Argentina’s History: 1930s Crisis to Perón’s Fall
Presidency of Agustín P. Justo
During the presidency of Agustín P. Justo, Argentina signed a pact with England. In this agreement, Argentina acknowledged its place within the British Empire. In return, England maintained its purchase levels, with 85% of Argentine exports (primarily refrigerated meat) going to Britain and 15% remaining within Argentina. The pact also eliminated import duties on English coal, hurting the Argentine oil industry and reducing tax revenues. Argentina further promised favorable treatment for British investments and recruitment. In short, Argentina incurred debt.
A secret clause in the treaty involved transportation coordination, granting a 56-year monopoly on urban transport. However, this law ultimately had no effect. Another element was the creation of a joint central bank, giving predominantly British private banking capital financial control of the country. This protected private interests, potentially harming the state and not addressing the country’s external debt. Later, President Ramón Castillo was accused of harboring sympathies for the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan).
From the Great Depression to World War II
The end of the First World War did not end conflicts between nations. New problems arose from the conditions imposed on the defeated countries in peace treaties and the economic crisis of 1929-30, which affected the US and European capitalist economies, leading to a major economic depression.
Interwar Period (1918-1939)
The interwar period, between the end of World War I and the beginning of World War II, saw complex political, economic, and ideological developments that ultimately led to the Second World War. It is crucial to understand these processes.
Political Developments
Rising nationalism fueled intentions among European states. Germany and Italy, feeling humiliated by their treatment after World War I and territorial losses, gained momentum. Simultaneously, new multinational states created in the Balkan region (through peace treaties) faced challenges due to arbitrarily assigned boundaries and diverse ethnic groups.
Economic Challenges
The problems of managing European economies after the First World War were compounded by the crisis of 1929. European states aimed to modernize and expand industry, create jobs for demobilized soldiers, and rebuild towns and countryside.
Ideological Shifts
The interwar period saw the consolidation and growth of the labor movement. The number of members in social democratic, socialist, and communist parties increased. The middle and upper classes felt threatened. European governments, believing that Hitler’s expansion into Eastern Europe would serve as a *cordon sanitaire*, agreed to it. This culminated in the 1938 Munich Conference, where British and French ministers met with Hitler and Mussolini, agreeing to the incorporation of the Sudetenland (a region in Czechoslovakia) into Germany. Mussolini and Hitler declared this would be Germany’s last territorial claim. This situation changed drastically in September 1939 when Germany invaded Poland. France and England declared war on Germany, marking the beginning of World War II.
1943 to 1955
- Pedro P. Ramírez (June 1943 to 1944, *de facto* government)
- Edelmiro Farrell (1944-46, *de facto* government)
- Juan D. Perón (1946-52) and (1952-55, deposed)
- Eduardo Lonardi (September 1955 to November 1955, *de facto* government, deposed)
Objective: To present events without personal feelings or thoughts, relaying information as it happened.
Subjective: To consider feelings, attitudes, and thoughts, and understand different points of view.