Bombing of Plaza de Mayo
Encyclopedia
The bombing of Plaza de Mayo was a massacre
which took place in Buenos Aires
, Argentina
, on June 16 1955.
At 12:40 pm, a number of aircraft from the Argentine Navy and Air Force strafed
and bombed Plaza de Mayo
square in Buenos Aires, in what remains to this day the largest aerial bombing ever on the Argentine mainland. The attack targeted the adjacent Casa Rosada
, the official seat of government, as a large crowd was expressing support for president Juan Perón
. The strike took place during a day of official public demonstrations to condemn the burning of a national flag
allegedly carried out by detractors of Perón during the recent procession
of Corpus Christi
. The action was to be the first step in an eventually aborted coup d'état
.
Thirty-four Argentine Naval Aviation
and Air Force
airplanes, consisting of 22 North American AT-6, five Beechcraft AT-11
, three Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boat
s, and four Air Force Gloster Meteor
joined the attack.
A total of 9.5 tonnes of ordnance
were dropped, killing 364 (mostly civilians) and injuring more than 800. Fire ceased at 5:20 pm local time. Three planes were shot down by hastily-mounted anti-aircraft guns
. Nine Mounted Grenadiers, members of the presidential guard, were killed in action. One AT-6 was shot down by a loyal Gloster Meteor over the Río de la Plata
.
Argentine marines, meanwhile, attempted an assault on Casa Rosada, but were repelled by loyal forces. The rebels withdrew towards the premises of the Ministry of the Navy, where they were forced to surrender in the evening along with the leader of the ill-fated coup, Vice-Admiral Samuel Toranzo Calderón. His second in command, Vice-Admiral Benjamín Gargiulo, committed suicide.
After the failure of the intended coup (as neither the Army nor the bulk of the Air Force joined in), the aviators received orders to flee to Uruguay
and ask for asylum.
In September of that year, all the armed forces would join in the Revolución Libertadora
, which overthrew president Perón and started a period of military rule that ended in the 1958 presidential elections, won by Arturo Frondizi
of the UCRI
. Even though the Peronist party was not allowed to enter the ballot, Frondizi's victory was influenced by Perón's instructions to his loyal base, given from his exile
in Madrid
, to tactically vote
for Frondizi.
Bullet and shrapnel marks were still visible on some buildings on the south side of the square as of 2011.
Massacre
A massacre is an event with a heavy death toll.Massacre may also refer to:-Entertainment:*Massacre , a DC Comics villain*Massacre , a 1932 drama film starring Richard Barthelmess*Massacre, a 1956 Western starring Dane Clark...
which took place in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, on June 16 1955.
At 12:40 pm, a number of aircraft from the Argentine Navy and Air Force strafed
Strafing
Strafing is the practice of attacking ground targets from low-flying aircraft using aircraft-mounted automatic weapons. This means, that although ground attack using automatic weapons fire is very often accompanied with bombing or rocket fire, the term "strafing" does not specifically include the...
and bombed Plaza de Mayo
Plaza de Mayo
The Plaza de Mayo is the main square in downtown Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is flanked by Hipólito Yrigoyen, Balcarce, Rivadavia and Bolívar streets....
square in Buenos Aires, in what remains to this day the largest aerial bombing ever on the Argentine mainland. The attack targeted the adjacent Casa Rosada
Casa Rosada
La Casa Rosada is the official seat of the executive branch of the government of Argentina, and of the offices of the President. The President normally lives at the Quinta de Olivos, a compound in Olivos, Buenos Aires Province. Its characteristic color is pink, and is considered one of the most...
, the official seat of government, as a large crowd was expressing support for president Juan Perón
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón was an Argentine military officer, and politician. Perón was three times elected as President of Argentina though he only managed to serve one full term, after serving in several government positions, including the Secretary of Labor and the Vice Presidency...
. The strike took place during a day of official public demonstrations to condemn the burning of a national flag
Flag of Argentina
The national flag of Argentina is a triband, composed of three equally wide horizontal bands coloured light blue, white and light blue. There are multiple interpretations on the reasons for those colors...
allegedly carried out by detractors of Perón during the recent procession
Procession
A procession is an organized body of people advancing in a formal or ceremonial manner.-Procession elements:...
of Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi (feast)
Corpus Christi is a Latin Rite solemnity, now designated the solemnity of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ . It is also celebrated in some Anglican, Lutheran and Old Catholic Churches. Like Trinity Sunday and the Solemnity of Christ the King, it does not commemorate a particular event in...
. The action was to be the first step in an eventually aborted coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
.
Thirty-four Argentine Naval Aviation
Argentine Naval Aviation
The Argentine Naval Aviation is the naval aviation branch of the Argentine Navy and one of its four operational commands...
and Air Force
Argentine Air Force
The Argentine Air Force is the national aviation branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic. , it had 14,606 military and 6,854 civilian staff.-History:...
airplanes, consisting of 22 North American AT-6, five Beechcraft AT-11
Beechcraft Model 18
The Beechcraft Model 18, or "Twin Beech", as it is better known, is a 6-11 seat, twin-engine, low-wing, conventional-gear aircraft that was manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas...
, three Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boat
Flying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
s, and four Air Force Gloster Meteor
Gloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
joined the attack.
A total of 9.5 tonnes of ordnance
Shell (projectile)
A shell is a payload-carrying projectile, which, as opposed to shot, contains an explosive or other filling, though modern usage sometimes includes large solid projectiles properly termed shot . Solid shot may contain a pyrotechnic compound if a tracer or spotting charge is used...
were dropped, killing 364 (mostly civilians) and injuring more than 800. Fire ceased at 5:20 pm local time. Three planes were shot down by hastily-mounted anti-aircraft guns
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
. Nine Mounted Grenadiers, members of the presidential guard, were killed in action. One AT-6 was shot down by a loyal Gloster Meteor over the Río de la Plata
Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata —sometimes rendered River Plate in British English and the Commonwealth, and occasionally rendered [La] Plata River in other English-speaking countries—is the river and estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River on the border between Argentina and...
.
Argentine marines, meanwhile, attempted an assault on Casa Rosada, but were repelled by loyal forces. The rebels withdrew towards the premises of the Ministry of the Navy, where they were forced to surrender in the evening along with the leader of the ill-fated coup, Vice-Admiral Samuel Toranzo Calderón. His second in command, Vice-Admiral Benjamín Gargiulo, committed suicide.
After the failure of the intended coup (as neither the Army nor the bulk of the Air Force joined in), the aviators received orders to flee to Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
and ask for asylum.
In September of that year, all the armed forces would join in the Revolución Libertadora
Revolución Libertadora
The Revolución Libertadora was a military uprising that ended the second presidential term of Juan Perón in Argentina, on September 16, 1955.-History:...
, which overthrew president Perón and started a period of military rule that ended in the 1958 presidential elections, won by Arturo Frondizi
Arturo Frondizi
Arturo Frondizi Ercoli was the President of Argentina between May 1, 1958, and March 29, 1962, for the Intransigent Radical Civic Union.-Early life:Frondizi was born in Paso de los Libres, Corrientes Province...
of the UCRI
Intransigent Radical Civic Union
The Intransigent Radical Civic Union or UCRI is a defunct political party of Argentina.The UCRI developed from the centrist Radical Civic Union in 1956, following a split at the party's convention in Tucumán...
. Even though the Peronist party was not allowed to enter the ballot, Frondizi's victory was influenced by Perón's instructions to his loyal base, given from his exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, to tactically vote
Tactical voting
In voting systems, tactical voting occurs, in elections with more than two viable candidates, when a voter supports a candidate other than his or her sincere preference in order to prevent an undesirable outcome.It has been shown by the Gibbard-Satterthwaite theorem that any voting method which is...
for Frondizi.
Bullet and shrapnel marks were still visible on some buildings on the south side of the square as of 2011.