Figure 1.--Here two worried little British girls warch their dad depart on the 'Queen Elizabeth II' from South Hampton. It carried the Royal Marine landing force. This totally unanticipted war would lead to the lagest naval action since World War II. A much reduced Royal Navy would face a formidble Argentine Air Force. The Argentine Junta meant to solidify its position, but actually undermined its posuition. And in the process turned Nrs Thtcher into a virtually indetrutable politucal force in Britain. She would be a staunch American ally in the critical final years of the Cold War.

Most wars breakout over a long-time line. The Falklands War without warning burst on the world scene in 1982 with virtually no warning. Few Europeans or Anericans, even Few Brits were aware of the Falklands. The Argentines were very aware of the iskands which they called the Malvinas. Argentina had long claimed the Falkands and it was a claim widely supported in Argentina. , but there was no indication that they would go to war over the islands. Their claim was geograohic. The Falkands were located off the coast of Argentina. The British claim was largely demographic. The Falkland islanders were of British origins. The flagging Argentine economy had made the military Junta very unpopular. The Junta in an effort to regain popularity, the Junta invaded the Islands (1982). British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher ordered the military to retake the Islands. It was the most telegraphed military invasion in history. Mrs. Thtcher hoped for a diplomatic resolution. The ability of the British military after years of budget cuts to retake the islands waa very much in question. The United States promoted a diplmatic sollution. President Regan from the beginning set a very clear position. The United States was neutral on the soveriginity issue, but opposed the Argentine military action which esentially ment a tilt toward Britain. The cabinet was, however, less supportive of Britain, especially Secretary of State Hague. Secretary of State tried to convince the Junta to adopt a comprise sollution which would mean withdrawing in exchange for a diplomatic sollution that would eventually turn over the Islands to Argentina. Mrs. Thatcher was amenable to this, some say because she was astute enough to gamble that the Junta in possession of the Ilands and riduing aave cof popularity would never accept it. And jndeed the Junta in possession of the Islands refused all offers of compromise. The United States as a result, remainrd ostensibly neutral, but provided vital logistical support to the badly streached Royal Navy. Large segments of the British press at the time loved to make fun of President Reagan and were criticalm of Mrs. Thtcher's conservative policies. Her reelection prospects were dim. It was Reagan's support, howver, that that made the British invasion possible. The British in a dramatic naval, air, and ground operation invaded the Islands. The Argentine Junta crammed a large conscript fiorce on the Islands, concentrated around Port Stanley. They wee supoorted by a modern air force. The British had a substantial naval force, but very limited air cover, only a small carrier. If the Junta had waited a little longer, ghis lat carrier would have been decommissioned. The very professional British military suceeded. The Royal Marines overwealmed a much larger Argentine force. The result was a stinging endorsement of the international rule of law. The absence of thecrukle of law to this day aflicts the Argentina, a country with enormous potential. There were a range if unexpected outcomes from the War. Mrs. Thatcher political fortunes reversed and she woild becone dominant in British politics for more than a decade and as a result of her free market policies, the British economy revived. In Argentina the Junta fell and democracy was restablished. And free market reforms there brought two decades of Argentine economic prosperity.

The Islands

The Falklands were two small wind-swept islands and small islets in the South Atlantic. Few Europeans or Anericans, even Few Brits were aware of the Falklands. The Argentines were very aware of the iskands which they called the Malvinas. Both Argenina and Britain can make historic claims to the islands. The major indistry on the Islands is sheep ranching. There are three sheep for every inhabitant and wool is the main export. Fisheries has also of some importance in recent years. Ghere are believed to be offshore oil resources.

The Argentine Junta

Argentina in the midst of a Communist urban guerilla campign was governed by a three-man military junta led by Leopoldo Galtieri.

Falklands Crisis

Most wars breakout over a long-time line. The Falklands War without warning burst on the world scene in 1982 with virtually no warning. Argentina had long claimed the Falkands and it was a claim widely supported in Argentina. , but there was no indication that they would go to war over the islands. The Argentine claim was geograohic. The Falkands were located off the coast of Argentina. Thus they looked like a colonial possession. The British claim was largely demographic. The Falkland islanders were of British origins. The flagging Argentine economy had made the military Junta very unpopular. The Junta in an effort to regain popularity, the Junta invaded the Islands (1982). The surprise action landed a 2,500 troops on East Falkland Island and seized Port Stanley. They quickly overwealmed the small garrison of Royal Marines, The Marines and British officials were quickly returned to Britain. The full-scale Argentine invasion occurred (April 2). On that same day the UN Security Council Resolution 502, condemning the act and calling for an immediate withdrawal of Argentine troops from the Falklands, was introduced. The Argentine generals in posssession of the Islands asummed that the crisis was over and they had won. They did not calculate the resolve of Margaret Thatcher.

Prime Minister Thatcher

Much of the British press after years of Socialist welfare state economics at the time the Argentines invaded the Falklands were critical of Primeminister Margaret Thatcher and her conservative policies. The powerful trade unions were outraged. Grannies shivering in the cold were a constant refrain. Dhe hd fallen in the polls and Her reelection prospects seemed dim. he British public was shocked at the rgentine invasion and demanded action. The British public clamored for action, with a clear majority favoring the recapture of the Falklands by force. British politicans were, however, reluctant to pursue a military response. Some thought the Royal Navy did not have the capacity to retake the Fakkands. Others did not like the idea of using firce. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was from the beginning determined to regain the Islands, by force if necessary/\. And her resolve was not tempered by Britain's limited miitary resources for such a distant action. She ordered the Royal Navy to retake the Islands. It proved to be the most telegraphed military invasion in history. Mrs. Thtcher hoped for a diplomatic resolution and made sure the slowly moving task force allowed plenty of time for the diplomatic efforts to play out. The ability of the British military after years of budget cuts to retake the Islands waa very much in question given the size of the Argentine garrison and the modern Argentine Air Force.

Diplomacy

Latin American countries rallied to support Argentina diplomtically in the spirit Latin American solidarity. The European Common Market (at the time 10 countries) supported Britain diplomatically. They banned Argentine imports. The United States, however, at first proved less supportive and took no immediate actioin against Argentina. The United States adopted a neutral stance and promoted a diplmatic sollution. President Regan from the beginning set a very clear position. The United States was neutral on the soveriginity issue, but opposed the Argentine military action which esentially meant a tilt toward Britain. The President, however, left it largely up to his abinent members how to implement his policy. Key cabinet members were less supportive of Britain, especially Secretary of State Hague who saw the Junta as stanch anti-Communists. The American U.N. Ambassador, Jean Kilpatrick, was also sympathetic toward the Junta for the sanme reasons. The Secretary of State tried to convince the Junta to adopt a comprise sollution which would mean withdrawing in exchange for a diplomatic settlement that would eventually turn over the Islands to Argentina. Mrs. Thatcher was outwrdly amenable to this, some say because she was astute enough to gamble that the Junta in possession of the Islands and riding a wave of popularity would never accept it. And jndeed the Junta in possession of the Islands refused all offers of compromise even though it woulkd mean that Argentina would gain control of the Islands. The U.S. response and pursuit of neutrality disappointed Mrs Thatcher. Ambassador Kirkpatrick was guest of honor at a dinner held by Argentine's ambassador to Washington on the same day the Argentines invaded. The disappointing American respoonse threatened the relatiinship with Britain and the critical NATO alliance. Secretary Hague flew to Buenos Aires and tried to convince the Junta to adopt a comprise sollution which would mean withdrawing in exchange for a diplomatic process that would eventually turn over the Islands to Argentina. Mrs. Thatcher judgement ws vindicated. The Argentine generals rejected even the appearance of compromise.

American Assistance

The United States as a result of the Junta's rejection of all efforts at ompromise moved closer to the British. While remaining ostensibly neutral, the United States provided vital logistical support to the badly streached Royal Navy. e do not yet have full details on the Americn assistance. A reader tells us, "America supplied the Brits with a newer air to air missiles to make sure the British Harriers had enough to fight the Argentine Air Force's French built Mirages that while being an air superiority fighter was no match to the advanced American missiles. While they scored some importnt ship hit, ships they were useless in the important a ground support role." Large segments of the British press at the time loved to make fun of President Reagan. He was depicted as a reckless cowboy. Many saw the American alliance as more threatening than helpful. Ban the bomb protesters were very critical of the Americans. It was Reagan's support, however, that that would make the British invasion possible.

South Georgia (March-April 1982)

An even more desolate group of British islands lay to the southeast of the Falklands--South Georgia. It was the location of an old whaling station. The Argentines had seized South Geirgia as a prelude to seizing the Falklands. The Falklands War was precipitated by a group of Argentinians, posing as scrap metal merchants. Thery occupied the abandoned whaling station at Leith Harbour (March 19, 1982). The Argentine troops then attacked and occupied Grytviken. (April 3). Mrs. Thatcher ws determined to get both back. The large Falklands task force made slow and very public speed toward Port Stanley, giving the Argentine Junta the opportunity to negotiate a peaceful resolution. Meanwhile a much smller task force with no publicity speed toward South Georgia. Because defense spending ws so limited, the British had only a few older helicopters. As a result they almost lost a small Specil Forces group force on a glacier from which they were susposed to descend on the Argentines. Only superb flying skills sved tgese nmen in the midst of an Anartic Gale. The islands were recaptured by British forces in Operation Paraquet. The Argentine force in the islands surrendered (April 25), just before the main operation to retake Stanley commnsed.

British Reconquest (April-May 1982)

A substantial British task force set out on a 7,500 mile voyage to liberate the Falklands (April 5). It proved to be the largest naval action since World war II. The Royal Navy was pitted against a formidable Argentine Air Force and large entrenched ground forces. The Argentine Junta crammed a large conscript force on the Islands, concentrated around Port Stanley. They were supoorted by a modern, well trained Air Force, but as tge British had disabled the aur fiekd at Stanley, they had to ooerate from the mainland. The British in a dramatic naval, air, and ground operation invaded the Islands. The British had a substantial naval force, but very limited air cover, only a small carrier. If the Junta had waited a little longer, this last carrier would have been decommissioned. The British invasion began (May 21). The very professional British military against all odds suceeded. This is the only modern amphibious invasion we know of that was sucessful without air superiority. The lightly armed Royal Marines managed to overwealm a much larger, but dispirited Argentine force.

Losses

Nearly 900 men were killed. Over 250 British men and three times as many Argentine troops were killed in the fuighting.

Results

The result was a stinging endorsement of the international rule of law. The absence of the rule of law to this day aflicts the Argentina, a country with enormous potential. There were a range if unexpected outcomes from the War. In In London, Mrs Thatcher saw her public approval rating soar. This reversed her political fortunes. She would becone dominant in British politics for more than a decade and as a result of her free market policies, the British economy revived. In Buenos Aires, news of the Argentine surrender enraged the public. A crowd began demoinstrating at the presidential palace. General Galtieri resigedn. The Junta fell and democracy was restablished. And free market reforms there brought two decades of Argentine economic prosperity. And the United States retained a staunch ally in the critical final years of the Cold War.

Continuing Issue

A British reader writes, "It is interesting that the Argentine Government is renewing their claim to the Falklands at the present time. It is our belief that this is beacuse their economy is faltering and there may be oil in the sea bed. The British are resovled to allow the Falkland Islanders their self determination. No Argentines have lived there in the past 300 hundred years. Never at any time was it other than a whaling station." Absolutely, The Socialist Government in Argentina has driven the Argentine economy to the brink. The country is running out of fireign exchange and has been unable to borrow for yers. That is why they seized YPF oil company from the Spanish. A country that badly needs foreign investment and technology to develop substantial offshore resources (not even counting the Falklands) takes this step which virtually ensures that no foreign investors will get involved in Argentina. And just as the Junta tried to divert public attention from a failing economy in 1982, the current Socialist government is doing the same. Argentina is a very rich country. It could have a European living standards, but the unions and much of the public are intent on socialism. But as far as we can see, the Europeans haven't figured this out either.

Created: 12:33 PM 7/16/2018
Last updated: 12:33 PM 7/16/2018