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Argentinean troops with weapons on the Falklands Islands in 1982. As modern wars go these young troops behaved quite well towards the civilian population. |
The Argentine invaded the British Falkland Islands at 04:30 hours on the morning of the 2nd of April 1982. The first action at this hour was the landing of Argentine Special Forces (Buzo Tactico), by helicopter at Mullet Creek, three miles south-west of Port Stanley. Within a very short time over 1000 troops had landed. Against these odds was faced a garrison of British Royal Marines, only 80 in number. A further smaller number of British Marines in another part of the island did put up strong resistance, until ordered to surrender by the Governor Rex Hunt the next day. This was done due to the hopeless situation of being out numbered and cut off from any immediate help.
So how did this situation arise where two former allies went to war over a small insignificant island in the South Atlantic. With hindsight it appears that in both countries it was a case of political brinkmanship that got out of hand. Both countries had severe economic problems at this time and needed a boost to national pride. As ever though this pride costs lives. Britain on the surface appeared not to be interested in the Falklands problem with Argentina. On the other side Argentina had for many years through talks been attemting to force a solution. Finaly Argentina got fed up with Britains delaying tacktics and decided to take action. They assumed that Britain would do very little if anything, after all had it not given up its Empire? The thought of the Argentine rulers was that the British people would not be interested in this little island so far from the UK.
This estimate proved to be a deadly mistake. They did not understand some of the fundamentals that make up the British character. The British are their own biggest critics and at times appear to be very fragmented. However beneath this surface bubbles a very strong national pride with fierce loyalty to the crown and state when aroused. The other thing missed by the Argentine leadership is the British sense of fair play. This is not the joke it is made out to be. It is closely linked to national pride and can be as emotive to the British as the former.
Therfore when Argentina invaded the Falklands all the ingredients were in the British to react, it just took manipulation by the political heads in the UK to activate it. I personally believe that the Tabloid press in this country had a lot to do with the escalation of the crisis and believe it may not even have come to war but for what they published. I was working in a very large factory in the UK during this period and well remember the reactions of the men at the time. The first news was reacted to with some indifference, most did not know what the Falklands island were. This however changed overnight with the publication of pictures in the tabloid press of British Royal Marines surrendering. These pictures I believe more than anything else stung public pride in Britain. From then on and after the sailing of the Task Force The British public expected revenge for this humiliation. It would have taken a strong willed political leader to stop this madness. A few such as Tony Benn tried to protest the escalation but was practically branded a traitor by the press, and public opinion as reported by them.
The 'shooting war' started when the British began to loose warships to Argentine fighter aircraft. Ships such as HMS Sheffield and HMS Coventry and with more to follow. It has been suggested that ship losses became almost critical. I often wonder at the logic of my former employers the MOD. Ships such as Sheffield and Coventry were designed to have defensive strengths against aircraft but were lost to them. My own ship HMS Plymouth was an Anti-Submarine frigate with relatively tiny defences against aircraft. To me, although they did well, sending this ship and its sister vessels into an air war zone borders on stupidity!
The next major loss was on the Argentine side with the sinking of the cruiser General Belgrano. In Britain this did something to quell the blood lust that had been whipped up. Just before it the idea of attacking the Argentine mainland to remove the threat of more ship losses was being talked about. Had this happened it would have been a disaster for all for many years after. It is possible that the men who died on the General Belgrano did not die in vain but that their loss probably averted their homeland being attacked. The pictures in the press of the wreck sinking did bring sympathy from some of the British public. Britons being a long time seafaring nation can relate to such a nautical tragedy.
The war continued and after some losses for the British on landing, it then resorted to a mostly land fight. They landed on the far side of the island and fought thier way to Port Stanley and by the 14th of June it was all over.
And the aftermath?
Argentina will not give up its claim to the Falkland Islands but is using more peaceful means to this end. The life for the Falklanders has dramatically changed, no longer a tiny guard but instead it has become 'Fortress Falklands', with a continued large military presence. The Royal Navy learnt some hard lessons about damage control and air defence. Post Falklands ELSA BA sets were put on all ships. Also the type of paint used by the RN was changed to a fire retarding type,(all losses were caused by fire not holes). Better air defence was instigated on all ships with the introduction of the 'Goal Post' rapid fire gunnery system. The type 21 Frigates of the Amazon class based on a civilian hull and found to lack strength and damage control for a warship, were quite soon after quietly sold off. The RAF relearnt the lesson of how hard it is to disable enemy airfields, but also the value and versatility of the Harrier Jump Jet aircraft. The army learnt how useless the Rapier missile system was in this situation, but also how good their tactical skills were. As for the politicians the Argentine Junta as losers soon lost power and were thrown out of office. Here in the UK dear old 'Maggie' was re elected on what some say was the Falklands factor,(in the ensuing years of her leadership some of us began to perhaps wonder if this winning of wars is always a good idea)!
Please note that the opinions expressed in this Web page are my own personal ones and are in no way the standpoint of the Warship Preservation Trust.