Page 80 - History of War - Issue 05-14

over to the South Americans as the “rightful”
claimants. When this failed to materialise, a UN Argentina’s ruling
Military Junta
resolution was passed in 1965 requesting that
Britain and Argentina find a peaceful solution
to the problem. What followed was 17 years
of hostile negotiations as diplomats sought
Rex Features Argentina and Britain – not to mention the
a compromise that was satisfactory for both
residents of the islands themselves.
It appeared at one stage that Britain wanted
to rid itself of any responsibility for the islands
OPPOSING and its settlers. Not only was the strategy of
having naval bases scattered across the globe
FORCES losing its efficacy, but the islands’ economy was solution to the claim over the Falkland Islands.
tiny – so small, in fact, that it could not even
cover the costs of the 40-man Royal Marine This period saw the so-called “Dirty War”, where
TROOPS garrison that had been stationed there since myriad opponents to the regime disappeared
BRITAIN ARGENTINA 1966. In the early 1980s, Thatcher announced without a trace. Hundreds of these people were
28,000 sailors, soldiers and Approximately 13,000 the withdrawal of full British citizenship for tortured and thrown out of aircraft into shark
airmen. Of these 258 were troops. 649 were killed plus Falkland islanders, a decision that convinced infested waters in the South Atlantic. Death
killed and 777 wounded. 1,188 casualties. 11,313 the Argentinians further that British commitment squads struck with impunity and terrorised
More than 300 British men were take prisoners of to the islands was beginning to wear thin. working class union members and anybody else
Falklands veterans have war by British troops. What wasn't helping the cause, however,
since committed suicide. was the devastating economic situations opposed to the corruption. As a direct result
of the collapse in currency, the Junta had been
faced by the two countries at the beginning of forced to introduce savage cuts of its own, and
AIRPOWER the 1980's, as well as the civil unrest within it was these cuts to services and benefits that
BRITAIN ARGENTINA Argentina. The beginning of the decade saw a saw Argentines take to the streets early in 1982
38 Hawker Siddeley 4 Dassault-Breguet Super
Harriers, 14 Westland Lynx Étendard Fighters, 25 FMA
Helicopters, 5 Chinook HC-1 IA 58 Pucarás, 10 Aermacchi THIS PERIOD IN ARGENTINA SAW THE
Helicopters, 9 Westland MB-339s, 30 IAI Daggers, 8 SO-CALLED “DIRTY WAR”, WHERE MYRIAD
Wasp Helicopters, 3 English Electric Canberras,
McDonnell Douglas Phantom 50 Douglas A4 Skyhawks, OPPONENTS TO THE REGIME DISAPPEARED
FGR2s, 4 Vulcan Bombers. 17 Dassault Mirages.
WITHOUT A TRACE
MISSILES period of deep economic stress in Britain and in fierce opposition to the Junta’s rule.
BRITAIN ARGENTINA the newly-elected Conservative government was These demonstrations quickly got out of
Exocet Anti-Ship Missile, Sea Exocet Anti-Ship Missile, savagely cutting back on spending throughout hand, and the Junta sensed that it was losing
Dart Surface-to-Air Missile, launched from the Super the country, including the closing down of the popularity and credibility, as well as its ability
SeanSkua Anti-Ship Missile Étendard Strike Fighter, Antarctic Research station on the island of to impose law and order. Its members thought
and Stinger Missiles. SA-7 Grail Portable South Georgia, the island that would later see that it might be able to restore some of this
Missiles, Roland
Surface-to-Air Missiles. the first offensive action of the war. by playing to their institutional strength and
launching an invasion into the Falklands, which
Economic downturn they referred to as the “Malvinas”.
ARMAMENT Argentina in the 1980s was a desperate country John Smith, historian of the Falklands
BRITAIN ARGENTINA with a disastrous economy. But this hadn’t Occupation, claims that due to Argentina being
L1A1 SLR, Browning L9A1 Browning Hi-Power 9mm always been the case: in the early 20th Century, in a political and economic state of disarray,
Handgun, Lee-Enfield L42A1 Handgun, M-3 Submachine it had become one of the most advanced it wanted something to divert the attention of
Sniper Rifle, M79 Grenade Gun, L34A1 Sterling nations in the world. Per capita, Argentina's the people. The idea that the Junta invaded
Launcher, L4 Bren plus Submachine Gun, plus FMK1 wealth matched that of Germany and surpassed the Falklands to increase domestic legitimacy
grenades and mortars. anti-personnel mines.
Spain, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland. But very much appears to have been the motivating
starting in the late 1920s, Argentina faced a factor for the decision to “recover” the islands.
NAVAL decline in prosperity and between 1920 and That the invasion actually made the Argentine
BRITAIN ARGENTINA 1980, it went from a rising world power to a public completely forget about their declining
2 Aircraft Carriers, HMS 1 Aircraft Carrier, ARA third-world nation with soaring inflation and economic status or their repression during the
Invincible and HMS Hermes, Veinticinco de Mayo, 6 dwindling exports. Furthermore, there was social Dirty War is highly unlikely, but it seems that
2 Landing Platform Docks, Destroyers, 1 Amphibious unrest against the Military Junta, which had the invasion produced a temporary euphoria
8 Destroyers, 15 Frigates, 6 Landing Ship, 4 Corvettes, been governing the country since 1976. providing some manner of justification in the
submarines, plus numerous 1 Cruiser, 2 submarines, The Junta Government was headed by General eyes of a large percentage of the population.
minesweepers and support plus spy trawlers and patrol Leopoldo Galtieri as acting President, and It certainly did create a unifying effect and
ships – 127 vessels in total. vessels – around 42 in total. Admiral Jorge Anaya, the latter of whom was brought together an entire nation that was
the main architect and supporter of a military rapidly falling apart.

1764 TIMELINE 1766 1770 1833 1965

French Admiral Louis de The French and Spanish reach an Five Spanish ships land 1,400 After various claimants and Argentina begins contesting
Bougainville sets up a naval base agreement, whereby the French soldiers, forcing the British to attempts at settling on the ownership of the islands in 1941,
on East Falkland. A year later the leave the island and in return the evacuate. However the dispute is islands, Britain asserts its which continues for the next 24
west island is claimed by John Spanish pay for the buildings settled amicably a year later control over the Falklands years. Eventually, the UN issues
Byron on behalf of Britain a resolution for both parties to
reach an agreement over the
islands’ sovereignty

HISTORY WAR
of