In 1976, Argentina was troubled by a collapsing economy, the rise of urban guerrilla organizations, and the ineffectiveness of its government. Much of the country welcomed a military coup. Within a couple of years, the military had crushed the terrorist groups and had begun a brutal campaign targeting anyone suspected of leftist leanings. An estimated 20 to 30 thousand persons disappeared into over 300 secret detention centers where they were held in isolation, tortured, and executed without charge. In the first session, we will view the 1985 Academy Award winning movie, The Official Story, a political thriller set in a time of growing Argentinian public awareness of these clandestine activities. Faced with declining support, the country’s military leaders launched an undeclared and ill-fated 1982 war to wrest the Falkland Islands from British control. In the second session, we will survey both of these wars as well as subsequent civilian-led efforts to bring healing to the traumatized nation.