Introduction, Chapter 1, The One-Flower Slippers Summary and Analysis

In the summer of 1984, Alicia Partnoy returned to Argentina after four and a half years in exile. Many of her friends had been killed by the military, as were members of her family. Thirty thousand Argentines were "disappeared" between 1976 and 1979, among the most oppressive in the history of military rule. Military coups were not rare in Argentina, such as the coup that overthrew Juan Peron in 1955. For decades, Peronists were not allowed to be part of the government; no one could learn about their views. The Peronists improved the living conditions of the people with fair wages, retirement plans and good public health. It also gave women the vote. Evita Peron, Peron's wife, was responsible for some of these changes. Like most of Alicia's generation, she saw the Peronist movement leading towards socialism...