaraguan Contras with US assistance, including from John Negroponte . Meanwhile, the Guevarist People's Revolutionary Army (ERP), led by Roberto Santucho and inspired by Che Guevara 's foco theory , began a rural insurgency in the province of Tucumán , in the mountainous northwest of Argentina. It started the campaign with no more than 100 men and women of the Marxist ERP guerrilla force and ended with about 300 in

14835-477: The vice president of Roberto María Ortiz following Ortiz's resignation due to illness; both Ortiz and Castillo had been elected in the 1937 presidential election , which has been described as being among the most fraudulent in Argentine history. The military was opposed to Governor Robustiano Patrón Costas , Castillo's hand-picked successor, who was the principal landowner in Salta Province , as well as

14964-511: The war's beneficial effects on both the quantity and price of Argentine exports had combined to create a US$ 1.7 billion cumulative surplus during those years. In his first two years in office, Perón nationalized the Central Bank and paid off its billion-dollar debt to the Bank of England ; nationalized the railways (mostly owned by British and French companies), merchant marine , universities, public utilities, public transport (then, mostly tramways); and, probably most significantly, created

15093-756: The workers' movement, to strengthen the unions, and to transform the Department of Labour into a more significant government office. Perón had the Department of Labour elevated to a cabinet-level secretariat in November 1943. Following the devastating January 1944 San Juan earthquake , which claimed over 10,000 lives and leveled the Andes range city, Perón became nationally prominent in relief efforts. Junta leader Pedro Ramírez entrusted fundraising efforts to him, and Perón marshaled celebrities from Argentina's large film industry and other public figures. For months,

15222-534: The world. Perón modernized the Argentine Armed Forces , particularly its Air Force . Between 1947 and 1950, Argentina manufactured two advanced jet aircraft: Pulqui I (designed by the Argentine engineers Cardehilac, Morchio and Ricciardi with the French engineer Émile Dewoitine , condemned in France in absentia for collaborationism ), and Pulqui II , designed by German engineer Kurt Tank . In

15351-463: Was also made a universal right by the Workers' Bill of Rights enacted on 24 February 1947 (subsequently incorporated into the 1949 Constitution as Article 14-b), while social security was extended to virtually all members of the Argentine working class. From 1946 to 1951, the number of Argentinians covered by social security more than tripled, so that in 1951 more than 5 million people (70% of

15480-490: Was an Argentine lieutenant general, politician and statesman who served as the 29th President of Argentina from 1946 to his overthrow in 1955, and again as the 40th President from October 1973 to his death in July 1974. He is the only Argentine president elected three times, and holds the highest percentage of votes in clean elections with universal suffrage. Perón is the most important and controversial Argentine politician of

15609-641: Was awarded twice in the nineteenth century: to José de San Martín and to Bernardino Rivadavia . As a promotion to this rank is not foreseen, no insignia for the rank currently exists. The rank of coronel mayor ( senior colonel ) is an honorary distinction for colonels occupying general's positions (such as brigade commander), but who are not senior enough to be promoted. Juan Per%C3%B3n Juan Domingo Perón ( UK : / p ɛ ˈ r ɒ n / , US : / p ɛ ˈ r oʊ n , p ə ˈ -, p eɪ ˈ -/ , Spanish: [ˈxwan doˈmiŋɡo peˈɾon] ; 8 October 1895 – 1 July 1974)

15738-623: Was elected as vice president on his ticket and succeeded him as president upon his death in 1974. Political violence only intensified, and she was ousted in 1976 , followed by a period of even deadlier repression under the junta of Jorge Rafael Videla . Although they are still controversial figures, Juan and Eva Perón are nonetheless considered icons by the Peronists. The Peróns' followers praised their efforts to eliminate poverty and to dignify labour , while their detractors considered them demagogues and dictators. The Peróns gave their name to

15867-539: Was forced to borrow US$ 125 million from the U.S. Export-Import Bank to cover a number of private banks' debts to U.S. institutions, without which their insolvency would have become a central bank liability. Austerity and better harvests in 1950 helped finance a recovery in 1951; but inflation, having risen from 13% in 1948 to 31% in 1949, reached 50% in late 1951 before stabilizing, and a second, sharper recession soon followed. Workers' purchasing power, by 1952, had declined 20% from its 1948 high and GDP, having leapt by

15996-483: Was intolerant of both left-wing and conservative opposition. Though he used violence, Perón preferred to deprive the opposition of their access to media. Interior Minister Borlenghi administered El Laborista , the leading official news daily. Carlos Aloe, a personal friend of Evita's, oversaw an array of leisure magazines published by Editorial Haynes , which the Peronist Party bought a majority stake in. Through

16125-457: Was later commemorated as Loyalty Day . His paramour, Eva Duarte , became hugely popular after helping organize the demonstration; known as "Evita", she helped Perón gain support with labour and women's groups. She and Perón were married on 22 October. Perón's candidacy on the Labour Party ticket, announced the day after the 17 October 1945 mobilization, became a lightning rod that rallied an unusually diverse opposition against it. The majority of

16254-464: Was not exempt from the iron fist. In the 1946 elections for the post of Secretary General of the CGT resulted in telephone workers' union leader Luis Gay's victory over Perón's nominee, former retail workers' leader Ángel Borlenghi – both central figures in Perón's famed 17 October comeback. The president had Luis Gay expelled from the CGT three months later, and replaced him with José Espejo,

16383-460: Was short-lived. Following a lumbering recovery during 1933 to 1945, from 1946 to 1953 Argentina gained benefits from Perón's five-year plan . The GDP expanded by over a fourth during that brief boom, about as much as it had during the previous decade. Using roughly half the US$ 1.7 billion in reserves inherited from wartime surpluses for nationalizations, economic development agencies devoted most of

16512-481: Was supported by his second wife, Eva Duarte ("Evita"); they were immensely popular among the Argentine working class. Perón's government invested heavily in public works , expanded social welfare , and forced employers to improve working conditions. Trade unions grew rapidly with his support and women's suffrage was granted with Eva's influence. His government was also known to employ dictatorial tactics; several dissidents were fired, exiled, or arrested, and much of

16641-586: Was the one led by General José de San Martín , who led a 5000-man army across the Andes Mountains to expel the Spaniards from Chile and later from Perú. While the other expeditions failed in their goal of bringing all the dependencies of the former Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata under the new government in Buenos Aires, they prevented the Spaniards from crushing the rebellion. During the civil wars of

#356643