Juan Domingo Perón (8 October 1895 – 1 July 1974) was an Argentine general and politician, elected three times as President of Argentina, after serving in several government positions, including Labor Secretary and Vice President. He was first elected in 1946, after participating in a military coup three years before. While Argentina had remained neutral during World War II, Perón's admiration for fascism led him to shelter Nazi war-criminals on the run. He served one full term, and was re-elected in 1952. However, his radical reforms polarized the country. He was excommunicated by the Catholic Church, and ousted in 1955. After years of exile, he returned to power in 1973 and served for nine months, until his death in 1974.