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This work begins by tracing the "dirty war" back to guerilla insurgencies of the 1960s, examining how Marxism, Peronism, right-wing nationalism and liberation theology came together to produce an explosive mix. It follows the conflict from the years of guerilla initiative to the counter-offensive, first through paramilitary groups and later by wholesale state terrorism. The book follows the later nationalistic assertiveness of the Argentine military, which nearly resulted in war with Chile and led to the attempt to recover the Malvinas (Falklands) by force. Special attention is given to the Falklands war and its domestic sequel: the swift decomposition of the military regime, the debt crisis and the restoration of elected rule. The focus then shifts to the attempts by the Alfonsin administration to get the country to face the horrors of the recent past and cope with the debt crisis. This sets the scene for the emergence of Carlos Menem, who surprised everyone by ditching Peronist populism and nationalism, and embracing "neo-liberal" policies and unconditional alignment with the US. Only in 1991 was hyperinflation conquered, followed by strong economic growth. This enabled him to stand - successfully - for re-election in 1995.