Editing Huemul Project (section)

==Early Argentine nuclear efforts==
Shortly after his election in 1946, Perón began a purge of Argentina's universities that eventually resulted in over 1,000 professors being fired or quitting, causing a serious setback in Argentine science and lasting enmity between Perón and Argentine [[intelligentsia]]. In response, the [[Physical Association of Argentina]] (AFA) began to organize as a community to retain links between Argentine scientists, who now spread to industry.{{sfn|Hymans|2012|p=232}}

In 1946, the director of the AFA, physicist [[Enrique Gaviola]], wrote a proposal to set up the ''Comisión Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas'' (National Scientific Research Commission), arguing that post-World War II friction (leading to the [[Cold War]]) would present the opportunity for various Northern Hemisphere scientists to move south to escape limits on their research. In the same paper, Gaviola argued for the formation of a body to explore the peaceful use of atomic power. In spite of the poor relations between the scientific community and the Argentine government, the proposal was seriously studied and Congress debated the matter on several occasions before Perón decided to place it under military control. Gaviola objected, starting a long and acrimonious debate over the nature and aims of the program.{{sfn|Mariscotti|1992|pp=7–8}}

By 1947, plans to form an atomic study group were progressing slowly when the entire issue was shut down by an article in the U.S. political newsmagazine, ''[[The New Republic|New Republic]]''. The 24 February 1947 issue contained an article by William Mizelle on "Peron's Atomic Plans", which claimed:

<blockquote>With world famous German atom-splitter [[Werner Heisenberg]] invited to come to Argentina by Peron's Government and with a major uranium source discovered in Argentina, that Nation is launching a military nuclear research program to crack Pandora's box of atomic energy wide open. Argentina's determined atomic adventure and its frankly military purposes cannot be dismissed as the impractical dream of a small nation.<ref>{{cite magazine |first=William |last=Mizelle |title=Peron's Atomic Plans |magazine=New Republic |date = 24 February 1947 |pages=22–23}}</ref></blockquote>

International pressure on Argentina following the publication was intense, and the plans were soon dropped. This event appears to have made Perón more determined than ever to both develop atomic energy as well as prove its peaceful intentions.{{sfn|Mariscotti|1992|p=8}}