ABSTRACT
Geography has shielded Argentina from external threats; and in the 1914-18 and 1939-45 wars it remained lucratively neutral (with a tilt towards Germany in the 1939-45 war, after which it became a notorious refuge for Nazi war criminals). It has, however, maintained large armed forces, which have carried out many coups (e.g. in 1930, 1943, 1955, 1966 and 1976), and have influenced politics even when not openly holding power. And Argentine support has, at times, helped to sustain military regimes in neighbouring states such as Paraguay and Bolivia.
