Document #1- A recollection by student Herbert Weiss about going to university during the
Peron Era. The publication date is 2005.
Weiss (2005, p.45) recalls events related to the universities:
"As a young student in Buenos Aires in the early 1950s, I well remember the graffiti found in many
an empty wall all over town: 'Build the Fatherland. Kill a Student' (Haga patria, mate un estudiante).
was also against the universities, who questioned his methods and his goals. A well-remembered
slogan runs, Alpargatas sí, libros no ('peon footwear yes, books no'). Universities were 'intervened'.
In some, a Peronista mediocrity was appointed rector. Others were closed for years."
Between 1947 and 1950, Argentina manufactured two advanced jet aircraft called Pulqui I
(designed by the Argentine engineers Cardehilac, Morchio and Ricciardi with the French Emile
Dewoitine, condemned in France in absentia for Collaborationism), and Pulqui II designed by Kurt
Tank. In the main test flights the planes were flown by Argentine Lieutenant Edmundo Osvaldo
Weiss and Kurt Tank himself, reaching 1000 km/h with the Pulqui II. Argentina continued testing
the Pulqui II until 1959; during that time two pilots lost their lives. The Pulqui project opened the
door to develop two successful Argentinian planes: I.A.58"Pucara and the I.A.63'Pampa
manufactured at the Aircraft Factory of Córdoba.
In 1951, Perón announced that the Huemul Project would produce nuclear fusion before any other
country. In charge of the project was an Austrian of German origin, Ronald Richter, who had been
recommended by Kurt Tank who was expecting to power his aircraft with Richter's invention.
Perón announced that the energy produced by Richter would be delivered in milk-bottle sized
containers. Success of the project was announced in 1951, but no proof was shown. On 1952 Perón
appointed a scientific team to investigate Richter's activities. The reports by José Antonio Balseiro,
and Mario Báncora revealed that the project was a fraud. After that, the assets of the Huemul
Project were transferred to the Centro Atómico Bariloche (CAB) of the Argentine National Atomic
Energy Commission (CNEA) and to the physics institute of the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo which
was later named Instituto Balseiro (IB).
Document #2 Vargas Suicide Note 8-24-1954
I assumed the Government in the midst of an inflationary spiral which was destroying
the rewards of work. Profits for foreign companies were reaching as much as 500 percent
per year. In declaration of import values, frauds of more than $100 million per year were
proved. With the coffee crisis the value of our main product rose. We tried to protect its
price and the response was such violent pressure on our economy that we were forced to
give in. I have fought month after month, day after day, hour after hour, resisting constant
pressure, suffering everything in silence, forgetting everything, giving of myself in order to
defend the Brazilian people who are now left deserted. There is nothing more I can give
you except my blood. If the birds of prey want someone's blood, if they want to go on
draining the Brazilian people, I offer my life as a holocaust. I choose this means of being
always with you. When they humiliate you, you will feel my soul suffering at your side.
When hunger knocks at your door, you will feel in your breast the energy to struggle for
yourselves and your children. When you are scorned, my memory will give you the
strength to react. My sacrifice will keep you united and my name will be your battle
standard.
Each drop of my blood will be an immortal flame in your conscience and will uphold the
sacred will to resist. To hatred I reply with pardon, and to those who think they have
defeated me, I reply with my victory. I was a slave to the Brazilian people, and today I am
freeing myself for eternal life. But this people, whose slave I was, will no longer be slave to
anyone. My sacrifice will remain forever in their souls and my blood will be the price of
their ransom. I fought against the exploitation of Brazil. I fought against the exploitation of
her people. I have fought with my whole heart. Hatred, infamy and slander have not
conquered my spirit. I have given you my life. Now I offer you my death. I fear nothing.
Serenely I take my first step towards eternity and leave life to enter history.
Document #3
FSA Photograph circa 1935
Document #4- Except from speech “What is Peronism?” 20 August 1948.
One Single Class of Men
I have never been of the opinion that in this world there should be groups of men against
other groups, nations against nations and much less can I admit that men should be
enemies because they profess a different religion. How could it be admitted, how could it be
explained that anti-Semitism should exist in Argentina? In Argentina there should not be
more than one single class of men: men who work together for the welfare of the nation,
without any discrimination whatever. They are good Argentines, no matter what their
origin, their race or their religion may be, if they work every day for the greatness of the
Nation, and they are bad Argentines, no matter what they say or how much they shout, if
they are not laying a new stone every day towards the construction of the building of the
happiness and grandeur of our Nation.
That is the only discrimination which Argentina should make among its inhabitants: those
who are doing constructive work and those who are not; those who are benefactors to the
country and those who are not. For this reason in this freest land of the free, as long as I am
President of the Republic, no one will be persecuted by anyone else.
Document #5 – Images from “A Booklet for Children” provided to public schoolchildren, 1936
Document 6-Excerpt from “May 7, 1933 Fireside Chat: Outlining the New Deal” President Franklin
D. Roosevelt
A prompt program applied as quickly as possible seemed to me not only justified but imperative to
our national security. The Congress, and when I say Congress I mean the members of both political
parties, fully understood this and gave me generous and intelligent support. The members of
Congress realized that the methods of normal times had to be replaced in the emergency by
measures which were suited to the serious and pressing requirements of the moment. There was
no actual surrender of power, Congress still retained its constitutional authority and no one has the
slightest desire to change the balance of these powers. The function of Congress is to decide what
has to be done and to select the appropriate agency to carry out its will. This policy it has strictly
adhered to. The only thing that has been happening has been to designate the President as the
agency to carry out certain of the purposes of the Congress. This was constitutional and in keeping
with the past American tradition
Document #7 From: Inequality - and Uncle Sam - at the Root of Argentinean Crisis
Pacific News Service, Andrew Reding, Dec 27, 2001
The big Latin American political machines were built on patronage. In Mexico it was the
Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI); in Argentina, the National Movement for Justice, more
commonly known as the Peronist Party. The party was the means by which Col. Juan Peron attained
the presidency in 1946, then secured his hold on power. By nationalizing banks, railways, and
telephones, Peron vastly expanded the realm of patronage.
Government subsidies and patronage may help redistribute income, but they do not create new
wealth. Thus, the Argentinean economy -- once among the world's most prosperous -- stagnated.
The government turned to printing money to keep paying its employees, but that only caused
hyperinflation of 5,000 percent per year.
Document #8 Excerpt from an elemenatry school reading book in Argentina says, “In the New
Argentina, everyone is happy. Everyone feels great. This is due to the government of Perón. For this
reason, Argentines love him with all their soul.”
DBQ Question:
Using the documents and your knowledge of the time period, to what extent were
depression era populists (FDR, Peron, Vargas) able to use propaganda to achieve their aims?