Here is a concise summary of the provided text:
**Title:** Why Nazi Fugitives Fled to Argentina after WWII
**Summary:**
After WWII, thousands of German officers and collaborators fled Europe to escape trials. Many chose Argentina as their new home, largely due to:
1. **Sympathetic Government**: President Juan Domingo Perón admired German ideology and welcomed fugitives.
2. **Cultural Ties**: Argentina had strong cultural links with Germany, Italy, and Spain, with many Argentine citizens being of European descent.
3. **Anti-Communist Alliance**: Perón believed these fugitives, being anti-communist, could aid Argentina in potential future conflicts between the USA and USSR.
4. **Geography**: Latin America, particularly Argentina, offered a relatively safe haven, far from the reach of European authorities.
**Outcome:**
* Hundreds of fugitives escaped to Argentina via "ratlines" through Spain or Italy.
* Many assimilated into the local German community, while a handful were eventually tracked down and tried.
* By the 1990s, most had lived out their lives openly, with some still hiding their past.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text, each numbered and in short sentence form, excluding opinions:
**Historical Context**
1. After World War II, thousands of German officers and wartime collaborators sought a new home to avoid trials.
2. The German Instrument of Surrender was signed on May 8, 1945.
3. The Nuremberg trials were a concern for those who supported the German regime.
**Argentina's Involvement**
4. Argentina, under President Juan Domingo Perón, welcomed former Axis members.
5. Perón was an admirer of the German ideology of that time.
6. Argentine diplomats and intelligence agents in Europe supported the transit of these individuals to Argentina.
7. Argentina was a former Spanish colony, gaining independence in the early 19th century.
8. The country had strong cultural ties with Germany and Italy due to decades of migration.
**Motivations and Actions**
9. Some fugitives used Spain as a bridgehead to reach other destinations, including Argentina.
10. The Catholic Church helped some fugitives escape.
11. Wealthy Germans and Argentine businessmen of German descent paid for escaping individuals' passage.
12. Perón believed anti-communist fugitives could be useful in potential upcoming conflicts between the USA and USSR.
13. Argentina declared war on the Axis powers just a month before the war ended.
**Migration and Settlement**
14. Hundreds of fugitives migrated to Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and other parts of South America.
15. Two primary escape routes existed: Germany > Spain > Argentina and Germany > Rome > Genoa > South America.
16. By the 1990s, most of these individuals were living openly under their own names in Argentina.
17. Some were tracked down and sent back for trials, while others assimilated into Argentina's German community.
**Geography and Options**
18. In 1945, Europe, the Soviet Union, conflict zones in China and Japan, and African colonies were not considered safe for fugitives.
19. The US, Canada, and most of Africa were also deemed unsuitable.
20. Latin America, particularly Argentina, offered the best chance for a new life due to the openness of the Argentinian government.