[This post was written by /u/Bevans-12

The Great Southern War, or officially the ‘Argentine Civil War’, was a thoroughly bloody conflict, and whilst it began with successes for the Patagonian socialists, the newly formed ‘Argentine United Front’, led by Pedro Ramirez, had reinvigorated the national spirit of the country. The new regime, and its re-organised army launched several counter-attacks, some being crucially successful - especially in the Bahia region, where they successfully encircled Syndicalist forces. Whilst hope laid to the west, with the Chileans in Sierra Pampeanas, it became increasingly clear to the Patagonians that a final offensive would be their last chance at victory: Victory for the workers - Victory for the Revolution.

The Battles of Pampas

The Patagonian commanders had drawn up plans in an attempt to relieve the Mar del Plata pocket - harass Buenos Aires in the skies, and cut off the Bahia corridor that secured the encirclement through an offensive to the north - attempting to cut off the Argentinians themselves. The air war over the Argentine capital was fierce, however the motivated Patagonian pilots, along with their veteran British comrades, were able to win the day - securing air supremacy over the city. Two Argentine capital ships were subsequently bombed, crippling the remnants of the Armada de la República Argentina, and removing the threat it posed to re-supply efforts in the Mar del Plata pocket.

After this strike, the British ‘Peterloo’ regiment began advancing on Rufino, with a plan to relieve their Patagonian comrades in the pocket and then push towards Buenos Aires. However, they were tired and weary from months of fighting in the Argentine plains. Nevertheless, imbued with the spirit of revolution and guided by the principle of worker’s liberation, the soldiers pressed on. Their numerical superiority, along with modern armour, proved crucial in securing victory at Rufino - achieving successes where their Chilean allies did not. They paid dearly for their victory however; half of the regiment was wiped out, and their offensive capabilities dulled completely.

The Argentine forces - primarily the 3rd and 4th Brigades, reformed and consolidated their position on the new frontline, attempting to exploit the vulnerable flanks of the Patagonians in the new ‘Rufino Corridor’. They launched a daring offensive, however the impassioned revolutionaries held the line - barely - against the Argentine Infantry. The Rufino Corridor held, but only just - and the Syndicalist flanks remained critically exposed.

Capitalising on their victories in Rufino, the Patagonians assaulted Bahia Blanca, with the cover of ruthless bombing from British planes - destroying much of the western suburbs of the city. Despite the withering aerial attacks, the Argentine defenders held strong - utilising their defensible urban surroundings to their advantage, especially against the general Patagonian disorganisation. Although the Battle of Bahia Blanca was a significant defeat for the Syndicalists, Chilean soldiers at Trenque Lanque achieved a key victory, forcing out Argentine brigades at a crucial road junction, and securing an encirclement of Bahia Blanca.

Supply was now becoming an increasingly prominent concern for the Syndicalist forces - many divisions were running out of ammunition to the point where, if the war did not conclude quickly, disaster may occur. Despite these worries, the Battles of Pampas were generally successful for the Syndicalists, with an encirclement secured against the Argentines in the Bahia Corridor, and Rufino captured - firmly threatening Buenos Aires.

Disaster at Junin

As Argentine defeats mounted, and more of the nation came either under the control of the Syndicalist forces, the Ramirez regime experienced increasing pressure from its people to sue for peace. Workers were being forced into ammunition factories, ordinary civilians being organised into impromptu militias, farmers becoming victims to crop seizures - these conditions were hard for the Argentine people to bear, and war weariness in the population rose rapidly. No longer did they care about what regime they lived under - Capitalist or Socialist, Ramirez or Soto, it did not matter to them - they simply sought an end to the horrendous conflict that was plaguing their nation.

Despite these tremendous pressures, Ramirez, through deft political maneuvering, convinced his allies in the United Front to delay peace talks for a further fourteen days. His argument cited the Austrian and Brazilian volunteers that were en route to aid the troubled Republic. A convincing victory was desperately needed by Ramirez to keep his precious Argentina together - it was at Junin where they received this lifeline to their imperilled state.

The Argentine forces at Junin were strong; full strength brigades, bolstered by Brazilian and Austrian support - morale was high because of this foreign support. And subsequently, with air coverage provided by Austrian bombers and their own close air support, they advanced, conducting repeated, remorseless attacks on the weakened Patagonians and British ‘Peterloo’ regiment, which had advanced to consolidate its position from Rufino. The assaults continued until the defenders were pushed to the city’s last suburb - where the Argentine forces paused - to re-organise for a final, decisive assault to capture the city.

The situation was bleak for the Syndicalist defenders - they knew defeat was certain, and that they would be made examples of by the invading Argentines. The bombings were merciless, not only killing many of their comrades, but levelling buildings and surrounding them with destruction. For the Syndicalists, morale plummeted, and their revolutionary fervour was dampened. This was especially true for the British - who simply wanted to return home to the idyllic Cotswolds, or the rolling hills of Yorkshire - not facing certain death in an unfamiliar land.

An order was given to push for the final assault against syndicalist forces, however this would ultimately not be necessary, as for the first time in history, a Syndicalist division had offered their surrender - marching solemnly out of the city, their weapons abandoned, and their morale devastated. The Argentines cheered as their victory was secured - mocking the ‘coward’ syndicalists. This was a major morale boost for the Argentine forces, as Ramirez celebrated both the bravery of his own soldiers, alongside the Brazilian regiments, in securing victory.

The Chilean Assault - Siempre Vencedor, Jamás Vencido

However, this temporary relief to popular pressure on Ramirez was not to last - the Chilean Army was rapidly advancing to the west after their victory in Mendoza. With revolutionary fervour imbuing them, they stormed the city of San Juan, overwhelming the mostly conscript Argentine force - who stood no chance against the Chilean forces, who were better trained, equipped, and motivated.

The merciless Chilean advance continued, capturing the city of San Luis as they pushed further toward their goal - the crucial city of Córdoba. The Battle of San Luis was another devastating victory against the now disorganised Argentines - completely paralysing the 1st Light Tank Brigade, and thus dulling their offensive capabilities.

With the path to Córdoba clear for the Syndicalist forces, they began to push along the plains of the Pampas to reach the city. The senior Chilean command quietly realised that their success in the Great Southern War depended on the capture of the city, and to keep their momentum. The Chilean soldiers were, however, in generally high morale - chanting ‘Córdoba roja!’ as they marched. Their desire to protect the Latin American revolution was strong, despite the struggles of Syndicalist forces at Junin.

It was this strong morale that enabled them to achieve their (at best) optimistic goals - 270km in 31 days would be an incredible feat for any army to accomplish, however, with favourable terrain on their side, the Chilean army was able to cover the distance along the flat plains of Pampas. With over 45,000 men assigned to the offensive, Córdoba was certainly threatened.

The situation for the Argentine defenders in the city appeared bleak - they were heavily outnumbered, and lacked the logistical support to conduct a proper defense of the city. A programme of desperate conscription began, seeking to enlist ordinary civilians to build makeshift defences, and arming any men they could find in a ‘City Militia’ to overcome the Syndicalist menace.

A victory at Córdoba - for either side - was to become a turning point in the war.

The Córdoban Worker’s Revolution

With Córdoba threatened by the merciless Chilean assault, the morale of the Argentine population once again began to rapidly dissipate. The victories at Junin were all but ignored as the second city of the nation was under threat from Syndicalist attacks. Moreover, Paraguay had begun border skirmishes in the Chaco region, opening another front for the nation to be threatened on. For the Ramirez regime, the situation was unquestionably dire - enemies to the south, enemies to the west, and now enemies to the north.

The efforts to arm the population of Córdoba was proceeding well, with any man who was able to fight being given a rifle and assigned to an impromptu army unit. However, the Argentine commanders remained ignorant to the increasingly strong revolutionary mood in the city, which had its roots in the pro-syndicalist riots of 1923, and was rekindled by the war. Many workers were being radicalised and incited to revolt by inspiring speakers, such as Nicolás Repetto, whose speeches marshalled the working classes of Córdoba into a socialist fervour.

The ‘Córdoban Worker’s Revolution’ as it was to become known, occurred only a few days after rifles began to be distributed among the city’s population - dominated by urban industrial workers. Organisation for the uprising soon began, with Nicolás Repetto at the helm, leading the efforts. Thousands of workers began listening to his speeches, and the ‘San Martin’ address was to prove decisive to the revolution. Named after the square in which it took place, the calls for worker’s liberation and freedom from the chaotic, tyrannical regime in which they lived inspired the city’s population into revolutionary zeal. Whilst the army finally took note of these mass gatherings, it was too late to act, as by this point armed workers were marching down the streets of Córdoba chanting a familiar phrase - ‘Córdoba roja!’.

The workers began to disassemble fortifications, as the Argentine Soldiers stood in awe. Many were simply paralysed by the scene that was before them, overwhelmed with the popular support that this movement had gained. Many even realised that their defence of the city was now hopeless, with several battalions either deserting or indeed defecting to the worker’s cause. The defending units were overwhelmed, as the Commune of Córdoba was declared, and the Chileans welcomed into the city.

The Collapse

The news from Córdoba spread like wildfire across Argentina - and incited similar uprisings across the nation, in Santa Fe, Rosario, Salta, and Buenos Aires. The latter revolt was of particular note due to the city’s importance in Argentina - being the centre of power for the Government.

Workers armed themselves in Buenos Aires, and began to march down the streets of the city - in a manner reminiscent of the Córdoban revolution. Their demands were simple - an immediate end to the war, and for Ramirez to hand power over to the Frente Obrero Patagónico. The movement was made up of tens of thousands, perhaps even hundreds of thousands, of workers and ordinary civilians - it was unstoppable.

It was far too late for Ramirez to act - already improvised red flags were hung from rooftops in the city’s suburbs, and the all too familiar tune of ‘The Internationale’ was distinctly heard across the city, from Barracas to Palermo. A General Strike was called not long after, to be continued until peace was agreed and a socialist government be placed in the Casa Rosada.

Seeing the inevitability of defeat against such a mass movement, Ramirez and his senior cabinet fled with the remnants of the Argentine Navy, fleeing the Casa Rosada under the cover of the night. They arrived in nearby Montevideo several hours later, with a bright sun rising over the Rio de La Plata as they docked.

International forces entered Buenos Aires, facing practically no resistance as they were welcomed by jubilant workers, civilians, and soldiers alike. Despite the celebrations, much of the city’s suburbs were damaged by the relentless bombing by Syndicalist planes, not to mention the aggressive urban warfare that took place in the city only a few months ago. Many despaired over lost homes, or devastated workplaces. However, hope had come in the form of the Patagonians, British, French and Chileans.

In the Casa Rosada, Antonio Soto stood victorious, and flanked by his senior allies in the Frente Obrero Patagónico, the Federación de Comunas Argentinas was declared. In a radio address to the nation, Soto declared that recovery, reconstruction and reconciliation would be a difficult, turbulent process, however ‘united, we will overcome’. Worker’s movements in major cities began to receive senior Patagonian organisers, who guided them in beginning the process of transitioning to a workplace democracy. Worker’s communes in many urban centres began to take shape, however they would need thorough development to be considered integrated into the new Federación de Comunas Argentinas - not to mention the rural upheaval that would need to take place if Soto wished to collectivise agriculture. Moreover, rumours of an anti-syndicalist guerilla force being established in the Andes were received by the new government - a possibility most frightening.

In the aftermath however, Brazillian border troops secured Misiones and Paraguayan militias secured Formosa. The territory under control by the Brazillians is still de jure part of the old government, who are currently in Sao Paulo.

Despite the struggles that the Federación faced, Buenos Aires was alive with one singular cry that night;

‘¡Viva la Revolución!’