How did Argentina’s defeat in the Falkland Islands War affect its military government?

Argentina’s defeat in the Falkland Islands War severely discredited the country's military government, which had initiated the conflict in an attempt to distract the public from economic mismanagement and human rights abuses.12

The consequences for the regime were immediate and transformative:

• Leadership Resignation: Three days after the surrender on June 14, 1982, Lieutenant General Leopoldo Galtieri resigned as both president and commander in chief of the army.31
• Transition to Civilian Rule: General Reynaldo Bignone was installed as president on July 1, 1982. Under his administration, the military government allowed political parties to resume activities and announced general elections.31
• Restoration of Democracy: The process culminated in the 1983 presidential election, which was won by Raúl Alfonsín of the Radical Civic Union, marking the restoration of democracy in Argentina.312
• Accountability: Following the transition, the new civilian government moved to prosecute members of the former military junta for their roles in the Dirty War and for incompetency during the Falklands conflict.1