Page 133 - Conflitti Militari e Popolazioni Civili - Tomo II

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have been more acceptable in international terms (The Malvinas were part of the National
Territory of Tierra del Fuego, the Antarctic and South Atlantic Islands). By appointing an
active general as Military Governor instead of, for example, a civil delegate, the attitude was
made less tolerant.”
75
With respect to the double function performed by General Menéndez, the Commission
observed that “there was no clear determination of the Military Governor’s dependence,
powers and responsibilities concerning both his functions as Governor and as Military Com-
mander of the Malvinas Garrison.” 76
“The problem for General Menéndez starts when the guidelines for his action were
changed; he took charge of the government to fill a space and thus obtain a position relatively
favorable to Buenos Aires in order to force London to discuss the sovereignty issue. That was
what he had been prepared for.” 77
However, General Menéndez understood that his double condition as Military Governor
and Commander of the Garrison “facilitated the study and adoption of balanced measures
and ensured a better and easier adaptation of the commanding officers and the military per-
sonnel in general to the situation, most of the time achieving the required balance between
the operational needs and the particular requirements in relation to the population, as was
generally acknowledged by many islanders and, let me stress it once again, by the Interna-
tional Red Cross Mission which visited the islands in June.”
78
General Menéndez remembered that when the proposal to appoint him as Governor was
first made to him, he expressed to General Galtieri his understanding that the recovery op-
eration would involve a reaction by the British which would have an effect upon his future
performance on the islands, and received the following answer: “Menéndez, you have been
selected to be military governor of the Malvinas. The problems are attended to by the Mili-
tary Junta with the Foreign Minister “. 79
In spite of the defeat, General Menéndez understood that the efforts and actions on the
Military Government on the islands with respect to the population were consistent with the
established objectives, and pointed out that “despite the short time span available for select-
ing the members of the military government and for their mutual acquaintance which was
a basic requirement for a good teamwork, apart from a study of the environment where the
future government would act, and of the guidelines and measures to be adopted, to which
must be added the final addition of representatives from various national bodies and entities
and, once on the Malvinas, the complications deriving from the context of the pre-war and
war situation, our action was intense, intelligent, coordinated, efficient and always adjusted
to the circumstances, respectful of the rights of the islanders and trying to offer them the
greatest safeguards and the best possible living conditions, even under the most difficult

75 Rattenbach Report, page 61
76 Rattenbach Report, page 60
77 Brigadier Carlos Bloomer Reeve, in Palazzi, op.cit. page 105.
78 Gral. Mario B. Menéndez, interview with the Author.
79 Gral. Mario B. Menéndez, interview with the Author.