The military history of Argentina spans a period of over two centuries. During the course of those years, it broke colonial ties with Spain, waged a
civil war
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
to define its organization and wars with Brazil, Paraguay, Britain and France. The military also played a role in the institutional life of the country, during a series of
coups d'état that took place in the 20th century.
Before independence
One of the first notable military conflicts taking place in modern Argentina were the
British invasions of the Río de la Plata
The British invasions of the River Plate were two unsuccessful British attempts to seize control of areas in the Spanish colony of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata that were located around the Río de la Plata in South America – in p ...
, involving both
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
and
Montevideo
Montevideo () is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Uruguay, largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2011 census, the city proper has a population of 1,319,108 (about one-third of the country's total population) in an area of . M ...
(currently part of Uruguay). As part of the
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
, a British force led by
William Carr Beresford
General William Carr Beresford, 1st Viscount Beresford, 1st Marquis of Campo Maior, (; 2 October 1768 – 8 January 1854) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and politician. A general in the British Army and a Marshal in the Portuguese Army, he foug ...
occupied Buenos Aires on June 27. The French
Santiago de Liniers
Santiago Antonio María de Liniers y Bremond, 1st Count of Buenos Aires, Order of Montesa, KOM, Order of Malta, OM (July 25, 1753 – August 26, 1810) was a French People, French officer in the Spain, Spanish military service, and a viceroy of ...
moved to Montevideo and led the forces that would reconquer Buenos Aires on August 12, 1806. The Viceroy
Rafael de Sobremonte
Don Rafael de Sobremonte y Núñez del Castillo, 3rd Marquis of Sobremonte (Seville, 1745 – Cádiz, 1827), third Marquis of Sobremonte, was an aristocrat, military man and Spanish colonial administrator, and Viceroy of the Río de la Pla ...
, who had fled from the city to Córdoba, was not allowed to return, and Liniers was trusted to organize the defense of the city against a possible British counter-attack. For this end he drafted all men capable to bear arms, regardless of their social condition (including slaves), and formed militias to defend the city. The
Regiment of Patricians
The 1st Infantry Regiment "Los Patricios" (''Regimiento de Infantería 1 "Los Patricios"'') is the oldest and one of the most prestigious regiments of the Argentine Army. The title is often shortened to the Patricians' Regiment (''Regimiento de ...
, composed of
criollo people
In Hispanic America, criollo () is a term used originally to describe people of Spanish descent born in the colonies. In different Latin American countries the word has come to have different meanings, sometimes referring to the local-born majo ...
, was created during this time.
The second invasion took place the following year. A new British army, much bigger than the first one, invaded first Montevideo and then moved to Buenos Aires, led by Lieutenant-General
John Whitelocke
John Whitelocke (1757 – 23 October 1833) was a British Army officer.
Military career
Educated at Marlborough Grammar School and at Lewis Lochée's military academy in Chelsea, Whitelocke entered the army in 1778 and served in Jamaica and in Sa ...
. The British found a strong resistance and were forced to surrender, and return Montevideo to the viceroyalty.
As a result of the invasions, Sobremonte was removed as viceroy, and replaced by Liniers. The Regiment of Patricians, led by
Cornelio Saavedra
Cornelio Judas Tadeo de Saavedra y Rodríguez (September 15, 1759 in Otuyo – March 29, 1829 in Buenos Aires) was a military officer and statesman from the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. He was instrumental in the May Revolution, the fir ...
, became a strong political force in Buenos Aires, and was instrumental to the failure of the
Mutiny of Álzaga
The Mutiny of Álzaga ( es, Asonada de Álzaga) was an ill-fated attempt to remove Santiago de Liniers as viceroy of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. It took place on January 1, 1809, and it was led by the merchant Martín de Álzaga (polit ...
and the success of the
May Revolution
The May Revolution ( es, Revolución de Mayo) was a week-long series of events that took place from May 18 to 25, 1810, in Buenos Aires, capital of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. This Spanish colony included roughly the terri ...
.
19th century
War of independence
![Ejercito Libertador cruce de Cordillera de los andes](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Ejercito_Libertador_cruce_de_Cordillera_de_los_andes.jpg)
The May Revolution ousted the Viceroy
Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros
Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros y de la Torre (6 January 1756 – 9 June 1829) was a Spanish naval officer born in Cartagena. He took part in the Battle of Cape St Vincent and the Battle of Trafalgar, and in the Spanish resistance against Napole ...
and replaced him with a
junta
Junta may refer to:
Government and military
* Junta (governing body) (from Spanish), the name of various historical and current governments and governing institutions, including civil ones
** Military junta, one form of junta, government led by ...
, the
Primera Junta
The Primera Junta ( en, First Junta) or ''Junta Provisional Gubernativa de las Provincias del Río de la Plata'' (''Provisional Governing Junta of the Provinces of the Río de la Plata''), is the most common name given to the first government of ...
. The viceroyalty was also renamed, removing the "viceroyalty" word from it, and it nominally became the
United Provinces of the Río de la Plata
The United Provinces of the Río de la Plata ( es, link=no, Provincias Unidas del Río de la Plata), earlier known as the United Provinces of South America ( es, link=no, Provincias Unidas de Sudamérica), was a name adopted in 1816 by the Cong ...
. However, the status of the different territories that used to belong to the viceroyalty changed many times during the development of the war, as some regions would remain loyal to the former organization, others were captured or recaptured, and later they would
divide into several countries.
The first military campaigns against the royalists were waged by
Manuel Belgrano
Manuel José Joaquín del Corazón de Jesús Belgrano y González (3 June 1770 – 20 June 1820), usually referred to as Manuel Belgrano (), was an Argentine public servant, economist, lawyer, politician, journalist, and military leader. He ...
and
Juan José Castelli
Juan José Castelli (19 July 176412 October 1812) was an Argentine lawyer who was one of the leaders of the May Revolution, which led to the Argentine War of Independence. He led an ill-fated military campaign in Upper Peru.
Juan José Castel ...
. The
Army of the North
The Army of the North ( es, link=no, Ejército del Norte), contemporaneously called Army of Peru, was one of the armies deployed by the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata in the Spanish American wars of independence. Its objective was fre ...
led by Castelli was headed first by Ortiz de Ocampo and defeated a counter-revolution organized by Liniers at Córdoba. Castelli took command to enforce the execution of the captured royalists, and then moved to the
Upper Peru
Upper Peru (; ) is a name for the land that was governed by the Real Audiencia of Charcas. The name originated in Buenos Aires towards the end of the 18th century after the Audiencia of Charcas was transferred from the Viceroyalty of Peru to th ...
. He took control of it for a brief time, and was defeated by Goyeneche at the
Battle of Huaqui
The Battle of Huaqui (in some sources also called Guaqui, Yuraicoragua or Battle of Desaguadero), was a battle between the Primera Junta's (Buenos Aires) revolutionary troops and the royalist troops of the Viceroyalty of Peru on the border betw ...
. Belgrano led an ill-fated campaign to Paraguay, and created the
Flag of Argentina
The national flag of the Argentine Republic is a triband (flag), triband, composed of three equally wide horizontal bands coloured light blue and white. There are multiple interpretations on the reasons for those colors. The flag was created by ...
when preparing the defenses of
Rosario
Rosario () is the largest city in the central provinces of Argentina, Argentine province of Santa Fe Province, Santa Fe. The city is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the west bank of the Paraná River. Rosario is the third-most populous ci ...
against a possible attack from the
Banda Oriental
Banda Oriental, or more fully Banda Oriental del Uruguay (Eastern Bank), was the name of the South American territories east of the Uruguay River and north of Río de la Plata that comprise the modern nation of Uruguay; the modern state of Rio Gra ...
(where
Montevideo
Montevideo () is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Uruguay, largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2011 census, the city proper has a population of 1,319,108 (about one-third of the country's total population) in an area of . M ...
was under siege by Artigas). Belgrano led a new campaign to the Upper Peru, achieving military victories at Salta and Tucuman, but being defeated at Vilcapugio and Ayohuma.
By this time
José de San Martín
José Francisco de San Martín y Matorras (25 February 177817 August 1850), known simply as José de San Martín () or '' the Liberator of Argentina, Chile and Peru'', was an Argentine general and the primary leader of the southern and cent ...
arrived to Buenos Aires with other generals of the
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain ...
. They gave new strength to the Revolutionary war, which was compromised by the defeats of Belgrano and Castelli and the royalist resistance at the Banda Oriental. Alvear took Montevideo, and San Martín started a military campaign that would span across an important part of the Spanish territories in America. First, he created the
Regiment of Mounted Grenadiers
The Regiment of Mounted Grenadiers ( es, Regimiento de Granaderos a Caballo) is the name of two Argentine Army regiments of two different time periods: a historic regiment that operated from 1812 to 1826, and a modern cavalry unit that was organiz ...
and defeated a Spanish raid at the
Battle of San Lorenzo
The Battle of San Lorenzo was fought on 3 February 1813 in San Lorenzo, Argentina, then part of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata. The royalist troops, were composed of militiamen recruited in Montevideo under the command of mil ...
(the only battle that San Martín fought in Argentine territory). He created the
Army of the Andes
The Army of the Andes ( es, Ejército de los Andes) was a military force created by the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata (Argentina) and mustered by general José de San Martín in his campaign to free Chile from the Spanish Empire. In 181 ...
in Mendoza and, with help of
Bernardo O'Higgins
Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme (; August 20, 1778 – October 24, 1842) was a Chilean independence leader who freed Chile from Spanish rule in the Chilean War of Independence. He was a wealthy landowner of Basque-Spanish and Irish ancestry. Althou ...
nd other Chileans he made the
Crossing of the Andes
The Crossing of the Andes ( es, Cruce de los Andes) was one of the most important feats in the Argentine and Chilean wars of independence, in which a combined army of Argentine soldiers and Chilean exiles invaded Chile crossing the Andes r ...
and liberated Chile. With the Chilean navy at his disposal, he moved to Peru, liberating that country as well. San Martín met
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios (24 July 1783 – 17 December 1830) was a Venezuelan military and political leader who led what are currently the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Panama and B ...
at
Guayaquil
, motto = Por Guayaquil Independiente en, For Independent Guayaquil
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Ecuador#South America
, pushpin_re ...
, and retired from action.
The
Congress of Tucumán
The Congress of Tucumán was the representative assembly, initially meeting in San Miguel de Tucumán, that declared the independence of the United Provinces of South America (modern-day Argentina, Uruguay, part of Bolivia) on July 9, 1816, fro ...
was called while San Martín was preparing the crossing of the Andes. It
declared independence from Spain or any other foreign power.
After independence
![Juncal MuratureJose 1865](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/Juncal_MuratureJose_1865.png)
After the Argentine independence from Spain, a history of military conscription emerged and that this tradition of mandatory military service began in 1896 with the First
Conscription
Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day un ...
(''Servicio Militar Obligatorio'') where 20-year-old men were drafted by a decree of President
José Evaristo Uriburu
José Félix Evaristo de Uriburu y Álvarez de Arenales (November 19, 1831 – October 23, 1914) was President of Argentina from 23 January 1895 to 12 October 1898.
He was an adept diplomat; participating as arbiter on the peace negotiati ...
br>
and lasted until 1994. This policy persisted owing to numerous conflicts that Argentina was involved in previously after its independence and the foreseen territorial conflicts with neighboring countries. For instance, 1825 saw the outbreak of the
Cisplatine War, Argentina-Brazil War over the control of
Uruguay
Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
, then called ''
Banda Oriental
Banda Oriental, or more fully Banda Oriental del Uruguay (Eastern Bank), was the name of the South American territories east of the Uruguay River and north of Río de la Plata that comprise the modern nation of Uruguay; the modern state of Rio Gra ...
''. This war ended with the
independence of Uruguay in 1828. The Argentine military achieved several victories against Brazil but internal political strife eventually forced them to withdraw and settle for the
1828 Convention of Peace, with the British serving as the intermediary.
Several years later, Argentina became involved in a conflict against the United Kingdom and France. This came with the November 20, 1845
Anglo-French blockade of the Río de la Plata
The Anglo-French blockade of the Río de la Plata was a five-year-long naval blockade imposed by France and Britain on the Argentine Confederation ruled by Juan Manuel de Rosas. It was imposed in 1845 to support the Colorado Party in the Urug ...
. The combined forces from the United Kingdom and France seized control of the
Paraná River
The Paraná River ( es, Río Paraná, links=no , pt, Rio Paraná, gn, Ysyry Parana) is a river in south-central South America, running through Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina for some ."Parana River". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Br ...
in order to establish trade relationships with
Paraguay
Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...
an ports blocked by Argentina. The Army of the
Argentine Confederation
The Argentine Confederation (Spanish: ''Confederación Argentina'') was the last predecessor state of modern Argentina; its name is still one of the official names of the country according to the Argentine Constitution, Article 35. It was the name ...
, commanded by
General Lucio Mansilla, expelled the invaders causing severe damage to the 11 warships by shooting from both river's shores, at the cost of 150 Argentines killed and 90 wounded. Although the invading troops took fewer casualties (26 killed, 86 wounded), they decided to leave in order to preserve the remaining ships. It was the last attempt on Argentine rivers by the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
. Other notable conflicts include the following:
* 1864–1870:
War of the Triple Alliance
The Paraguayan War, also known as the War of the Triple Alliance, was a South American war that lasted from 1864 to 1870. It was fought between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, the Empire of Brazil, and Uruguay. It was the deadlies ...
. Argentina, the
Brazilian Empire
The Empire of Brazil was a 19th-century state that broadly comprised the territories which form modern Brazil and (until 1828) Uruguay. Its government was a representative parliamentary constitutional monarchy under the rule of Emperors Dom Pe ...
and Uruguay invaded and routed the
militaristic
Militarism is the belief or the desire of a government or a people that a state should maintain a strong military capability and to use it aggressively to expand national interests and/or values. It may also imply the glorification of the mili ...
Paraguay
Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...
of
Francisco Solano López
Francisco Solano López Carrillo (24 July 1827 – 1 March 1870) was President of Paraguay from 1862 until his death in 1870. He was the eldest son of Juana Pabla Carrillo and of President Carlos Antonio López, Francisco's predecessor.
...
, after the strategic
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul (, , ; "Great River of the South") is a Federative units of Brazil, state in the South Region, Brazil, southern region of Brazil. It is the Federative_units_of_Brazil#List, fifth-most-populous state and the List of Brazilian st ...
in Southern Brazil was invaded.
*1870s: The
Conquest of the Desert
The Conquest of the Desert ( es, Conquista del desierto) was an Argentine military campaign directed mainly by General Julio Argentino Roca in the 1870s with the intention of establishing dominance over the Patagonian Desert, inhabited primari ...
, a military campaign directed mainly by General
Julio Argentino Roca
Alejo Julio Argentino Roca Paz (July 17, 1843 – October 19, 1914) was an army general and statesman who served as President of Argentina from 1880 to 1886 and from 1898 to 1904. Roca is the most important representative of the Generation ...
, established Argentine dominance over Patagonia.
*1879: The
Hydrographic Service was established.
20th century
![Argentine Rivadavia Class Battleship 1912](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Argentine_Rivadavia_Class_Battleship_1912.jpg)
From the latter part of the 19th century to the early 20th century, the Argentine military history was characterized by a process of armed forces modernization and technification. The following are key milestones during this period:
*1907: The
South American dreadnought race
A naval arms race among Argentina, Brazil and Chile—the wealthiest and most powerful countries in South America—began in the early twentieth century when the Brazilian government ordered three dreadnoughts, formidable battleships whose ca ...
between Argentina, Brazil and Chile started. It ends in 1914.
*1912: The
Argentine Army Aviation
The Argentine Army Aviation ( es, Comando de Aviación de Ejército, AvEj) is the army aviation branch of the Argentine Army. Their members have the same rank insignia and titles as the rest of the Army.
Along with its primary role of supporting ...
created the Army Aviation School at
El Palomar, Buenos Aires
El Palomar is a town in the urban agglomeration of Greater Buenos Aires in Argentina. It is located north-west of the Buenos Aires.
The city has the peculiarity of being divided between two partidos of Buenos Aires Province: Morón, where it is ...
.
* 1914–1918: Argentina remained neutral during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
by decision of President
Victorino de la Plaza
Victorino de la Plaza y Palacios (2 November 1840 – 2 October 1919) was an Argentine politician and lawyer who served as President of Argentina from 9 August 1914 to 11 October 1916.
As the second son of José Roque Mariano de la Plaza E ...
.
Hipólito Yrigoyen
Juan Hipólito del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús Yrigoyen (; 12 July 1852 – 3 July 1933) was an Argentine politician of the Radical Civic Union and two-time President of Argentina, who served his first term from 1916 to 1922 and his second ...
kept a similar policy. It is considered that staying neutral boosted the Argentine economy.
*1919: The
Argentine Naval Aviation
)
Gulf War
, anniversaries =
, decorations =
, battle_honours =
, commander1 = President
, commander1_label = Commander-in-Chief
, commander2 ...
was established.
*1921: The Argentine Army was used to eliminate
strikers
Forwards (also known as attackers) are outfield positions in an association football team who play the furthest up the pitch and are therefore most responsible for scoring goals as well as assisting them. As with any attacking player, the role ...
in
Santa Cruz. Lt. Col. Varela commanded the operation. Between 1,500 and 3,000 workers were executed.
*1930: General
José Félix Uriburu
Lieutenant General José Félix Benito Uriburu y Uriburu (20 July 186829 April 1932) was the President of the Provisional Government of Argentina, ousting the successor to President Hipólito Yrigoyen by means of a military coup and declaring ...
made a
coup d'état
A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...
and became the first de facto President of Argentina. The military continues overthrowing civilian governments until 1983.
*1933: The
Argentine Submarine Force
The Argentine Submarine Force Command (Spanish language, Spanish: Comando de la Fuerza de Submarinos, COFS) is the submarine, submarine service branch of the Argentine Navy. Argentine submarines have traditionally been named after the Provinces of ...
was established.
Postwar
After the war, the military's role began to shift from the previous appearance as protector of the constitution and of the people against corruption. Military leaders during the postwar period began increasingly imposing their own rules and standards on the political system so that, in the end, the armed forces came to dominate the political system.
This began during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, between 1939 and 1945. The civilian government considered joining the allies, but many officers in the armed forces and ordinary citizens objected due to fears over the spread of communism. This was a factor contributing to the
military coup
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such ...
of 1943.
Pedro Pablo Ramírez
Pedro Pablo Ramirez Menchaca (30 January 1884 – 12 May 1962) was the fascist-leaning President of Argentina from 7 June 1943, to 24 February 1944. He was the founder and leader of ''Guardia Nacional'', Argentina's fascist militia.
Life an ...
, who had been attached to the Kaiser's army and later Mussolini's in the twenties, became dictator. In 1944 he was replaced by
Edelmiro Julián Farrell
Edelmiro Julián Farrell Plaul (; 12 February 1887 – 21 October 1980) was an Argentine general. He was the ''de facto'' president of Argentina between 1944 and 1946.
Farrell had a great influence on later Argentine history by introducin ...
, who had spent two years attached to Mussolini's army. The government maintained a neutral policy but towards the end of the war, Farrell bowed to intense pressure from the United States. Like several Latin American states, Argentina made a late declaration of war against Germany.
Timeline of postwar military history
*1959: The
ARA ''Independencia'' (V-1) became the first aircraft carrier of the
Argentine Navy
The Argentine Navy (ARA; es, Armada de la República Argentina). This forms the basis for the navy's ship prefix "ARA". is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the ...
.
*1974–1983: The
Dirty War
The Dirty War ( es, Guerra sucia) is the name used by the military junta or civic-military dictatorship of Argentina ( es, dictadura cívico-militar de Argentina, links=no) for the period of state terrorism in Argentina from 1974 to 1983 a ...
, a period of
state-sponsored violence, occurred, as a response to widespread leftist guerrilla movements that threatened the society and civil existence of the country
* 1978: After Argentine repudiation of an obligator
arbitrationto settle a territorial dispute with
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
concerning the
Beagle Channel
Beagle Channel (; Yahgan: ''Onašaga'') is a strait in the Tierra del Fuego Archipelago, on the extreme southern tip of South America between Chile and Argentina. The channel separates the larger main island of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego fr ...
, General
Jorge Rafael Videla
Jorge Rafael Videla (; ; 2 August 1925 – 17 May 2013) was an Argentine military officer and dictator, Commander in Chief of the Army, member of the Military Junta, and ''de facto'' President of Argentina from 29 March 1976 to 29 March 1981. H ...
moved troops to the
Andes
The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...
mountains. The Argentine
Operation Soberanía
Operación Soberanía (Operation Sovereignty) was a planned Argentine military invasion of Chile due to the Beagle conflict. The invasion was initiated on 22 December 1978 but was halted after a few hours and Argentine forces retreated from the con ...
to invade the islands was stopped with mediation from the
Holy See
The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...
. The crisis lasts up to 1984, over the Falklands War.
* 1982:
Falklands War
The Falklands War ( es, link=no, Guerra de las Malvinas) was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial de ...
( es, Guerra de las Malvinas). The Argentine Armed Forces
invaded
An invasion is a military offensive in which large numbers of combatants of one geopolitical entity aggressively enter territory owned by another such entity, generally with the objective of either: conquering; liberating or re-establishing con ...
the
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands (; es, Islas Malvinas, link=no ) is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and about from Cape Dubouzet ...
. In a ten-week war 255 British and 649 Argentines were killed. The war ended with Britain reclaiming the islands. Argentina's defeat caused the collapse of the
military junta
A military junta () is a government led by a committee of military leaders. The term ''junta'' means "meeting" or "committee" and originated in the national and local junta organized by the Spanish resistance to Napoleon's invasion of Spain in ...
.
* 1990s: Argentina became greatly involved in
UN peacekeeping
Peacekeeping comprises activities intended to create conditions that favour lasting peace. Research generally finds that peacekeeping reduces civilian and battlefield deaths, as well as reduces the risk of renewed warfare.
Within the United N ...
missions around the world.
* 1991:
Argentine Navy
The Argentine Navy (ARA; es, Armada de la República Argentina). This forms the basis for the navy's ship prefix "ARA". is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the ...
ships and
Air Force
An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an a ...
transport aircraft participated in the 1991
Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
. Argentina was the only Latin American country in the
coalition
A coalition is a group formed when two or more people or groups temporarily work together to achieve a common goal. The term is most frequently used to denote a formation of power in political or economical spaces.
Formation
According to ''A Gui ...
.
* 1993: Argentina joined the UN
Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus replacing the
Canadian Forces
}
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force.
...
. As of 2010, ground troops and helicopters continue serving and since 1999 have other
Latin America
Latin America or
* french: Amérique Latine, link=no
* ht, Amerik Latin, link=no
* pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...
n troops within their ranks.
* 1995: The murder of young conscript Carrasco caused the end of compulsory
conscription
Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day un ...
. Decree 1537 of 29 August, signed by then President
Carlos Menem
Carlos Saúl Menem (2 July 1930 – 14 February 2021) was an Argentine lawyer and politician who served as the President of Argentina from 1989 to 1999. Ideologically, he identified as a Peronist and supported economically liberal policies. H ...
, established a Regime for Personnel of Professional Soldiers. Ever since people of 18 to 24 years of age can, after signing a compromise, voluntarily enter the Armed Forces and receive a course. Law 24429 of Voluntary Military Service was passed by Congress on December 14, 1994.
* 1998: In recognition for her peacekeeping efforts, US President
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
named Argentina a
major non-NATO ally
Major non-NATO ally (MNNA) is a designation given by the United States government to close allies that have strategic working relationships with the US Armed Forces but are not members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). While the s ...
.
* 2006: The National Defense Law was passed, making a breaking point in
jointness
Jointness is a neologism coined by the United States Armed Forces to describe cross-service cooperation in all stages of the military processes, from research, through procurement and into operations. Today, it is accepted by many advanced militari ...
and civilian rule on defense matters.
* 2008: ''Cruz del Sur'', a combined force with
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
for
UN operations, was created.
* Current: Participation in UN peacekeeping missions continues (particularly in
Cyprus
Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...
and
Haiti
Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...
), as well as regional integration efforts with
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
and
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
.
See also
*
List of violent incidents at the Argentine border
This is a list of hostile incidents at the Argentine border. This timeline does not include events from the 1982 Falklands War, nor the 1978 peak of the Beagle crisis with Chile.
It should be note that Argentina's use of force against Chile and ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Military History of Argentina