On the night of September 17, the troops of the Second Army arrived at the gates of the city of Mendoza and stopped there. General Julio Alberto Lagos was waiting for them at that point ready to receive command from his commander, General Eugenio Arandía.
Once at the head of the powerful unit, Lagos requested a report on the situation as he needed to take quick measures before setting off towards Córdoba. The picture of the situation that Arandía described to him was not what he expected because, as they explained to him, there was a lack of integration between the commanders and the news broadcast on the radio, they limited the revolution to the rebel focus of the Mediterranean province that at that time was being surrounded. by loyal troops under the command of generals Iñíguez, Morello and Moschini. In view of this, influenced by the false news broadcast by government radio stations and letting himself be carried away by a counterproductive excess of caution, Lagos approved the resolution issued by his General Staff and retreated towards Mendoza, abandoning Lonardi's forces to his side. luck. According to the conclusion they had reached with General Arandía, if the civil war broke out (which in fact had already begun), it would be necessary to consolidate the three Cuyo provinces without risking their forces in a confrontation that would short term, it would have to annihilate them. The Lagos troops spent the night next to the access bridge to Palmira and the next morning they entered the city, with the 2nd Mountain Infantry Battalion of Calingasta at the head, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Eduardo Aguirre. The long column of vehicles found the access roads blocked by buses and trucks that the CGT had abandoned during the night to make progress difficult, punctured the tires of most of them. Under the direction of officers and non-commissioned officers, the conscripts proceeded to remove them, moving the vehicles off the road or throwing them into the river and slowly, the displacement became effective. The Second Army was received with joy. The population, mobilized by Dr. Facundo Suárez[1], took to the streets to cheer him and people approached the soldiers to give them food and drinks while shouting and applauding his passage from Guaymallén, along San Martín Avenue. Lagos installed his command in the Military High School and appointed General Roberto Nazar as provisional governor of the province. Whoever was its owner until that moment, Dr. Carlos Horacio Evans, appeared shortly after, to make himself available to him and after a brief and correct exchange of words, he was told that he could leave the province or remain at home, finally opting for this last proposition.
General Julio Alberto Lagos
One of the first orders given by Lagos upon arriving in Mendoza was to occupy the radio station, dispatching for that mission a platoon under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Eduardo Aguirre, chief of the 2nd Mountain Battalion of Calingasta, which performed prominently during the San Luis rebellion. . Aguirre took over the station without any problems and immediately put Lieutenant Colonel Mario A. Fonseca on duty, who once at the microphone, proceeded to inform the citizens that both Mendoza and San Luis were in the power of the revolution. Another important measure adopted by General Lagos was the arrest of senior leaders of the regional ruling party, represented mainly by the political and union leadership and by militants of the Justicialist basic units, who represented a serious threat to the revolution. There was no resistance in any of the basic units raided. Where there were problems was at the CGT premises, where many of its leaders, members and workers had barricaded themselves. Lieutenant Colonel Aguirre headed towards the headquarters of the workers' union at the head of a platoon, believing that taking over the building was going to be a simple matter. However, upon arriving at the place, he was greeted by a large hail of bullets that forced him to to adopt defensive measures. Following orders from their boss, the soldiers jumped out of the jeeps in which they had come and once under cover they opened fire, generating a violent exchange of fire in which two conscripts lost their lives and two officers were wounded. The fight continued for several minutes, with the unionists containing any attempt to approach them, which forced Aguirre to ask for reinforcements. While he fired the submachine gun, he gave directives, concerned for the safety of his men. Two of them lay dead on the pavement and two others, seriously injured, were trying to take cover behind the vehicles. Aguirre saw that the union members were shooting from various points, some from the upper windows and others from the roofs, so he tried to concentrate his bursts on those points. The arrival of two trucks with troops was what decided the confrontation. Knowing they were surrounded and overwhelmed in men and weapons, the unionists waved a piece of white cloth tied to a stick and surrendered. The union headquarters was controlled and its defenders forced to leave slowly, with their hands on their heads. Once outside, they were subjected to an intense search and were then forced to board trucks to be taken to prison. The bodies of the dead soldiers were evacuated in an ambulance that arrived a few minutes later and the wounded left with them in the direction of the hospital. The actions in Cuyo had claimed their first victims.
Once the city was dominated, General Lagos ordered the occupation of the El Plumerillo Air Base, to which he sent General Arandía's second, Colonel Nicolás Plantamura, accompanied by the escort of the Mountain Infantry Detachment 1 under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Alberto Cabello. Waiting for them at the place was Vice Commodore Martín Alió, known for his Peronist tendency, who handed over the military unit, clarifying beforehand that he did not agree to the uprising. However, his officers did, whom Plantamura met in the casino to talk and find out his position regarding the revolution. Twelve nationally manufactured Calquin bombers were at the disposal of the rebel forces, which, added to the powerful crew of Villa Reynolds, constituted a weapon of great value. Back in Mendoza, Lieutenant Colonel Cabello received the order to support Major Rufino Ortega's platoon that was to take the local headquarters of the Federal Police, a mission that was accomplished with the support of revolutionary civilian commands without any incidents. That was the situation in Mendoza and San Luis when, after noon, Lieutenant Colonel Fonseca, the same one who had transmitted the revolutionary messages by radio, requested authorization to march on San Juan, fearful of the attitude that the head of the army might assume. that garrison, Colonel Ricardo Botto. After obtaining the approval of his superiors, Fonseca gathered under his command Colonel Aguirre's Infantry Battalion and the San Juan Sapper Company that reinforced the Second Army there and provided it with a cannon from the artillery battalion commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Fernando. Elizondo, he started. The troops traveled throughout the night, stopping their march at dawn, in the town of Carpintería, close to the provincial capital. From there they continued in broad daylight, while people, almost all from the fields, farms and vineyards immediately around the route, gathered on the side of the route to greet the troops. As Ruiz Moreno, from whom we extract most of the information, relates, people did not forget the prohibition on carrying out the procession of the Virgin of Andacollo, imposed by the government. Where there was tension was in San Juan, as a result of the deployment of police forces carried out by Commissioner César Camargo. The police were determined to resist but the intervention of Fonseca, also from San Juan and a childhood friend of Camargo, prevented bloodshed. It was evident that the police were not an adequate force to confront the Army and it was necessary, at all costs, to avoid any type of clash. Camargo agreed and raised the device for the troops to enter the city, birthplace of illustrious personalities in Argentine history such as Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, Brother Justo Santa María de Oro and Francisco Narciso Laprida. There were also scenes of joy, with the crowd cheering and applauding the passage of the rebel troops. The Virgin of Mercy was even taken out of the cathedral in front of which the crowd gathered and prayed, covering the Plaza 25 de Mayo. Fonseca was carried on a litter to the Government House where his head, Juan Viviani, handed over command to him. In this way, Cuyo was left in the power of the revolution with General Lagos, at the head of the civil and military command.
At 06:30 on September 19, a Beechcraft AT-11 from Córdoba landed in the countryside, on Route 40, 30 kilometers south of Mendoza, bringing on board frigate captain Carlos García Favre, emissary of General Lonardi. As soon as he got off the plane, the naval officer boarded a private vehicle that immediately took him to Luján de Cuyo, a stop before the provincial capital, where he arrived around 11:00 when the population was celebrating the arrival of the Second Army in the streets. coming from St. Louis. An hour later, he was brought before General Lagos, urgent as he was to inform him of the difficult situation that the rebel garrison was going through. Once in his presence, frigate captain Carlos García Favre conveyed to him his distressing request for reinforcements and the imperative need for him to get underway as soon as possible to alleviate the difficult situation of he. While this was happening, in the streets, the crowd chanted slogans in favor of revolution and freedom, ignorant of those events that were unfolding. Far from what García Favre imagined, Lagos's attitude was one of caution. After listening attentively, the general spoke slowly, detailing the inconveniences involved in providing aid to Lonardi. According to him, the Second Army was not fully aware of what was happening, it was imbued with the slogan of not spilling blood between brothers and for that reason, its full subordination could not be counted on when marching on Córdoba. . On the other hand, the capture of Río Cuarto was impossible because fuel was scarce and extremely difficult to obtain. García Favre was dismayed because he did not expect such an attitude. Extremely nervous, he insisted again: Córdoba urgently needed reinforcements because if it did not have them the revolution would end up being defeated. Lagos remained in his position. Without saying a word, he listened to the emissary with a serious expression and then summoned him to a new meeting at 6:00 p.m. By then, all Peronist party headquarters had been raided and the private homes of several activists confiscated, in order to prevent acts of sabotage, all this before the radio reported that starting at 9:00 p.m. that same day, the curfew and that martial law was in force throughout the city.
At the agreed time, García Favre, wearing civilian clothes, appeared at the barracks of the Sapper Battalion 8 for his second meeting with Lagos. Upon arrival, he was invited to witness the formation in the parade ground, in front of which, the general took formal possession of his position and harangued troops and civilians, exhorting them to fight for freedom. He also praised the Navy for its courageous and unwavering actions, stating at the end that the union of the three forces would ultimately grant them victory. But as far as the help requested is concerned, he said nothing specifically to García Favre. When the liaison tried to communicate with Lonardi to relieve him of the situation, he found that the arrest of the officers in charge of communications prevented him from establishing contact. During the night of September 18 to 19, General Lagos and his high command developed a plan to alleviate the difficult situation in which General Lonardi found himself. Among other things, an air attack was decided from Villa Reynolds to the Las Higueras airfield, in order to neutralize the loyalist Gloster Meteors operating from there. As Ruiz Moreno explains, Villa Reynolds, seat of the V Air Brigade, had been occupied on Sunday the 18th by troops from the IV Mountain Detachment of Tupungato who had left the previous day from San Luis, with that destination. The taking of the base was carried out by the I Battalion of the 21st Mountain Infantry Regiment under the command of Major Celestino Argumedo, who arrived after two hours of march along a 110-kilometer route. In the brigade, the officers who at that time (03:00 in the morning) had control of the unit were waiting for them, after an intense combat with the 278 loyal non-commissioned officers who guarded it and who attempted acts of sabotage. That same afternoon (5:30 p.m.), Major Argumedo contacted General Lagos to suggest carrying out the planned attack on the Las Higueras airfield, because at that height, it was imperative to neutralize the threat posed by the Gloster Meteors that operated from there. They responded three hours later, telling him to stay in his position until further notice. The attack never materialized and Argumedo limited himself only to supplying bombs to both the revolutionary forces of Córdoba and those of Comandante Espora and to providing light weapons to the revolutionary civilian command of Dr. Guillermo Torres Fotheringham that was to take over Radio Ranquel in Río Cuarto. . The next morning, an unexpected event took place that significantly raised the morale of the revolutionary forces. Soldiers of the Second Army who were inspecting the Mendoza railway station discovered a car full of cutting-edge weapons from the United States, which was there in transit to Chile. The cargo, composed of bazookas, recoilless rocket cannons and machine guns, was seized and distributed among the troops that were to march on Río Cuarto the next day. The joy that the discovery aroused meant little to Captain García Favre since in the afternoon, General Lagos told him that he was not planning to divert troops towards Córdoba because he planned to consolidate his positions in Mendoza. General Lonardi's emissary was perplexed but managed to make a proposal aimed at complicating Perón's situation and lightening that of his superior: request international organizations to recognize Cuyo as a belligerent territory. Lagos agreed and without wasting time, ordered Dr. Bonifacio del Carril, honorary auditor of the Army in the Field, to begin the corresponding steps. Because the situation in Cuyo was unknown in Córdoba, Lonardi dispatched Major Francisco Guevara with the mission of communicating to Lagos that he was ready to establish an air bridge between both provinces in order to transport the reinforcements of the Second Army to the combat zone. . In accordance with this plan, the Military Aviation School began to prepare three DC-3s and a Convair from Aerolíneas Argentinas, from which the seats were removed to increase its capacity. Civil aviator Alfredo Barragán, pilot of the state airline company and determined supporter of the revolution, was placed in charge of them, who had to drive the planes to Mendoza in the company of Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Godoy. Guevara boarded a Beechcraft AT-11 piloted by Captain González Albarracín, a co-pilot and a radio operator and left through the San Roque Lake air corridor, the only one that still remained open to rebel aviation, bound for Cuyo. The ship flew low until it reached the waters and at that point took flight, to move away between the positions occupied by the 14th Infantry Regiment and the Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment. After two hours of flight, the plane touched down in El Plumerillo, from where Guevara departed to meet Lagos. Upon seeing him arrive, the general stood up and greeted him affectionately, inviting him to participate in the meeting that he was currently holding with Arandía and García Favre. The head of the Second Army seemed oblivious to reality and gave the impression that the triumphal entry he had made in Mendoza had negatively influenced him. Guevara gave a detailed account of what was happening in Córdoba and, like García Favre, placed special emphasis on General Lonardi's need for reinforcements. When he finished speaking, he gave Lagos a letter from the leader of the revolution in which he requested the urgent sending of all the infantry with their mortars and machine guns, explaining that the crisis that his group suffered was, precisely, an infantry crisis and that His situation had worsened so much that he counted on that help to overcome it as soon as possible. Despite this and the fact that Guevara explained that Lonardi planned to resist until the end, Lagos hesitated again, arguing that he had only 1,000 men to defend Cuyo and that he could not deprive himself of any. When he expressed his decision to establish a provisional government in Mendoza, Guevara was surprised and responded that this idea had already been adopted by General Lonardi but that it was not essential at that time. That made Lagos reconsider and, at least for the moment, he scrapped the project to once again study sending reinforcements to Córdoba. He was leaving on the 19th and Lagos was still thinking.
While Lagos and Guevara argued, the Aerolíneas Argentinas plane that Lonardi had sent to Barragán's command landed in El Plumerillo. Once on land, the new arrivals hurried to the Lagos command post and asked to speak to him. At that time, the general was meeting with General Arandía, Major Enzo Garuti, Judge of Military Instruction, Lieutenant Colonel Eduardo Aguirre, Captain García Favre and Major Guevara. The newcomers were extremely anxious when they entered the room, assuming that by then everything had been decided, but once again Lagos delayed the matter, wanting his General Staff to stop and thoroughly analyze the situation. This attitude exasperated spirits, especially that of Commander Barragán who, raising his voice, demanded the immediate sending of reinforcements. The response he received left him stunned by its unusual and absurd nature:
-I can't distract troops because here the CGT is very strong and I could have problems.
That was the straw that broke the camel's back. -But how is the CGT going to be a problem for the Army?!! -Barragán shouted- what are you saying?!! We have the problem!! Come on general, you have to give us the troops and weapons right now!!!
The pilot was so out of his mind that while he was speaking he pulled out his weapon, forcing those present to intervene to try to appease his anger.
-Calm down Barragán! - said Lieutenant Colonel Aguirre - Everything will be solved!
Then, it was Major Garuti who made himself feel above the tumult.
-We must help Córdoba, general. Whose is able to do it!
Upon hearing those words, Lagos seemed convinced and in a serious tone ordered:
-Well Garuti, organize a Company.
Finally, after wasting precious hours in musings, the doubtful chief of the Second Army authorized the enlistment of 200 infantry personnel who, equipped with heavy machine guns and under the command of Major Garuti, immediately left for El Plumerillo to board the planes that, in a non-stop flight would take them to the theater of operations.
Not even a damn military rebellion can organize a Peronist
Argentina en la Memoria @OldArg1810
On June 9, 1956, the uprising of General Juan José Valle, and other soldiers and civilians who participated in the Peronist resistance, took place against the government of the Liberating Revolution, chaired by General Pedro Eugenio Aramburu.
In adopting its harsh anti-Peronist policies, the government had to take into account the possibility of counterrevolutionary violence. Above all because of the punitive measures he adopted against those whom he considered immoral beneficiaries of the "Peronist regime." The arrest of prominent figures, the investigation of people and companies allegedly involved in illicit profits, and the extensive purges that affected people who held union and military positions contributed to forming a group of disaffected individuals.
It was only logical to expect that some of them, especially those with military training, would resort to direct action to harass the government or overthrow it. Although incidents of sabotage carried out by workers were common in the months that followed Aramburu's inauguration, it was only in March 1956, as a consequence of the decrees that had declared the Peronist Party illegal, prohibiting the public use of Peronist symbols and other political disqualifications, when the conspiracies began.
A contributing factor, although ultimately misleading, may have been the government's decision, announced in February, to remove the death penalty for promoters of military rebellion from the military justice code. This punishment, which had been enacted by the Congress controlled by the Peronist Party, and which represented the interests of Perón, after the coup attempt of September 1951, led by General Menéndez, was eliminated from the military code on the basis that “ “It violates our constitutional traditions that have forever abolished the death penalty for political causes.” The facts would prove that this statement was premature.
The prominent figure in the conspiracy attempts against Aramburu was General (Retired) Juan José Valle, who had voluntarily retired after the fall of Perón and actively participated in the Military Junta of loyal officers that obtained Perón's resignation and handed over the government to General Eduardo Lonardi in September 1955.
Valle tried to attract other officials dissatisfied with the government's measures. One of those who chose to join him was General Miguel Iñiguez, a professional who enjoyed a great reputation and who was still on active duty, although he was on duty, awaiting the results of an investigation into his conduct as commander of the loyal forces in the Córdoba area, in September 1955. Iñiguez had not intervened in politics before the fall of Perón, but with a deep nationalist vocation, General Iñiguez joined General Valle in the reaction against the policies of the Aramburu government.
At the end of March 1956, Iñiguez agreed to act as chief of staff of the revolution, but a few days later he was arrested, denounced by an informer. Held under arrest for the next five months, he was able to escape the fate that awaited his companions.
The Valle conspiracy was, in essence, a military movement that attempted to take advantage of the resentment of many retired officers and non-commissioned officers as well as the unrest among active duty personnel. Although it had the cooperation of many Peronist civilians and the support of elements of the working class, the movement did not achieve the personal approval of Juan Domingo Perón, then exiled in Panama.
The sexual degenerate and his gang
In its preliminary stages, the movement tried to attract nationalist officers dissatisfied with Aramburu who had played key roles during the coup attempt of June 1955, in the coup d'état against Perón in September 1955 and during the Lonardi government, such as the generals Justo Bengoa and Juan José Uranga, who had just retired; but the evident disagreement about who would assume power after the victory ended with their participation. Finally, generals Juan José Valle and Raúl Tanco assumed leadership of what they called the “National Recovery Movement” and they, instead of Perón whose name did not appear in the proclamation prepared for June 9, hoped to be its direct beneficiaries.
The plan provided that military commando groups, mostly non-commissioned officers and civilians, would take over Army units in various cities and garrisons, take over media outlets and distribute weapons to those who responded to the proclamation of the uprising.
This included various terrorist attacks on public buildings, on national and provincial officials, on premises of political parties related to the Liberating Revolution, and on the editorial offices of various newspapers in the country. There was also an extensive list of military and political leaders, government sympathizers, who would be kidnapped and shot by the National Recovery Movement, whose homes were marked with red crosses at that time.
One of them was the one occupied by the socialist leader Américo Ghioldi and the teacher Delfina Varela Domínguez de Ghioldi, on 84 Ambrosetti Street, in the heart of the Caballito neighborhood. Other homes that were marked with red crosses were those of Pedro Aramburu, Isaac Rojas, the relatives of the deceased Eduardo Lonardi, Arturo Frondizi, Monsignor Manuel Tato, Alfredo Palacios, among others.
The government had only recently been aware that a conspiracy was being prepared, although it did not know precisely its scope or date. In early June, several signs, including the appearance of painted crosses, suggested that the uprising was imminent. For this reason, before President Aramburu left Buenos Aires accompanied by the Ministers of the Army and the Navy for a scheduled visit to the cities of Santa Fe and Rosario, it was decided to sign undated decrees and leave them in the hands of Vice President Rojas to to be able to proclaim martial law, if circumstances demanded it.
On June 8, the police detained hundreds of Peronist union soldiers to discourage mass worker participation in the planned movements. The rebels began the uprising between 11 p.m. and midnight on Saturday, June 9, gaining control of the 7th Infantry Regiment based in La Plata, and temporary possession of radio stations in several cities in the interior. In Santa Rosa, province of La Pampa, the rebels quickly took over the military district headquarters, the police department, and the city center. In the Federal Capital, loyal officers, alerted hours before the imminent coup, were able to thwart in a short time the attempt to take over the Army Mechanics School, and its adjacent arsenal, the Palermo regiments, and the Field Non-Commissioned Officers School of May.
Only in La Plata were the rebels able to take advantage of their initial victory, with the help of the civilian group, to launch an attack against the headquarters of the provincial police and that of the Second Infantry Division. There, however, with reinforcements from the Army and Navy that came to support the Police, the rebels were forced to withdraw from the regiment's facilities where, after attacks by Air Force and Navy planes, they surrendered to 9 in the morning of the 10th. The air attacks on Santa Rosa, capital of La Pampa, also ended in the surrender or dispersion of the rebels, more or less at the same time, therefore the rebellion ended up being a failure.
General Pedro Eugenio Aramburu, back in Buenos Aires after his brief visit to Santa Fe and Rosario, gave a speech on the National Network, in which he spoke about the events that occurred during the early hours of June 9.
The June 9 insurrection was crushed with a harshness that was unprecedented in the last years of Argentine history. For the first time in the 20th century, a government ordered executions when repressing an attempted rebellion. Under the provisions of martial law, proclaimed shortly after the first rebel attacks, the government decreed that anyone who disturbed order, with or without weapons, would be subjected to summary trial. Over the next three days, twenty-seven people faced firing squads.
During the night of June 9 to 10, when nine civilians and two officers were executed, the rebels still dominated a sector of La Plata and the possibility of workers' uprisings in Greater Buenos Aires and other places could not be discounted. Those first executions were, according to the government, an emergency reaction to frighten and prevent the rebellion from turning into a civil war. This would explain the government's speed in authorizing and making public the executions, a speed that was demonstrated in the lack of any kind of prior trial, in the inclusion, in those who faced the firing squads, of men who had been captured before proclaiming themselves martial law, and in the confusion of the communiqués during the night of June 9 to 10.
During that night, they began to exaggerate the number of rebel civilians shot and erroneously reported the identity of the executed officers, to instill fear in the rebels and prevent them from taking to the streets to try to participate in the movement.
On the afternoon of the 10th, a massive demonstration took place in the Plaza de Mayo, which gave rise to scenes of joy and relief, as anti-Peronist crowds flocked to the Plaza de Mayo to greet President Aramburu and Vice President Rojas, and ask punishments for nationalist/Peronist rebels.
There, Admiral Isaac F. Rojas gave a speech from the balcony of the Casa Rosada:
Similar scenes, although with the roles reversed, had occurred in the past, when Peronist crowds demanded revenge against the rebels in September 1951 and June 1955. Only this time the government paid more attention than Perón to the cry for blood. After this act in Plaza de Mayo, Vice President Rojas, the entire Military Consultative Board, Aramburu and the three military ministers, made the disastrous decision to shoot the prisoners who had participated in the revolution against the government.
Against the advice of some civilian politicians, including some members of the Advisory Board, who urged an end to the executions, including a delegation formed by Américo Ghioldi and other members of the Advisory Board who went to the Government House, to request clemency and that the executions and attempts of some generals who opposed the executions be put to an end by calling Arturo Frondizi to put pressure on the authorities, and even though officers who made up the martial courts recommended that the rebels be subjected to military justice ordinary, the members of the de facto government resolved to continue applying the punishments provided for in martial law.
By making that decision, they persuaded themselves that they were setting an example that would increase the authority of the government and discourage future attempts at rebellion, thus preventing the loss of more lives. It is not known whether the Military Junta, at the June 10 meeting, took into account the fact that the majority of those already executed were civilians and that if the executions were suspended, the military leaders would suffer lighter punishments than those civilians. The truth is that the Military Junta rejected the suggestion of the commander of Campo de Mayo, Colonel Lorio, in the sense of limiting the pending executions to that of one or two lower-ranking officers.
Admiral Rojas strongly opposed making exceptions for the most senior officers, considering that this was a violation of ethics that “history” would not forgive; He preferred to suspend all executions rather than take any measure that would allow military leaders to escape the punishment imposed on those who had followed them. Ultimately, the Military Junta assumed direct responsibility for ordering the execution, over the next two days, of nine officers and seven non-commissioned officers.
On June 12, Manrique went to look for Valle, convinced that the shootings would be interrupted, and took him to the Palermo Regiment, where they interrogated him and sentenced him to death. Aramburu was convinced of doing so and said that "if after we have shot non-commissioned officers and civilians we spare the life of the person most responsible, a general of the Nation who is head of the movement, we are creating a terrible precedent; it will seem that the law It is not the same for everyone and that nothing happens between friends or similar hierarchies; the idea that the law applies only to the unhappy will be consolidated.
At eight at night they told Valle's relatives that he would be executed at 10. His daughter went to ask Monsignor Manuel Tato, deported to Rome in June 1955 during the conflicts between Perón and the Catholic Church and who was targeted for Valle's movement, to do something. Tato spoke with the Apostolic Nuncio, who telegraphed the Pope to ask Aramburu for clemency. But the request was denied. Valle said goodbye to his daughter and gave her some letters, including one addressed to Aramburu in which he said "You will have the satisfaction of having murdered me (...) I retain all my serenity in the face of death. Our material failure is a great moral triumph (...) As a Christian, I stand before God, who died executed, forgiving my murderers."
Shortly after, several sailors took him to an internal courtyard and shot him there. Moments after Valle's execution, the government suspended the application of martial law, bowing to increasing pressure from civilians and the military demanding an end to executions.
The political parties grouped in the National Advisory Board supported the government against the uprising. There was a secret meeting of the Advisory Board, on June 10, in which everyone said that they agreed with what was decided and what was resolved was support for the government. There was nothing related to the executions. Only Frondizi demanded to Aramburu, the next day and in his personal capacity, that civilians not be shot.
Américo Ghioldi, who had sought to stop the executions, wrote an article for the newspaper La Vanguardia in which he developed a justification for them, after learning that General Valle's uprising sought the execution of the socialist leader himself, saying: "The milk of mercy. Now everyone knows that no one will try, without risking life, to alter the order because it means preventing the return to democracy. It seems that in political matters, Argentines need to learn that the letter in blood enters.
Juan Domingo Perón, in a letter to John William Cooke from his exile, was highly critical of the Valle uprising and blamed several of the members of the attempted revolution for betraying him during the events of September 1955, saying: "The frustrated military coup It is a logical consequence of the lack of prudence that characterizes the military. They are in a hurry, we do not have to be in a hurry. Those same soldiers who today feel plagued by the injustice and arbitrariness of the dictatorial scoundrel did not have the same decision. September 16, when I saw them hesitate before every order and every measure of repression of their comrades who today put them to death (...) If I had not realized the betrayal and had remained in Buenos Aires, they themselves "They would have killed me, if only to make merit with the victors."
The first to promote the memory of "the martyrs of June 9" would be the different neo-Peronist groups, such as the Popular Union of Juan Atilio Bramuglia, who would campaign in 1958 against Perón's order to vote for Arturo Frondizi in the presidential elections of this year.
The origins of Taty Almeida and the Truth about the dissapearance of her Son
By Jorge Tisi Baña via TotalNews
Taty Almeida is actually called Lidia Estela Mercedes Miy Uranga and this year she will turn 94 years old. She is the daughter of Cavalry Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Vidal Miy and Alicia Uranga, sister of Raúl Uranga, who was governor of Entre Ríos during the presidency of Dr. Arturo Frondizi. The Miy – Uranga couple also had three other daughters, all married to Air Force officers, and a son, Carlos Vidal Miy Uranga, a soldier like his father, who became a colonel in the Engineer branch of our army. Taty graduated as a teacher and married Jorge Almeida, a fellow teacher with whom she had 3 children: Jorge, Alejandro and Fabiana. Of them, only Alejandro, who was an active member of the ERP-22 de Agosto, a faction that split in 1973 from the People's Revolutionary Army (ERP), is missing. Alejandro Martín Almeida was 20 years old, he studied medicine at the UBA, he worked at the Télam agency and in the cartography area of the Military Geographic Institute. He was kidnapped by “Triple A” in June 1975, almost a year before the coup d'état. Taty found out about her son's militancy after being kidnapped, because she was too busy to realize that her son was part of a terrorist organization. Since then she has been a member of “Mothers of Plaza de Mayo – Línea Fundadora but, curiously, she is an active militant against the military dictatorship.
She knows perfectly well that the Military Process that began on March 24, 1976 had nothing to do with the disappearance of her son that occurred a year earlier at the hands of Triple A. In short, one of the ladies who most virulently attacks the Armed Forces and the military dictatorship, she comes from a military family, she had a brother and three military brothers-in-law. Her missing son was an ERP activist and was kidnapped in democracy by a parapolice organization organized from power during a Peronist government, a party to which she belongs. Thankfully, she is dead now.
Photos from the author's archive, except for that of Mr. Jorge Leonardi, used with express authorization.
At the beginning of the 1950s, the FMA was involved in the development of some aircraft, which, more or less, would be interesting and viable.
Among them, and under the command of Engineer Kurt Tank, a team of designers, draftsmen and calculators was working, with the aim of achieving a conventional design for a multipurpose-utility aircraft that would be powered by the Iar-19 “El Indio” engines. ”.
In the end, this aircraft stood as the sole creation entirely designed and manufactured within the country, encompassing both the airframe and engines, alongside the Iae-22DL.
The esteemed Tank Engineer, renowned for his pioneering designs and perhaps surprisingly, ultra-conventional ones (recall the FW-44J "Stieglitz"), swiftly concluded that the optimal configuration would entail a central fuselage, a low cantilever wing, a glass canopy (except in one of the prototypes), and a bi-drift tail.
The task of installing the two "El Indio" engines presented its own unique challenges, as they were not entirely ready for use. This powerplant bore no close relation to its predecessor "El Gaucho," which was essentially a "nationalized" Wright engine. Here, it was a homegrown design born out of necessity to replace scarce strategic materials, particularly during the war. However, by the time the engine materialized on workbenches, the war had already become a distant memory. The engine drew upon the significant construction experience gained with the Gaucho.
The initial version of "El Indio" (IAR-19A) featured 750 HP - technically known as R-19SR1 - and drove three-bladed propellers with variable pitch and constant speed Rotol R-170-3-30. These propellers required inspection every 33 hours as a minimum.
Maximum power was achieved at a speed of 2350 rpm, with the highest cruising power standing at 350 HP at 1900 rpm. The carburetor in use was a Chandler Evans CPB3-1900, which was later modified by the FMA under the FM19-1 specification. Some years down the line, the engine's capacity was enhanced, resulting in the IAR-19C version boasting 850 HP of maximum power. However, this increase in power caused bench damage, as it was an unforeseen development.
Originally, it was designated as the IA-35 "Justicialist of the Air," but this name was altered following the events of the so-called "Liberating Revolution" that transpired in 1955.
The groundwork and initial planning commenced in 1950, and on September 7, 1953, the maiden prototype took to the skies under the command of First Lieutenant Jorge Conan Doyle. It's worth recalling that, at the inception of the Argentine Air Force, this rank was denoted as 1st Lt. During this flight, an impressive demonstration was presented before Tank, General Perón, General Ojeda, and Brigadier Juan Ignacio San Martín.
The construction and assessment of the second prototype took place in 1954.
It's essential to highlight that FMA went through a reorganization phase from 1952 to 1954, which momentarily slowed its production rate. Nevertheless, the organization remained deeply involved in various developments, including the Iae-38 Naranjero and numerous other "Iae" projects, as detailed in the relevant section.
Given the urgent requirement to furnish Argentine Air Force units with a versatile aircraft capable of performing diverse tasks with minimal adjustments, the aircraft was designed in five fundamental versions, namely: Type 1a: Trainer for pilots and navigators. Type Ib: Light attack, accomplished by incorporating rocket racks with the following armament:
Fixed: Browning HB 12.7mm machine guns, with the addition of the "Wild" sighting system of American origin. There was a version with a dorsal turret for training, equipped with twin 12.7mm Browning HB machine guns hydraulically operated. In this version, the twin tail assembly proved highly useful for training gunners.
Launchable: 12 free-fall bombs on external bomb racks, each carrying 50kg. The "T-2" sight, developed at the Aerotechnical Institute, was adapted for this purpose (however, this was only ready and installed on the aircraft registered as Ea-016, outside the scope of this study). SCAR 2.75mm rockets, both training and "live," loaded using an explosive TNT mix developed by the Aerotechnical Institute, with targeting facilitated by the "Wild" sight.
Type II - Passenger: With the ability to host eight passengers within a noise-insulated cabin, the aircraft was outfitted with a bar and restroom. Striving to improve in-cabin comfort, the IA-35X-III "Pandora" model was introduced, characterized by its "solid" nose, heightened landing gear, streamlined engine covers, and various internal enhancements. The single entrance door was situated at the lower rear part of the fuselage, hinging downward on a forward hinge. It featured an integrated staircase on its inner side, minimizing the need for extensive ground equipment at the airfield.
Type III - Medical: Designed for three crew members, four patients, and a medical professional, equipped with four stretchers. This type of aircraft, though initially conceptualized, was not realized until much later, with the introduction of the TS-14. This aircraft was commissioned into service on August 5, 1958, bearing the initial registration E-505. It was assigned to Mendoza, "Los Tamarindos," as per Operation Order Number 59-2 of the Air Force (FUAER) dated June 17, 1959. It was later re-registered as T-552 by radiographic order 7308 on September 5, 1961. Finally, in 1962, it was redesignated as TS-14, following the necessary modifications. This information is based on the Flight History Record of the aircraft from the Secretariat of Aeronautics, Office of the Quartermaster General, Directorate General of Equipment. The aircraft's "catastrophe number" was 291-3.
Type IV - Photography: By installing Fairchild 225 cameras in the cargo compartment, operated by a crew of three, along with a camera operator.
Rebel forces take position in the vicinity of the old Cabildo where the Peronist forces resist (Photo: Jorge R. Schneider)
The Recommencement of Conflict
On the night of September 16, 1955, a red flare illuminated the sky as it soared from the Artillery School, splitting the darkness in two. On the eastern end of the military unit, Luis Ernesto Lonardi checked his watch, its hands pointing at 02:00 - the long-awaited signal.
Simultaneously, his father, General Eduardo Lonardi, stationed at his command post atop the water tank, picked up the field telephone and issued a stern command to open fire. Almost instantly, cannons thundered, releasing fiery flashes that cast an eerie light over the area. A hail of projectiles rained down on the Infantry School, causing the first damages to its buildings and the sprawling central plaza. A bomb severed the electricity cables, plunging the area into total darkness.
Colonel Brizuela, the commander of the targeted unit, ordered his troops to evacuate the buildings, relocating them to the stables located at the rear, as far away from the attack zone as possible. However, the initial moments had already claimed several casualties, including a corporal who tragically lost his life at a guard post, along with several soldiers in the Company of Aspirants.
Horses, in a panic, broke through the fences and scattered across the field, adding to the chaos among the combatants. Tracer bullets crisscrossed the area, and the impacts sent shrapnel in all directions.
Second Lieutenant Enrique Baltar, manning a heavy machine gun in the Company of Aspirants, was the first to respond to the aggression.
While there was initial disorder among the infantry troops as they evacuated the barracks, they eventually regrouped in an orderly fashion and aimed their artillery at the rebel forces from the stables, opening fire.
At the Airborne Troops School, paratroopers manned their artillery pieces when the first enemy volleys struck.
Captain Mario Arruabarrena, the school's commander, issued orders from a trench where he took cover with First Lieutenant Julio Fernández Torres, Lieutenant Alfredo Viola Dellepiane, and two soldiers.
Amidst the chaos of combat, Arruabarrena instructed Fernández Torres to sprint to the main building's telephone and establish contact with the Infantry School to convey their commander's willingness to surrender. What happened next, Fernández Torres attributed to providence.
Following the directive, he rose to his feet and dashed towards the Officers' Casino. Almost simultaneously, an explosion behind him violently threw him to the ground. Turning around, he witnessed a bomb crater in the trench, emitting flames and thick smoke.
Amidst the deafening sounds of explosions and gunfire, Fernández Torres returned to his position to aid his comrades, but to his dismay, only one soldier remained alive. This soldier, gravely wounded, succumbed to his injuries while being evacuated to the infirmary.
A damaged car's horn blared insistently as Fernández Torres grappled with the task assigned to him by his late superior. Upon reaching the scene, he realized that the device and the building surrounding it had been destroyed. [1]
While Major Quijano's artillery relentlessly pounded the loyalist positions, Captain Molina, under Lonardi's orders, proceeded to the Aviation School. His mission was to assess the situation from that vantage point and relay this information to his superiors, providing assurance that the rebels had control. Upon receiving this news, the high command promptly mobilized a section of candidates to provide reinforcement.
Still in the dead of night, a bomb struck the stables, claiming the lives of six soldiers and around fifty horses. Facing the officers' casino, First Lieutenant Anselmo Matteoda responded ceaselessly to the attack, unleashing fire from his four 7.5 mm Bofors artillery pieces.
Despite the relentless cannonade aimed at the Infantry School, its strength remained unwavering. Once regrouped, the 2,000-strong garrison initiated an advance. Led by Colonel Brizuela, they undertook a maneuver with the aim of encircling the enemy school and cutting it off from other units, executing a pincer movement.
The infantry commenced their march toward La Calera, showcasing their high level of training. In the dead of night, they advanced along the route, carrying mortars and heavy machine guns. This maneuver, however, temporarily weakened their defenses, a vulnerability that Captain Juan José Claisse exploited by launching a frontal attack on the head of his section.
Claisse charged forward, strafing enemy positions with the intent of seizing the advantage offered by the facilities, a bold move that could have potentially decided the outcome of the battle. However, a last-minute communication reached him, revealing that the Artillery School was under attack at that very moment.
After taking several prisoners and loading weapons, ammunition and a pair of Krupp cannons, the determined officer began his return, taking the captured troops with him. Seeing him coming, Captain Luis Ernesto Lonardi came forward to offer his collaboration and was on the verge of losing his life when, in the heat of combat, Claisse's people were about to open fire, believing him to be an enemy.
-Watchword!! – She shouted at him.
-God is fair!! – was the response.
The fighting continued with incredible violence throughout the night and with the first light of day, the situation slowly began to tilt in favor of the loyal forces.
The Infantry had approached at “rifle fire” and attacked from different angles with intense fire from mortars and heavy machine guns, putting pressure on the rebels who, lacking enough troops, only had the servants of the pieces to fight. For this reason, Captain Molina requested from the Military Aviation School to send combat planes to carry out intimidating flights over the loyal forces. Commodore Krausse rushed to carry out the order but due to lack of time, he dispatched the devices without weapons.
From their observation post, atop the water tank of the Artillery School, General Lonardi and Colonel Ossorio Arana were observing the development of the battle with their binoculars when they received reports that Colonel Brizuela was demanding surrender. Lonardi was definitive when responding.
-Tell him that we will stop fighting when there is not a single man left to defend the School!
Confronted with this stance, the loyalist forces escalated their offensives and applied pressure from various directions.
During this period, a 155mm cannon, under the command of Lieutenant Jorge Albertelli, continued to fire from the landing strip in an effort to support the section led by First Lieutenant Matteoda. His unit was constantly under fire from 12.7mm anti-aircraft and anti-tank machine guns, which were piercing the armor of many of their vehicles.
It was precisely at this juncture that Second Lieutenant Fausto González's infantry section launched a determined assault. This aggressive move occurred shortly after Lieutenant Colonel Pedro Esteban Cerrutti, in response to a radio request, ordered the neutralization of the battery firing from the officers' quarters.
González executed a clever flanking maneuver, attacking from the rear. The infantrymen launched a barrage of fire at the position, forcing the artillery crew to abandon their pieces and seek refuge in nearby trenches.
González assumed control of the area, but within half an hour, his position came under fire from the Airborne Troops School. In response, he ordered a change of position, seeking cover behind the six heavy machine guns of Captain Claisse's section. His men went prone and maintained a continuous barrage of fire.
Simultaneously, loyalist units executed enveloping maneuvers with great precision, converging on the main building of the Artillery School. They swiftly seized control of it, ousting the rebel troops. Nevertheless, the rebel forces attempted to reclaim the position, resulting in intense clashes. Infantry units, from various vantage points, unleashed a relentless barrage of fire upon the revolutionary positions, significantly compromising their position.
Facing attacks from the rear, Matteoda instructed his troops to take cover and they remained in that defensive posture, awaiting a brief respite to reposition their artillery.
The Artillery School appeared to be on the brink of defeat, being assailed from behind and unable to rotate their artillery batteries. General Lonardi himself recognized the dire situation when he conveyed his concerns to his friend.
-Well Ossorio, it seems we lost. But we are not going to give up. We are going to die fighting.
General Lonardi was an extremely brave man so his second understood that his words were not in vain. A professional soldier, a Catholic nationalist by conviction and a man of honor, he was determined to fulfill that premise rather than capitulate. That was the moment when the brave officer Matteoda saw that it was possible to turn one of his cannons and ordered it, losing one of his men in the attempt.
-Not a single one move!!! – He shouted when he saw that some soldiers were moving to rescue his companion.
He knew that the enemy shrapnel would sweep them mercilessly and he was not going to allow, under any circumstances, that to happen. It was then that the fire seemed to subside, a fact that allowed the rest of the batteries to turn and point their muzzles towards the enemy's new positions. During the maneuver another soldier was wounded, although slightly. Meanwhile, the attack by the Peronist forces continued with more force than ever. Shortly after Percival, Fiat and Gloster Meteor planes flew over the combat zone with the purpose of intimidating the Infantry, Colonel Brizuela ordered the simultaneous attack of two companies. The sections began their advance at 10:45 but were stopped by violent gunshots from a 75 mm gun. Lacking adequate troops for hand-to-hand combat, the artillery troops unloaded their entire arsenal, urgent as they were to contain the enemy advance, an objective they achieved with great difficulty.
Both forces were engaged in this when the fire of the loyal forces began to decrease, completely silencing around 11:00. That surprised the rebels, who at that time were more weakened than ever and for that reason, lacking adequate troops to offer resistance, they remained motionless in their positions. After a short period of time, the rebel troops saw a jeep advance with two men, one of whom was carrying a white flag. The vehicle was carrying Lieutenant Colonel Jorge Ernesto Piñeiro, deputy director of the Infantry School, who stopped next to Lieutenant Augusto Alemanzor to ask about General Lonardi. He brought a message from Colonel Brizuela, requesting parliament, a news that was immediately transmitted to the revolutionary command. Lonardi accepted the dialogue and Piñeiro immediately left to notify his boss of the news. He returned in the same vehicle with Brizuela, stopping the march in the small square of the mast, located in front of the main building, where Lonardi himself and part of his high command were waiting. Upon getting off the vehicle, Brizuela received a greeting from the rebel leader who then invited him to take a seat on a bench in the plaza, under the clear sky. A few steps away, Piñeiro for the loyal forces and Ossorio Arana and Luis Ernesto Lonardi for the rebels, waited attentively for the development of events. The first thing Lonardi did was congratulate his opponent for the professionalism and ardor with which his troops had fought.
"Colonel, your men have shown great morale, courage, and esprit de corps and fighting spirit," he said. "You have earned the consideration and admiration of those of us who have been your adversaries." With all the pain I have been forced to open fire on his barracks. There was no other alternative and I have taken into account the supreme interests of the Nation. We are willing to die fighting if necessary.
-It hurts me deeply what has been done to my School - he responded. Brizuela – but despite the casualties, which have been high, we are willing to continue the fight because we do not see the true causes of this revolution.
Upon hearing that, Lonardi tried to explain those causes.
-I know you are acting like a true professional, but you are wrong, my colonel, deceived by the government's distorted version that has plunged our country into chaos, disorienting the Armed Forces in the process.
Lonardi continued to provide details of the true situation that the country was going through, especially the moral, political and institutional decadence that society was suffering because of Perón, the persecution of the Church and the division of the Armed Forces, to which his interlocutor He responded incredulously, saying that he was not aware of many of those things he was hearing.
-Please reflect, Colonel, and let's end this fight. His School has saved honor and the country needs us more united than ever.
Brizuela stopped to think for a few moments and then said:
-General, in honor of the lives of my men and with the hope that this whole matter is resolved in the best way for the good of the Republic, I end the fight.
Lonardi and Brizuela rose to their feet and shared an embrace, a heartfelt gesture that solidified their solemn pact of honor.
After nine hours of relentless combat, the battle involving the Infantry, Artillery, and Airborne Troops schools had drawn to a close, albeit at a significant cost in terms of lives and injuries. General Lonardi's candid words and the dwindling ammunition supplies had ultimately resolved the situation.
Ruiz Moreno elucidates that the impulsive revolutionary action had compelled the loyal forces to vacate their barracks without bringing along the necessary provisions for victory. This turn of events was viewed as truly providential since, at the very moment the Infantry requested a ceasefire, both the Artillery and paratroopers had practically depleted their ammunition.
Lonardi expressed his desire to retain Brizuela as the leader of the Infantry School, but Brizuela firmly declined the offer. Nevertheless, in a dignified and chivalrous gesture, the rebel troops were instructed to assemble in the expansive courtyard as a mark of respect for the loyal troops. Furthermore, their officers were granted permission to retain their weapons.
The Infantry proceeded to march in a martial fashion before the Artillery units and paratroopers, who observed the passage of the enemy forces with precise alignment. Once back in their barracks, the infantrymen relinquished their weapons and prepared to evacuate the deceased and wounded, fully aware that they would no longer participate in any further engagements and would maintain a neutral stance until the conflict's resolution. [2]
In the early hours of the day, General Dalmiro Videla Balaguer, along with support from revolutionary civilian leaders, established his headquarters at the private residence of the former judge from Río Cuarto, Dr. Tristán Castellano, located at Lavalleja 1479, Alta Córdoba, just beyond the Suquía River [3].
Armed civilians from various parts of the city began converging on this location, resolute in their determination to join the fight. General Videla Balaguer personally received them while donning his uniform, first administering the revolutionary oath, which bound them to fight until the very end.
Among the civilian leaders present on that day were Dr. Guillermo Saravia, engineer Domingo Telasco Castellanos, Dr. Tello, Miguel Ángel Yadarola, Enrique Finochietti, as well as young individuals such as Jorge Fernández Funes, Raúl Adolfo Picasso, Juan Bautista Picca, and Carlos Carabba.
General Videla Balaguer was surprised to find several priests ready to take part in the conflict. However, he promptly instructed them to withdraw, as he believed that the Church should not become involved in the matter. Following his orders, Dr. Saravia escorted the clergy away from the danger zone in his car. Simultaneously, Domingo Castellanos and a group of commandos headed to a corralón (warehouse) he owned on 500 Santa Rosa Street. Their objective was to secure supplies once General Lonardi had gained control of nearby military garrisons and seized the ESSO depots, ensuring a fuel supply for aviation.
The mentioned commandos had already departed when, at six in the morning, General Videla Balaguer impulsively decided to accelerate the unfolding events. According to Ruiz Moreno, he picked up the telephone and contacted the operator to establish communication with the military garrisons in San Luis.
-Miss, are you Catholic? – She asked the telephone operator
After receiving a positive acknowledgment, he introduced himself, providing an explanation that a revolution had erupted with the aim of toppling the oppressive regime. He emphasized the urgent necessity to establish communication with the military units in San Luis.
The operator became emotional and started to cry. In light of this, Videla Balaguer requested to speak with the operator's superior. As they were unable to facilitate this, he then dialed the Río Cuarto Infantry Regiment in an attempt to demand their immediate participation. However, the response he received was a firm and unequivocal refusal.
-"We are responding to orders from General Sosa Molina," someone on the other side of the line told him, and immediately hung up.
The situation repeated itself when he tried the same thing with the nearby Arsenal Holmberg and it was then that he understood that his situation was really compromised. Those calls only served to alert government listeners who, at 8:50 that morning, managed to identify the place from which they came. Not satisfied with that, the rebel general made a new attempt with the governor of the province of Córdoba, the brave Dr. Raúl F. Luchini, whom he ordered to surrender and hand himself over to the rebel authorities.
-Mr. Governor; General Videla Balaguer speaks The forces of the revolution are triumphing. I ask you to surrender within three hours; Otherwise, I hold you responsible for the consequences.
-Fucking petite!! -Luchini roared on the other end of the phone- when I catch you I will shoot you!!
-The insults are not enough for me. I have come out to defend national honor, Argentine traditions and the legal order. You defend auto bonds! I'm going to kill him!
Following their discussion, the governor of Cordoba promptly reached out to General Alberto Morello, and together, they formulated a plan to apprehend Videla Balaguer and his associates. Provincial police forces, along with a contingent of the Army, were dispatched to carry out this mission under the command of Captain Luciano Sachi, who was a member of the Information Service.
While this coordinated mobilization was underway, the rebel fighters, numbering approximately twenty, patiently awaited the unfolding of events. Nearly all of them were positioned on the upper floor of Dr. Castellano's residence. Police officers and soldiers quickly arrived, encircling the location and deploying troops on adjacent streets and nearby rooftops.
At the entrance door on the lower floor, student Miguel Ángel Yadarola stood guard. When a series of knocks echoed from outside, a stern voice ordered the rebels to surrender. However, receiving no response, the authorities eventually withdrew.
Shortly thereafter, a fierce firefight erupted.
Videla Balaguer took measures to secure the safety of the Castellano family, sheltering them in a room, while doing his best to protect his comrades. Most of them were directed upstairs to seek refuge. A bullet pierced the ceiling, striking Walter Allende in the spine, causing him to collapse to the floor, motionless. Horacio Maldonado attempted to crawl towards him with the intention of providing assistance, but there was little he could do.
At the rear of the house, medical student Eduardo Flaurent, armed with a large-caliber hunting rifle, spotted two individuals dressed in civilian attire attempting to enter from a neighboring house. He refrained from opening fire, which allowed other assailants to set up a ladder and machine-gun the building. Bullets narrowly missed Flaurent and Videla Balaguer, who was standing a short distance behind him, armed and ready. Flaurent's decision not to fire may have been due to a desire to strictly adhere to the order of not discharging his weapon until he had a clear and safe target, as ammunition was precious, or perhaps it was an expression of his inexperience. Regardless, his hesitation had the potential to disrupt the situation.
At this point in the battle, Walter Allende suffered severe injuries, and the house had sustained significant damage. The police executed a maneuver to encircle the house while gunfire raged on. In the midst of this chaos, Dr. José Vicente Ferreira Soaje, crawling, reached the telephone with the intent to call for assistance. To his astonishment, he discovered that the telephone line was still operational. Without delay, he contacted his friend, Dr. José Manuel Álvarez (h), and relayed the dire situation. Filled with desperation, he implored for help. After their conversation, Dr. Álvarez promptly contacted the Military Aviation School to request assistance.
Meanwhile, Governor Luchini established his base of operations in the historic Cordoba Cabildo, the provincial police headquarters. From there, he maintained constant communication with authorities in Buenos Aires, including General Lucero and the Ministry of the Interior. Under his orders, checkpoints were established at the city's entrances, and local police stations and agencies were placed on alert to intercept any reinforcements headed towards Videla Balaguer.
General Lucero communicated with Colonel Perkins, commander of the Santa Fe Division, and General Alberto Morello, commander of the Córdoba Garrison. He informed them that forces loyal to the command of General José María Epifanio Sosa Molina were mobilizing in support of Videla Balaguer. He directed Colonel Perkins to proceed to the Communications Battalion, which was the sole military unit stationed in the city at the time.
General Morello ordered the deployment of the 14th Infantry Regiment based in Río Cuarto. He equipped their officers with the weaponry from the Communications Battalion and summoned available troops from the Military High School to reinforce their ranks.
Meanwhile, in Parque Sarmiento, Brigadier Alberto Ferro Sassarego assembled additional troops and weapons, along with personnel from the Air Force and the Institute of Military Aeronautics. They placed themselves under the command of General Morello. Taking refuge under the park's dense foliage, they sought protection from potential aerial attacks.
As the loyalist forces gathered in Parque Sarmiento, General Morello decided to mobilize in support of the Infantry School. Leading a substantial column of vehicles, he set out towards Alta Gracia with the intention of entering the operational area via the Yocsina road. Meanwhile, Videla Balaguer and his commandos, encircled by loyal military and provincial police units, continued to resist to the best of their abilities.
Around 10:45, shortly after receiving the call from Dr. Álvarez (h), Commodore Julio Krausse made the decision to dispatch an armed contingent to aid the individuals besieged within Dr. Castellano's residence.
Captain Luis Martín Avalle received the order to assemble a battalion and break the siege that Videla Balaguer and his forces were facing. To accomplish this, he called upon the senior cadets from the 3rd year, supplementing them with some reserves from the 2nd year. Following this, he organized two military buses and swiftly made his way towards the city center to carry out the mission.
Upon arrival and without encountering any immediate obstacles, Avalle, two blocks away from their objective, issued a halt in the march. According to Isidoro Ruiz Moreno, no gunshots were heard as Avalle exited his vehicle. However, he spotted several police officers taking cover in nearby houses and on rooftops, some of them positioned at the corner of Bedoya and Lavalleja.
Without hesitation, Avalle directed the buses to a side street to avoid detection. Once outside, he divided his company of sixty men into two groups, instructing them to advance along the parallel paths of Lavalleja. The Air Force contingent initiated their march, encountering and peacefully subduing the police officers they encountered en route. However, when they reached the intersection of Bedoya and Lavalleja, they came under attack from a house and nearby rooftops, prompting them to halt their advance.
At that moment, one of the cadets attempting to cross the street was struck in the leg and tumbled to the ground, requiring rescue by his comrades while they came under fire from another direction.
This pause allowed Lieutenant Jorge Bravo Moyano, leading one of the sections, to quickly position a heavy machine gun and return fire on the sources of the attacks.
While Bravo Moyano remained in that location, Captain Avalle executed a tactical maneuver, circling around to cover both the rear and front of his company. He retraced his steps for a couple of blocks until reaching the opposite end of Bedoya Street.
As the troops passed by a nearby tailor shop, an unexpected event unfolded. Suddenly, a door swung open, and an officer whom Avalle recognized motioned for him to enter.
-Here is a captain waiting for orders! –he said– I came to talk to you!
Avalle proceeded towards that location with the expectation of finding reinforcements. However, upon crossing the threshold, he was confronted by several individuals who aimed their weapons at him. Two of them quickly subdued him, pinning him down and restraining his arms. These individuals were Aeronautics officers loyal to the government, who had concealed themselves in the premises in significant numbers.
Meanwhile, outside, the exchange of gunfire escalated. With Avalle captured, Lieutenant Bravo Moyano assumed command of the troops. He held his position steadfastly and ordered the troops to advance while consistently suppressing the points from which the police were firing.
During the advance, two cadets, Oscar Santucho and Julio Valverde, lost their lives, and several others sustained injuries. At that moment, a rebel Gloster Meteor aircraft appeared and flew over the area. However, due to concerns about hitting their own troops, the aircraft refrained from opening fire. Nevertheless, its presence achieved the intended effect of intimidating Governor Luchini's forces.
Despite being outnumbered, the better-trained Air Force troops gradually gained the upper hand in the battle against the police. Their superior weaponry offset the numerical difference, causing the police officers to gradually yield ground. Most of them were captured and disarmed, while the remaining officers fled the scene, leaving behind several wounded.
After the confrontation had concluded, a sense of calm returned to Dr. Castellano's house. Some of its occupants peered out of the windows, witnessing the aviators taking control of the situation. In response, they erupted in cheers and applause in support of the revolution. Deeply devoted to their Catholic faith, Videla Balaguer knelt and, crossing himself, offered gratitude to the Blessed Virgin for her providential intervention.
The civilian commandos eventually exited the premises, and once on the street, they attempted to confront the captive police officers with the intention of executing them. Lieutenant Bravo Moyano had to intervene firmly to prevent this, instructing his troops to keep the militiamen at a distance. Subsequently, they promptly boarded the buses and departed for the Infantry School, where they would transport Videla Balaguer to General Lonardi's command post.
Driving the prisoners at gunpoint, members of the Aeronautics and civilian commandos boarded the vehicles and set off. Ruiz Moreno says that on the way they passed two trucks full of loyal troops heading to Dr. Castellano's home, coming from the Communications Battalion. However, nothing happened thanks to the quick reaction of a rebel officer who, upon seeing those forces coming, leaned out of a window and shouted loudly "Long live the Homeland!", while enthusiastically waving his right arm. The loyal soldiers mistook them for their own troops and responded in the same way, without any confrontation occurring.
While the wounded on both sides were evacuated in ambulances and private vehicles, Commodore Krausse entrusted Captain Sergio Quiroga to seize the Córdoba radio antennas that had been broadcasting statements in favor of the government since the beginning of the actions. The aforementioned officer left aboard two buses and a jeep, leading a small force of applicants reinforced by civilian commandos, carrying with him an anti-aircraft gun. First Lieutenant Bravo Moyano and Commando Eduardo Fleurent, both veterans of the combat at Dr. Castellano's, were part of the party that headed decisively towards the town of Ferreyra with the mission of taking over station LV2, located on National Route No. 9. Flaurent directed the column to avoid Sarmiento Park, because it was known that the loyal forces were concentrated at that point, unaware that Captain Avalle had been detained there. The radio station fell without a fight because only the watchman was there along with few civilian personnel. Captain Quiroga, who also occupied an adjacent candy factory, ordered Bravo Moyano to take charge of the situation and once in possession of the station, he proceeded to transmit the revolutionary message.
-Say whatever Bravo, but say something – was the order.
In compliance with this order, Bravo Moyano directed the radio amateurs who comprised his detachment to take charge of fine-tuning the transmission equipment. They first organized a defensive perimeter around the radio building. One of the radio amateurs explained that the night watchman had intentionally damaged the equipment by removing certain instruments, rendering it inoperable. In response, the officer, displaying a resolute demeanor, drew his pistol and pointed it directly at the employee. He sternly threatened to take drastic action unless the missing components were promptly replaced. Without hesitation, the night watchman complied, and the equipment was swiftly restored to normal functioning.
Following the broadcast on "The Voice of Liberty," as the station had been christened, several proclamations were hurriedly transmitted, including a brief address by Captain Quiroga. Shortly thereafter, the equipment was swiftly disconnected to prevent potential sabotage attempts involving electric shocks at the Córdoba plant.
Captain Quiroga proceeded toward the provincial capital, and upon reaching the city's entrance arch, he halted to occupy a police checkpoint stationed there. To his surprise, he discovered that several Army officers, who had arrived from Junín earlier that morning in an unsuccessful attempt to rebel against the 1st Artillery Regiment of that town, were detained at the post. Among them were Colonel Francisco Zerda, Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Godoy, Major Lisandro Segura Levalle, Captain Alfredo Matteri, and First Lieutenant Carlos Goñi.
However, a confrontation had erupted at the LV3 transmitting station, situated on Rafael Núñez Avenue in Cerro de las Rosas, as it had come under attack from the air force.
Quiroga's column traversed the city and as they approached the radio station, their pace gradually slowed. In close proximity to the radio station were the 3rd Police Station and the Fire Station, both of which remained loyal to their superiors. Consequently, Quiroga decided to halt the march approximately one block before reaching the radio station.
A swift assessment of the situation left Quiroga with the realization of its complexity. The radio station was centrally located on a narrow street, lacking any natural cover for their advance, making it a challenging target. Consequently, he ordered the deployment of the cannon and the two Colt 7.65 heavy machine guns. Accompanied by Ensign Arnoldo Salas, Quiroga advanced cautiously. It became evident that they were under surveillance when gunfire erupted from the rooftops of the police station.
Taking cover, Quiroga and Salas returned fire, neutralizing the immediate threat. Someone from behind them opened fire from a nearby private residence, with bullets striking a nearby wall and narrowly grazing the first person's head. Quiroga swiftly turned and responded with a burst of gunfire that struck the aggressor in the shoulder, incapacitating him. Upon witnessing the advance of the rest of the column and the civilian commandos down the street, the police officers abandoned their belligerent stance and surrendered. The paratroopers promptly detained them, confining them to the holding cells, and proceeded to evacuate the wounded soldier to the Hospital de Clínicas. However, before doing so, they implemented certain security measures. Nonetheless, the conflict was far from over.
At station LV3, the rebel forces encountered heavy gunfire, resulting in the loss of a soldier who lay seriously injured on the street. In the midst of this exchange of fire, Captain Adolfo Valis aimed the cannon. However, just as he was about to fire, the defenders of the radio station, all of whom were police officers, chose to surrender.
As the building's owner, Quiroga posted a guard, bolstering it with civilian elements. After transmitting the revolutionary proclamations, he proceeded to LW1, located on the outskirts of the city. There, he captured the station without encountering any resistance, accomplishing this mission by 12:45.
With the mission successfully completed, Quiroga returned to the Military Aviation School to brief Commodore Krausse on the operation's details.
On the war's first day, the rebel Air Force conducted numerous combat missions. At 06:35, two two-seater I.Ae DL-22s of national manufacture took off from the Military Aviation School to strafe positions at the Infantry School. Fifteen minutes later, a third aircraft with the same specifications repeated the operation. At 07:20, three Beechcraft AT-11s flew over the targets at low altitude, embarking on a reconnaissance mission.
Subsequently, a pilot flew a Percival MK.1 Prentice two-seater aircraft, tasked with scouting the road connecting the Aviation School to the city of Córdoba. The aircraft conducted a low-altitude flyover of the capital, specifically to observe the Police and Firefighters barracks [4] near the LV3 radio station. However, no significant findings were detected during this reconnaissance flight.
Two additional Percival aircraft were tasked with dispersing leaflets bearing revolutionary slogans over the city. During their next sortie, one of these aircraft detected unusual activity in the barracks of the 4th Communications Regiment. The pilot promptly relayed this information to the command at the Military Aviation School.
Given that all non-commissioned officers were either actively engaged in combat or had declared their allegiance to the government, various ground tasks, such as loading ammunition and fuel, transporting and assembling bombs, as well as supplying and repairing equipment, were assumed by officers and cadets.
At 9:15 a.m., a DL22 aircraft equipped with Lewis machine guns departed from the Military Aviation School. Its mission was to conduct surveillance over the Police Headquarters and deter the concentration of troops and ammunition. By 10:30, three Fiat G.46 aircraft executed a similar operation over the city [5]. At 12:00, a fourth aircraft of the same type conducted multiple passes over the "Kaiser" factory. Near the factory, a variety of vehicles, including trucks, buses, and jeeps, had been spotted advancing along the road from Córdoba to Alta Gracia. During the flyover, the G.46 aircraft made a low-altitude pass, prompting the column to halt as its troops sought cover by lying on the ground or dispersing across the terrain for protection.
Around the same time, a Beechcraft AT-11 aircraft identified a second motorized column comprising both military and civilian vehicles, with the latter belonging to the Eva Perón Foundation. These vehicles were en route to Alta Gracia along the Villa Carlos Paz road. Upon receiving this information, the control tower at the EAM (Military Aviation School) decided to take action. The pilot of the aircraft initiated a dive and released two 50-kilogram napalm bombs onto the column, neither of which detonated. Nevertheless, this attack caused the vehicles to come to a halt, and the personnel quickly scattered in various directions. The pilot reported the outcome of the attack to the control tower and requested the dispatch of additional aircraft for a second assault.
A second AT-11 aircraft departed from the Military Aviation School to conduct another pass over the extensive line of trucks, jeeps, and buses, while simultaneously firing its cannons. However, during the strafing run, it came under intense fire from light weapons that pierced its left fuel tank. Following that, a DL-22 aircraft made another pass, strafing the line of vehicles once more before withdrawing. Subsequently, additional aircraft executed similar attacks, persistently harassing the motorized column, which eventually retreated toward Alta Gracia in search of cover.
DL-22 aircraft conducted dive attacks on LV3 radio station before it fell into the hands of the rebels, prompting the withdrawal of the police officers guarding it. At 12:45, a Percival aircraft flew over LW1 station at the exact moment when Lieutenant Quiroga's section was taking control of the station. Less than an hour later, at 1:30 p.m., two Avro Lincolns from Morón, piloted by Captains Ricardo Rossi and Orlando Cappellini, landed at the Military Aviation School to join the uprising.
Due to their formidable firepower and high-performance capabilities, these aircraft significantly bolstered the precarious position of the rebel forces. At 3:00 p.m., authorization was requested to land three more Avro Lincolns, and at the same time, two Percival aircraft flew over Córdoba to broadcast the motives of the revolution through their loudspeakers and disseminate leaflets containing revolutionary proclamations.
Around 4:30 p.m., an AT-11 aircraft detected a concentration of military vehicles at the "60 Cuadras" flying club. During a second pass, it verified that several trucks, cannons, and troops were concealed under the trees and hangars. Additionally, troops were positioned on both sides of the road, heading west. The aircraft faced heavy fire from machine guns, with 12.7mm projectiles damaging its left oil tank. As a result, it had to withdraw and landed minutes later at the Military Aviation School, where the pilot promptly reported his observations and flight incidents.
While mechanics and ground personnel worked to repair the damage to the Percival aircraft, Captain Cappellini's Avro Lincoln took off to bomb the facilities of the "60 Cuadras" flying club, which, based on the latest intelligence, had a concentration of loyalist troops. The pilot executed his mission with unwavering determination. Once he pinpointed the target, he descended several meters, initiating a bombing run. As he approached the target area, he opened the bomb bay doors and released the bombs. In a subsequent pass, he flew at low altitude, strafing the enemy positions. These attacks inflicted severe damage on the enemy forces, compelling them to abandon their positions and commence a retreat, evacuating both the deceased and wounded.
Approximately thirty minutes later, an AT-11 aircraft intercepted these retreating troops as they moved along Provincial Route No. 5, heading towards Alta Gracia. Two DL-22s conducted a second bombing run on the "60 Cuadras" flying club, but these aircraft faced heavy anti-aircraft machine gun fire.
At 5:10 p.m., another AT-11 flew over Córdoba's capital to support the forces currently attacking the Cabildo. At 5:30 p.m., a Percival aircraft flew at low altitude, dispersing leaflets, followed by another pass twenty minutes later.
The final sorties of the day occurred at 7:00 p.m. when a DL-22 aircraft strafed the troops in Alta Gracia once again, conducting multiple low passes while encountering fire from various points in the city. At 10:00 p.m., an AT-11 on a nighttime reconnaissance mission dropped flares near the "Kaiser" factory and the old Parachute School, aiding an Avro Lincoln in its bombing run against Ferreyra airfield. The Avro Lincoln came under anti-aircraft fire that penetrated its fuel tanks, necessitating an emergency landing.
By 11:15 p.m., another AT-11, loaded with flares and napalm bombs, departed from the Military Aviation School to attack a column of CGT (General Confederation of Labor) vehicles traveling along the road linking Ferreyra with Oliva. Shortly thereafter, it withdrew.
During the same night, the rebel Air Force planned a larger mission. One of the five Avro Lincolns that had joined the revolution that day was dispatched to bomb the Morón Air Base, which the government intended to use for its air operations. The aircraft took off in the middle of the night, heading southeast, and embarked on a flight lasting nearly an hour. En route, it encountered a cloud front that developed into a storm over the province of Buenos Aires. Upon reaching the target area, the powerful aircraft entered a holding pattern, awaiting improved weather conditions. However, as conditions persisted, it aborted the mission and began its return.
Meanwhile, in the city of Córdoba, loyalist authorities were repositioning themselves. Governor Luchini consolidated all available police forces at the old Cabildo, where he established his headquarters, and also at various police stations, placing them under the command of Inspector General Ferrari. During this period, he received several calls, including one from Colonel Perkins in Santa Fe, who encouraged him to continue resisting while awaiting the arrival of General Miguel Ángel Iñíguez's troops, which were advancing toward the province.
Major (Retired) Arnoldo E. Salas. As an ensign he fought in Alta Córdoba(Revista "Turismo", Touring Club Argentino, 66º aniversario,1973 edition)
General Videla Balaguer arrived at the Artillery School, at a time when Lonardi's troops were presenting weapons to the Infantry troops parading in front of them, before handing over their weapons and withdrawing from the fight. While this was happening, a Peronist mob led by armed activists looted Dr. Castellano's abandoned house, destroying his rich library, his furniture, his glassware and stealing all kinds of objects. Domingo Telasco Castellanos and his companions could do nothing when they arrived at the place from the corralón to which they had been sent to take over the ESSO warehouses (the operation did not materialize) since when they arrived, the vandals had broken the access gates and They took everything. Videla Balaguer asked Lonardi to adopt measures to take over Córdoba, and the head of the revolution agreed. Proceeding immediately, he ordered to gather troops to carry out the operation, organizing a section with elements of the Army and Aeronautics7, provided with four 7.5 Bofors cannons under the command of First Lieutenant Anselmo Matteoda; a company of heavy machine guns under Captain Juan José Claisse (Liceo Militar) and two mortars under Lieutenant Carlos Antonio Binotti, who would be supported by Infantry Second Lieutenant Enrique Gómez Pueyrredón. After 5:00 p.m., the section set out under the command of Videla Balaguer himself, headed by Captain Claisse and his artillery pieces, and half an hour later they arrived at the Plaza San Martín, in front of the Cabildo, where they proceeded to place the five machine guns in each one of its ends (two on the left and three on the right), one of the mortars and a 7.5 mm cannon, pointing towards the Cabildo.
A cannon shot hits the front of the Cabildo
Fighting in the streets of Córdoba. Artillery fire against the old Cabildo building
(Picture by Jorge R. Schneider)
The population runs for protection
Despite this deployment, the police showed no signs of life inside the building, so Claisse took a megaphone and with a firm voice demanded surrender, threatening the security guards with opening fire if they did not agree. The response came from the nearby buildings and rooftops, where police officers and Peronist militants rained down a heavy volley of bullets on the troops, forcing them to quickly seek cover. The rebel officer ordered fire and his units began to shoot, shaking the downtown area with unusual violence. According to Claisse's later report, the young cadets from the Police School in front of them fought well and were willing to kill. The projectiles, both from mortars and cannon, hit the Cabildo but its thick walls withstood the onslaught, securing the positions of those who resisted inside. The shooting became intense and that forced Claisse to open a new front from the back since things had become extremely difficult in front. Putting his plan into action, he ordered Lieutenant Rolando Agarate to follow him and, covering himself as best he could, he headed directly towards the back of the Crillón Hotel, taking the “Muñoz” gallery through which they ended up near a small door. located next to the Town Hall. The officers resolutely headed towards it to machine-gun it from close range with the intention of opening it, but at that moment, Peronist militiamen stationed at the Club Talleres headquarters opened fire and hit them. Claisse fell wounded in the leg and Agarate was left lying on the pavement, mortally wounded. A bullet had passed through his arm and another was lodged near his heart. Claisse saw that he had cut a tendon and that a lot of blood was flowing from his wound, so, lacking implements to make a tourniquet, he tried to stop the bleeding with his thumb, although he was unable to stop it.
General Videla Balaguer together with Commodore Eduardo Arena Nievas and Dr. Tristán Castellanos advance towards the Cabildo
Civilians and soldiers, led by General Dalmiro Videla Balaguer, advance towards the Cabildo
The rebels run for protection after being shot at from the Cabildo
A rebel militiaman holds his weapon in front of the Cabildo
The rebel troops take cover under the Cabildo recess
Upon hearing the cannonade, Videla Balaguer's troops advancing behind Claisse quickened their pace while the people cheered and several armed civilians joined them, eager to fight. Near the Bank of Italy branch, Videla Balaguer stopped the march and, taking her field phone, contacted the police headquarters. He was attended to by the deputy chief, whom he demanded to surrender under the threat of opening fire if he did not accept.
-Come out with your hands up, advancing towards us along San Martín Street!
The police chief responded that he was willing to do what they asked and at that same moment, the shooting stopped, giving way to a tense calm. Videla Balaguer believed that everything was over and for that reason, full of joy and excitement, he decided to approach the Cabildo. He did so martially, proud and satisfied, followed by soldiers and civilians, among them an old man carrying an Argentine flag tied to a stick. Major Jorge Fernández Funes understood that the situation was still very confusing and that given the presence of a significant number of snipers on the surrounding rooftops, the danger had not passed.
-Be careful, my general. Don't expose yourself so much – he told his superior while she tried to hold him by his belt.
But Videla Balaguer, a determined but reckless man, was living a moment of glory and was not going to waste it. Together with Fernández Funes, Vice Commodore Arenas Nievas, Colonel Picca, officers, soldiers and a large number of civilians, he continued walking towards the historic building, ready to accept the surrender of its defenders. By then, dozens of men and women, especially doctors, students and nurses, joined the civil commands to offer their services and most of them were ordered to report to the Police Health Directorate from where they were dispatched to the places of confrontation wearing bracelets with the Red Cross. The procession was cheered by the population as it advanced through the Plaza San Martín, in sight of the imposing Cathedral that preserves the heart and relics of Fray Mamerto Esquiú, but when it was halfway there, a few meters from the building , began to be shot at from various points in the surrounding area. The old man who was carrying the flag fell dead at the feet of Videla Balaguer and several of his companions were injured, including Colonel Picca himself. Videla Balaguer and his people ran quickly forward and entered the recess of the Cabildo almost at the same moment that Lieutenant Matteoda's cannon began to fire. Videla Balaguer's assault troops occupied the historic building and reduced the police personnel defending it with very few casualties. The anti-Peronist prisoners, including Captain Alejandro Palacio Deheza, who arrived in Córdoba that same day to join the fight, were released and the police officers who had surrendered minutes before were locked up along with several civilians who had taken part in the fighting. with them. Videla Balaguer was euphoric and wanting to give greater magnificence to that moment, he invited his people to look out on the balcony of the Cabildo to greet the crowd that gathered outside.
-General – Fernández Funes told him again – it is not prudent for us to do so.
The officer was right because gunshots could still be heard in the surrounding area. However, Videla Balaguer ignored him and left, followed by First Lieutenant Miguel A. Mallea Gil and other people. Once again it was proven that Fernández Funes was right because when the rebel general greeted the crowd, a bullet fired from a nearby rooftop passed very close to him, destroying a painting of General San Martín that hung on an interior wall. And once again the good luck that accompanied him was evident since on three occasions, the first, during the combat at Dr. Castellano's, the second when he pompously advanced through the square and the third when he saluted from the balcony of the Cabildo, Extremely exposed, the projectiles passed close to him, killing and wounding those around him, without even grazing him. Everything seemed to indicate that the brave, although somewhat unconscious general from San Juan, enjoyed providential protection. Once the fight was over, joy took over the center of Córdoba. The population took to the streets to cheer the revolutionary soldiers while he jumped and chanted slogans opposing Perón. In another sector, however, uncertainty reigned. In the midst of combat, Governor Luchini had abandoned the Cabildo and hurriedly escaped towards Alta Gracia, followed by several people.
-If Videla Balaguer catches me, she'll kill me! – He told his assistants shortly before leaving the historic building through a side exit.
The president sneaked to another point in the capital and when night fell, he boarded a car that took him to Jesús María, to continue from there south, passing through Cosquín. He arrived in Alta Gracia a couple of hours later and in the old mountain city, where General Morello was waiting for him, he installed his command. Meanwhile, in the provincial capital, Videla Balaguer prepared the assault on the Government House and the CGT headquarters, entrusting the mission to Major Fernández Funes. The officer set off at the head of a platoon made up of several officers, one of them Second Lieutenant Gómez Pueyrredón8, and set off resolutely to carry out the order. The CGT headquarters, located on Vélez Sarsfield Avenue, was evacuated with tear gas and at the Government House, only one cannon shot was enough for its defenders to surrender. Upon hearing the news, Videla Balaguer left her temporary command position in the Cabildo and settled in the government headquarters, reinforced from that moment on by artillery pieces and a strong guard with shooters stationed at doors and windows. Shortly after settling into the Government Palace, Videla Balaguer was notified of the advance of loyal troops and, knowing of this, he ordered the sending of two cannons towards the entrance arch of the city, under the orders of Second Lieutenant Borré and Second Lieutenant Gómez Pueyrredón. . When the officers arrived at the scene it was the middle of the night, a quick inspection of the surroundings allowed them to detect a column of unidentified trucks advancing along the road in their direction. The rebel soldiers opened fire, forcing the vehicles to turn around and return the same way.
The city of Córdoba and its vicinity had fallen under the control of the rebel forces. Throughout that night, various civilian groups converged on the Artillery and Airborne Troops schools with a clear intention of arming themselves and joining the struggle. Following the directives of the insurgent leadership, they were equipped with rifles captured by the rebel troops from radio stations, workers' centers, and the Cabildo. These new arrivals were organized into several platoons, with officers assigned to lead them. They were given various tasks, including monitoring the access routes to the city, guarding the Pajas Blancas airfield, and reinforcing positions.
A similar situation unfolded in the provincial capital, where additional militia groups reported to General Videla Balaguer to place themselves under his command. Among these groups were a considerable number of Radical Party members, led by figures like Luis Medina Allende, the president of the youth committee, Juan Mario Masjoan, Medardo Ávila Vásquez, and conservative supporters led by Damián Fernández Astrada and Edmundo Molina. The ranks also included the Santos brothers, Jorge Manfredi, Domingo Telasco Castellanos, Marcelo Zapiola, the García Montaño siblings, Gustavo Aliaga García, Gustavo Mota Reyna, Jorge Horacio Zinny (son of the brigadier who had participated in General Menéndez's 1951 uprising), engineer Rodolfo Martínez, Miguel Arrambide Pizarro, Guillermo Parera, and the link between these groups, Luis Roberto Pereda. In preceding months, these groups had engaged in firearm practice at the Malagueño quarries owned by Martín Ferreyra, produced explosives, attacked police stations with Molotov cocktails, and held clandestine meetings at engineer Martínez's residence.
With Córdoba under control, Videla Balaguer took measures to maintain order, deploying armed checkpoints at strategic locations across the city. These included entrances to the city, downtown streets, bridges, public buildings, and rooftops. Subsequently, he appointed Dr. Tristán Castellanos as interim mayor and Vice Commodore Eduardo Arenas Nievas as Chief of Police.
These measures were crucial as Peronist armed groups continued their activities throughout the night. They disseminated false information and fired at the rebel forces from various locations, including moving vehicles speeding past surveillance posts. Additionally, they engaged in acts of sabotage. A column of demonstrators from emergency slums on the outskirts attempted to reach the city center but was thwarted and dispersed with machine gun fire by Second Lieutenant Gómez Pueyrredón.
Defensive actions were also taken at the Artillery, Infantry, and Airborne Troops schools. Elements from the Non-Commissioned Officers School were dispatched to control the area facing Alta Gracia, where the arrival of General Morello's troops was anticipated. At the Artillery barracks, a defensive perimeter was established, comprising heavy, light, and reconnaissance units, all reinforced by civilian participants.
These precautions proved prudent, as during the night, loyalist troops from the Infantry School, who had not surrendered, regrouped under the command of Major Esteban E. Llamosas and launched an attack. In the middle of the night, these infantry forces loyal to Perón unleashed mortar fire, inflicting numerous casualties among both rebel soldiers and civilians. In response, Lonardi's forces fired back with their 105 mm artillery pieces. The exchange of fire continued until the early hours of September 17 when the loyalist troops were compelled to initiate withdrawal maneuvers, evacuating the area. They conducted their withdrawal toward Alta Gracia in an orderly fashion, always under the leadership of Llamosas, with the aim of joining General Morello's forces already concentrated there.
Photographs of Jorge R. Schneider obtained during the events that took place between September 16 and 21, 1955 in the city of Córdoba
Rebel troops stationed at the Club Talleres headquarters
Soldiers and militiamen try to counter the action of Peronist snipers
A heavy machine gun points at the Cabildo
Soldiers and militiamen shoot at loyalist forces
Otra ametralladora pesada de las fuerzas rebeldes lista para disparar
Artillery hits in front of the Cabildo. The thick walls of the old Hispanic construction stoically resisted the onslaught
Damage to the front of the Cabildo, headquarters of the provincial police and bastion of Peronist defenders
Inspector General Barbosa advances with the flag of parliament to accept the capitulation of the loyal forces. It is guarded by members of the Air Force.
The fight is over. Peronist police, soldiers and civilians surrender
A group of paratroopers monitors the Peronist fighters who have surrendered
A paratrooper takes aim at the prisoners, a civilian commando holds a gun in his right hand
After fierce resistance, the Peronist troops have laid down their weapons
Columns of prisoners move through the streets of Córdoba
Interior of the Cabildo after the battle. Ruins and desolation
Destruction inside the Cabildo
Notas
Fernández Torres attributed his salvation to the image of the archangel Saint Raphael that he carried in his jacket pocket, to whom he had entrusted himself shortly before the battle.
Isidoro Ruiz Moreno, op. cit, Tomo II, Primera Parte, Cap. II, “La mañana del 16 de septiembre”.
Also called Río Primero.
The mission detected no enemy presence.
Equipped with the same weapons as the AT-11.
The attack did not materialize.
They were Colonel Juan Bautista Picca, Major Jorge Fernández Funes and Lieutenant Colonel Raúl Adolfo Picasso..
Gómez Pueyrredón was in charge of the 7.5 mm cannon of the section.
