1. Latin America in the late 1900’s

2. The Western Hemisphere & The Cold War
Throughout the 1950s & 1960s political and economic problems lead to widespread unrest
When Cuba fell to communism many feared the domino effect would take place throughout the Western Hemisphere

3. Alliance for Progress
President Kennedy proposed an ‘Alliance for Progress’
10 year plan
Intended to provide:
Economic and military aid
Goals:
Combat inequality
Improve education, industrialization, public health
Establish democratic governments

4. Alliance for Progress Some gains were made by the 1970s Why?
Public health and increased literacy rates
Economic plans deemed a failure
Inequality still very high
Price stability didn’t last
Why?
Insufficient US aid and lack of US focus
Resistance by many locals
Rise of anti-democracy military dictatorships

5. Military Dictatorships in L.A.
Unfortunately, a good portion of US military aid helped military regimes into power
Democratic governments were less important

6. Think-Pair-Share
Why do you think the US was worried about Latin American countries turning towards communism?
How might the Alliance for Progress prevent countries from turning to communism?
To what extent do you believe the Alliance for Progress was a good idea?
How do you think the US Government reacted to the rise of military dictatorships across Latin America?

7. Argentina and the Dirty Wars

8. Argentina in the 60s/70s
Series of civilian and military governments throughout the 60s
Sought to ban Peronism
Legitimized trade unions
Extended political rights to working class and woman
Increase education opportunities
Many reforms from Peron were repealed
Marked by instability and anti- government feelings
Economic strife and rising inflation

9. Dirty Wars (1976 – 1983)
Began as an attempt to restore social order after unstable leadership
Quickly turned into war on Argentine citizens
Military Junta
Government led by military leaders
The Process ‘El Procesco’
A period of repression for the public

10. Dirty Wars (1976 – 1983) Methods of suppression: Death flights:
Incarceration
Torture
Rape
Killing
Kidnapping
Death flights:
Prisoners were executed by being though our of planes
‘Los Desaparecidos’
The Disappeared
The children of the disappeared were taken from their parents and given to supports of the junta

11. Dirty Wars (1976 – 1983) Two human rights groups
Las Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo & Las Madres de Plaza de Mayo
Mothers and grandmothers of the disappeared
Main square in Buenos Aires
Held protests against the junta

12. Think-Pair-Share
What role do you think the Cold War played in Argentina?
Why do you think this event/time period is referred to as the Dirty War? What name would you use to describe it?
What do you think present day Argentinian’s are doing to remember the victims of the Dirty Wars? What would you do?

13. Aftermath of the Dirty Wars
National Commission on the Disappearance of Persons
Investigated the fate of the disappeared
Nunca Mas (Never Again) – report issued by the commission
Government successfully tried high-ranking officials connected to the disappeared
Pardon Laws ( )
Ended prosecutions of military and security officers from crimes committed due to several uprisings
2005, judge ruled the pardon laws were unconstitutional
Gerneral Videla was convicted for human rights violation and died in prison, 2013
By 2013, 109 of the 500 suspected missing children have been identified

14. Watch the U2 music video for Mothers of the Disappeared
HOMEWORK!
Watch the U2 music video for Mothers of the Disappeared