Violence is one the main analytical keys for the so called "traumatic events" in the 20th century which include the extremely violent military dictatorship in Argentina (1976-1983). From this premise, this article argues that although Brazil's military dictatorship was also very repressive, the notion of frustration, rather than violence, is the most adequate to understand the process. These questions necessarily evoke the difficulties historians experience regarding subjects that are taboo, sensitive or traumatic. The article concludes with a proposal on how to solve these difficulties.
traumatic events; military dictatorship; violence, frustration; Latin America.