This article discusses the events leading to the 1982 Falklands War (Guerra de Malvinas in Spanish) between the United Kingdom and Argentina over possession of the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas). Combatants United Kingdom Argentina Commanders Sir John Fieldhouse Sir John Woodward Margaret Thatcher Leopoldo Galtieri Mario Menéndez Casualties 258 killed [1] 777 wounded 59 taken prisoner 649 killed 1,068 wounded 11,313 taken prisoner The Falklands War (Spanish: ) was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom...

Build-up

Leopoldo Galtieri

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher

President Galtieri, head of the National Reorganization Process (the military government of Argentina at the time) aimed to counterbalance public concern over economic and human rights issues with a speedy victory over the Falklands which would appeal to popular nationalistic sentiment. Argentine intelligence officers had been working with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to help fund the Contras in Nicaragua, and the Argentine government believed it might be rewarded for this activity by non-interference on the part of the United States if it invaded the Falklands. Image File history File links Galtieri. ... Image File history File links Galtieri. ... Leopoldo Fortunato Galtieri Castelli (July 15, 1926 - January 12, 2003) was an Argentinian general and the de facto President of Argentina from 22 December 1981 to 18 June 1982, during the last military dictatorship. ... Download high resolution version (421x640, 33 KB)Picture of Margeret Thatcher Source: http://memory. ... Download high resolution version (421x640, 33 KB)Picture of Margeret Thatcher Source: http://memory. ... In the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister is the head of government, exercising many of the executive functions nominally vested in the Sovereign, who is head of state. ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925), is the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, in office from 1979 to 1990. ... President is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, trade unions, universities, and countries. ... President Galtieri Leopoldo Fortunato Galtieri Castelli (July 15, 1926 - January 12, 2003) was an Argentinian general and dictator. ... Jorge Rafael Videla, first president of the Proceso Proceso de Reorganización Nacional (Spanish, National Reorganization Process, often simply Proceso) was the name given by its leaders to the dictatorial regime that ruled Argentina from 1976 to 1983. ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ... The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA, colloquially known as The Company or simply, The Agency) is an intelligence agency of the United States Government. ... The Contras (from the Spanish term La Contra, short for movement of the contrarrevolucionarios) were the armed opponents of Nicaraguas FSLN (Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional) Sandinista Junta of National Reconstruction following the July 1979 overthrow of Anastasio Somoza Debayle (which ended the Somoza dynasty), and continuing throughout the...

Argentina exerted pressure in the United Nations by raising subtle hints of a possible invasion, but the British either missed or ignored this threat and did not react. The Argentines interpreted the lack of British reaction as disinterest in the Falklands, and assumed that the British would not use force if the islands were invaded. This viewpoint was encouraged by the planned withdrawal as part of a general reduction in size of the Royal Navy in 1981 of the last of the Antarctic Supply vessels, HMS Endurance, and by the British Nationality Act of 1981, which replaced the full British citizenship of Falkland Islanders with a more limited version. The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ... An invasion is a military action consisting of armed forces of one geopolitical entity entering territory controlled by another such entity, generally with the objective of conquering territory, or altering the established government. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ... HMS Endurance was a Royal Navy ice patrol vessel from 1967 to 1991. ... The British Nationality Act 1981 was an Act of Parliament passed by the British Parliament. ... Citizenship is membership in a political community (originally a city but now usually a country) and carries with it rights to political participation; a person having such membership is a citizen. ...

In 1977, 50 Argentine nationals occupied Southern Thule. Operation Journeyman, the despatching of a small military force to the South Atlantic by Callaghan's Labour government, may have helped avert further action and subsequent reports from the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) in 1977, 1979 and 1981 suggested that "as long as [Argentina] calculated that the British Government were prepared to negotiate seriously on sovereignty, it was unlikely to resort to force." However, if "...negotiations broke down, or if Argentina concluded from them that there was no prospect of real progress towards a negotiated transfer of sovereignty, there would be a high risk of its then resorting to more forceful measures, including direct military action."^[1] Part of the British Crown Dependency of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands Orthographic projection centred on the South Sandwich Islands South Sandwich Islands Southern Thule is a collection of the three southernmost islands in the South Sandwich Islands: Bellingshausen, Cook, and Thule (Morrell). ... Operation Journeyman was a Royal Navy operation in which a naval taskforce was sent to the Falkland Islands in November 1977 to prevent an Argentine invasion. ... Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC (27 March 1912 – 26 March 2005), was Labour Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979. ... The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the principal political party of the left in the United Kingdom. ... The Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) was founded in 1936 as a sub-committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence. ...

In January 1982, these diplomatic talks over sovereignty ceased. It is not known when serious plans to invade the Falklands were first considered, but following this breakdown, the plans were updated. Although it is often thought that the Falklands invasion was a long-planned action, it became clear after the war that it had been largely improvised; for example, sea mines were not deployed at strategic landing locations and a large part of the infantry forces sent to the Falklands consisted of the current intake of conscripts, who had only begun their training in the Jan/Feb of that year. Arguments that the War was a last minute decision are bolstered by the fact that the Argentine Navy would have received, at the end of the year, additional French Exocet anti-ship missiles, Super Étendards (French fighter aircraft capable of firing the Exocet) and new ships being built in West Germany. A naval mine is a stationary self-contained explosive device placed in water, to destroy ships and/or submarines. ... Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme in World War I. Infantry are soldiers who fight primarily on foot with small arms in organized military units, though they may be transported to the battlefield by horses, ships, automobiles, skis, or other means. ... The Exocet is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels, submarines, and airplanes. ... The Dassault Super Étendard is a French carrier-borne strike fighter in service with the French and Argentine Navy. ...

The Argentine Navy possessed modern British-built Type 42 air-defence destroyers of the type forming the bulk of the British Task Force's anti-air umbrella. The air force had realised, in training attacks made after the landings that they could lose over half of their units in the process of destroying only a few British warships if they attacked at the medium to high altitudes Sea Dart was designed to engage. Hence, during the war, they surprised many observers, with losses far below that expected given their level of preparedness. Much of this was due to the low-level stand-off employment of Exocet over blue-water, and over-land approaches when in the littoral. Type 42 destroyer HMS Manchester Type 42, also known as the Sheffield class, is a class of destroyers of the Royal Navy. ... USS Lassen, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet or battle group and defend them against smaller, short-range attackers (originally torpedo boats, later submarines and aircraft). ... USS Port Royal (CG-73), a Ticonderoga class cruiser. ... Sea Dart launcher Sea Dart is a surface to air missile system mounted on air defence destroyers of the Royal Navy. ... The Exocet is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels, submarines, and airplanes. ... Blue Water was a code name for a British nuclear missile under development in the 1960s. ... A littoral is the region near the shoreline of a body of fresh or salt water. ...

This lack of readiness is probably due to the invasion being a last-minute decision taken as a consequence of the South Georgia crisis. Furthermore, for several years, Argentina had been on the brink of war with Chile. Consequently, a significant part of Argentina's limited forces and equipment were kept on the mainland, as Argentina's military strategists feared that Chile would take advantage of the Falklands Crisis and attempt to seize a portion of the Patagonia region. As a consequence, Chile deployed forces along border regions in what looked like a possible invasion; it is unclear whether this was their true intention or merely a diversion prompted by their British allies. In orange the area most commonly defined as Patagonia. ...

Argentina's original intention was to mount a quick symbolic occupation, quickly followed by a withdrawal, leaving only a small garrison to support the new military governor. This was based on the Argentinian assumption that the British would never respond militarily. All Argentine assault units were withdrawn to the mainland in the following days, but strong popular support and the rapid British reaction forced the Junta to change their objectives and reinforce the islands, since they could not politically afford to lose the islands and the British looked like they were going to fight. They misjudged the political climate in Britain, believing that democracies were weak, indecisive and averse to risk and did not anticipate that the British would move their fleet halfway across the globe. Belligerent military occupation occurs when one nations military occupies all or part of the territory of another nation or recognized belligerent. ... Definition Withdrawing is the act of removing all or part of a military force from combat and moving to a safe location. ...

Landings on South Georgia

On 19 March, a group of Argentinian scrap metal merchants established a camp on South Georgia, where they raised an Argentinian flag.^[2] March 19 is the 78th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (79th in leap years). ... Categories: Stub | Waste ... Merchants function as professionals who deal with trade, dealing in commodities that they do not produce themselves, in order to produce profit. ... South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, also claimed by Argentina. ...

The Royal Navy Antarctic patrol vessel HMS Endurance was dispatched to remove the camp on 25 March, but was prevented from doing so and forced to retreat by the Argentine Navy Corvette ARA Guerrico. Later, despite evidence that the Argentine Navy had begun to assemble troops in Puerto Belgrano, the UK Joint Intelligence Committee's Latin American group stated on 30 March that "invasion was not imminent." HMS Endurance was a Royal Navy ice patrol vessel from 1967 to 1991. ... March 25 is the 84th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (85th in leap years). ... French steam corvette Dupleix (1856-1887) Canadian corvettes on antisubmarine convoy escort duty during World War II. A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, smaller than a frigate but larger than a coastal patrol craft. ... The Base Naval Puerto Belgrano (English: Port Belgrano Naval base) is the largest naval base of the Argentine Navy, situated near Bahía Blanca, some 700 km south of Buenos Aires. ... The Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) was founded in 1936 as a sub-committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence. ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ... March 30 is the 89th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (90th in a leap year). ...

Failed diplomacy

During the conflict, there were no formal diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Argentina, so negotiations were carried out in a rather indirect way, and via third parties who spoke with one then with the other belligerent ("shuttle diplomacy"). The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru, announced that his efforts in favour of peace were futile. Although Peru (which represented Argentina's diplomatic interests in Britain) and Switzerland (which represented Britain's diplomatic interests in Argentina) exerted great diplomatic pressure to avoid war, they were unable to resolve the conflict, and a peace plan proposed by Peruvian president Fernando Belaúnde Terry was rejected by both sides. This page is about negotiations; for the board game, see Diplomacy (game). ... In diplomacy and international relations, shuttle diplomacy is the use of a third party to serve as an intermediary or mediator between two parties who do not talk directly. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ... Javier Pérez de Cuéllar de la Guerra (born January 19, 1920 in Lima) is a Peruvian diplomat who served as the fifth Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1, 1982 to December 31, 1991. ... A peace plan is a proposal to end a long-running conflict in a stable, mutually-acceptable way. ... List of presidents of Peru : The Independence War 1821-1822: José de San Martín 1822-1823: José de La Mar 1823: Manuel Salazar y Baquíjano 1823: José de la Riva Agüero 1823-1824: José Bernardo de Tagle 1824-1826: Simón Bolívar 1826-1827: Andrés... Fernando Belaúnde Terry (October 7, 1912 – June 4, 2002) was President of Peru for two terms (1963–1968 and 1980–1985). ...

Invasion

Main article: 1982 invasion of the Falkland Islands

The British Government warned Rex Masterman Hunt, the Governor of the Falkland Islands, of a possible Argentine invasion on 31 March. Hunt then organised a defence, and gave military command to Major Mike Norman RM, who managed to muster a small force of Royal Marines. The Argentine Lieutenant-Commander in charge of the invasion, Guillermo Sanchez-Sabarots, landed his special forces at Mullet Creek. He proceeded to attack the buildings in and around Stanley, including Government House and the Moody Brook Barracks until the Falkland Islands government at Government House surrendered on 4 April. One British Royal Marine was wounded, and one Argentine killed in the main invasion; a further three Argentines were killed in fighting to take control of South Georgia. A. 21:30 1 April - The Type 42 destroyer ARA Santisima Trinidad begins loading marines of the Amphibious Commandos Group into 21 small inflatable motor boats. ... The agencies responsible for the government of the United Kingdom consist of a number of ministerial departments (usually headed by a Secretary of State) and non-ministerial departments headed by senior civil servants. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Nowadays, the Governor of the Falkland Islands is the local representative of the British Crown in the Falkland Islands. ... March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (91st in leap years), with 275 days remaining. ... The Royal Marines (RM), are the Royal Navys light infantry. ... Lieutenant Commander (Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Navy) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies superior to a Lieutenant and subordinate to a Commander. ... Official website: http://www. ... April 4 is the 94th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (95th in leap years). ... South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, also claimed by Argentina. ...

Life under the occupation

Argentina introduced several unwelcome changes to the culture of the Falkland Islands, in spite of earlier assurances that the islanders' way of life and cultural identity would be maintained.

Argentina made Spanish the official language of the Islands and changed Port Stanley's name to Puerto Argentino. Traffic was commanded to drive on the right by painting arrows on the road indicating the direction of traffic and changing the location of street and traffic signs. From the air Port Stanley, also known as Stanley (briefly renamed Puerto Argentino during the Argentine occupation in the Falklands War), is the capital and only town in the Falkland Islands, located on the isle of East Falkland. ...  drive on right  drive on left Traffic going in opposite directions should be separated in such a way that they do not block each others way. ... See also: street sign theft External links http://homepages. ...

Justification was attempted for the latter act. Argentinian Captain Barry Melbourne Hussey, who was chosen for a position in the administration due to his knowledge and experience of English, claimed safety was a major concern with young conscripts driving large military vehicles^[3].

No confiscation of private property occurred during the occupation (all goods obtained from the islanders were paid for), but had the islanders had refused to sell, the goods in question would have been taken anyway.^[4]

There was no widespread abuse of the population; indeed after the war it was found that even the Islanders' personal food supplies and stocks of alcohol were untouched, and Brigadier-General Menéndez, the Argentine governor of the Islands, had made it clear from the start that he would not engage in any combat in Stanley itself.^[5]

Task force

The key locations in the Task Force's logistics chain.

The British were quick to organise diplomatic pressure against Argentina. Because of the long distance to the Falklands, Britain had to rely on a naval task force for military action. The overall naval force was commanded by the Commander-in-Chief Fleet, Admiral Sir John Fieldhouse, who was designated Commander Task Force 317, and had three to four subordinate task groups, depending on the stage of the war. Rear Admiral John “Sandy” Woodward’s Task Group 317.8 was centered around the aircraft carriers HMS Hermes and the newly-commissioned HMS Invincible carrying only 20 Fleet Air Arm (FAA) Sea Harriers between them for defence against the combined Argentinian air force and naval air arm. The task force would have to be self-reliant and able to project its force across the littoral area of the Islands. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (532x1216, 122 KB) Key points in the Falkland Task Forces Logistics chain. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (532x1216, 122 KB) Key points in the Falkland Task Forces Logistics chain. ... A task force (TF) is a temporary unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. ... The Commander-in-Chief Fleet, or CINCFLEET, is the senior admiral responsible for the preparation and operation of the ships, submarines and aircraft of the Royal Navy. ... Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. ... Admiral of the Fleet The Right Honourable John David Elliott Fieldhouse, Baron Fieldhouse, GCB, GBE (1928–17 February 1992) was a high ranking officer in the Royal Navy Primarily a submariner in the Royal Navy, later rising to the highest position in UK Armed Forces In 1982 in the rank... Sir John Forster Sandy Woodward GBE KCB (born May 1, 1932) is a British Admiral who joined the Royal Navy in 1946 at age thirteen. ... Four aircraft carriers, Principe-de-Asturias, USS Wasp, USS Forrestal and HMS Invincible (front-to-back), showing the difference in size between a supercarrier, light V/STOL carriers, and an amphibious carrier. ... The second HMS Hermes (R12) was a Centaur-class aircraft carrier, the last of the postwar conventional aircraft carriers commissioned into the Royal Navy. ... The sixth and current HMS Invincible (R05) is a light aircraft carrier, the lead ship of three in her class. ... The Fleet Air Arm is the operational group of the Royal Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships. ... See also Hawker Siddeley Harrier The BAE SYSTEMS Harrier FA2 is the latest development of the Sea Harrier fighter/attack aircraft which entered service with the Royal Navy in April 1980. ... A littoral is the region near the shoreline of a body of fresh or salt water. ...

A second component was the Amphibious Group, Task Group 317.0, commanded by Commodore Michael Clapp RN.^[6] The embarked force, the Landing Group or Task Group 317.1, comprised 3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines, (including units attached from the British Army’s Parachute Regiment and a number of units under the Royal Armoured Corps cap badge (The Blues & Royals)) under the command of Brigadier Julian Thompson, RM, to bring it up to its wartime strength. Most of this force was aboard the hastily-commandeered cruise liner Canberra. 3 Commando Brigade is the main manoeuvre force of the British Royal Marines. ... The Royal Marines (RM), are the Royal Navys light infantry. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... The Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) is currently a collection of ten regular regiments, mostly converted from old horse cavalry regiments, and four Yeomanry regiments of the Territorial Army. ... Canberras official stamp SS Canberra was a liner and cruise ship in the P&O fleet from 1961 to 1997. ...

A third was Submarine Group (TG 324.3?) of three to four submarines under Flag Officer Submarines. The UK declared a 'total exclusion zone' of 200 nautical miles (370km) around the Falklands before commencing operation, excluding all nations' vessels. Entrance to the Zone of Alienation The Zone of Alienation, which is often referred to as The Chernobyl Zone, The 30 Kilometre Zone, The Zone of Exclusion or The Fourth Zone (Ukrainian official designation: Зона відчуження Чорнобильської АЕС, zona vidchuzhennya Chornobylskoyi AES, colloquially: Чорнобильська зона, Chornobylska zona оr Четверта зона, Chetverta zona) is the... A nautical mile is a unit of distance, or, as physical scientists like to call it, length. ...

Throughout the operation, 43 British merchant ships (ships taken up from trade, or STUFT) served with or supplied the task force. Cargo vessels and tankers for fuel and water formed an 8000-mile logistics chain between Britain and the South Atlantic. [3] Cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship that carries goods and materials from one port to another. ... STUFT is a nautical acronym for Ship Taken Up From Trade, and applies to civilian ships requisitioned for government use. ... Tanker - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Look up Logistics in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

During the journey and up to the War beginning on 1 May, the Task Force was shadowed by Boeing 707 aircraft of the Argentine Air Force. One of these flights was intercepted outside the exclusion zone by a Sea Harrier; the unarmed 707 was not attacked because diplomatic moves were still in progress and the British had not yet decided to commit themselves to war. May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... View of the port (left) number 1 & 2 Pratt & Whitney JT3D jet engines of a British Caledonian Boeing 707 showing the peculiarity of the number 1 engine mount which is different from the other three. ... An Airbus A380, currently the worlds largest passenger airliner An aircraft is any vehicle or craft capable of atmospheric flight. ... See also Hawker Siddeley Harrier The BAE SYSTEMS Harrier FA2 is the latest development of the Sea Harrier fighter/attack aircraft which entered service with the Royal Navy in April 1980. ...

Prince Andrew, then second in line to the British throne, served as a Sea King helicopter pilot for No.820 Naval Air Squadron on HMS Invincible during the war, flying antisubmarine and anti-surface patrols. His helicopter also acted as an improvised airborne early warning platform, helped in casualty evacuation, transport and search and rescue. The Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG, KCVO, ADC(P) (Andrew Albert Christian Edward Mountbatten-Windsor; born Windsor, 19 February 1960), is a member of the British Royal Family, the third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II. He has held the title of Duke of York since 1986. ... HRH The Prince of Wales, the Heir Apparent. ... The Westland Sea King is a license-built version of the Sikorsky helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters. ... United States Air Force E-3 Sentry An Airborne Early Warning (AEW) system is a radar system carried by an aircraft which is designed to detect other aircraft. ... Search and Rescue (acronym SAR) is an operation mounted by emergency services, often well-trained volunteers, to find someone believed to be in distress, lost, sick or injured either in a remote or difficult to access area, such as mountains, desert or forest (Wilderness search and rescue), or at sea...

The cover of Newsweek showing HMS Hermes sailing towards the Falklands with its Sea Harriers

The British called their counterinvasion Operation Corporate. When the task force sailed from Britain, the American news magazine Newsweek cover headline proclaimed “The Empire Strikes Back,” the name of a recent Star Wars film, in humorous reference to the old British Empire. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (794x1061, 248 KB) Summary The Empire Strike Back Newsweek magazine, April 19, 1982 Licensing This image is of a magazine cover, and the copyright for it is most likely owned by either the publisher of the magazine or the individual contributors... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (794x1061, 248 KB) Summary The Empire Strike Back Newsweek magazine, April 19, 1982 Licensing This image is of a magazine cover, and the copyright for it is most likely owned by either the publisher of the magazine or the individual contributors... The second HMS Hermes (R12) was a Centaur-class aircraft carrier, the last of the postwar conventional aircraft carriers commissioned into the Royal Navy. ... Operation Corporate was the codename given to the 1982 British military involvement in the Falkland Islands during the Falklands War. ... The Newsweek logo Newsweek is a weekly news magazine published in New York City and distributed throughout the United States and internationally. ... A headline is text at the top of a newspaper article, indicating the nature of the article below it. ... Movie poster Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is the sequel to the first released Star Wars movie, and the second film released in the original trilogy. ... The British Empire in 1897, marked in pink, the traditional colour for Imperial British dominions on maps. ...

The public mood in the UK was in support of an attempt to reclaim the islands. International opinion was divided. To some, Britain was a former colonial power, seeking to reclaim a colony from a local power, and this was a message that the Argentines initially used to garner support. Others supported Britain as a stable democracy invaded by a military dictatorship. Whilst remaining diplomatically neutral, most European countries and the United States supported Britain; many Latin American countries supported Argentina (with the notable exception of Chile, due to the territorial conflicts with Argentina which had led to a difficult diplomatic relationship, combined with some speeches from Junta members hinting that Argentina would take military action to resolve those territorial issues once the Falkland Islands were properly controlled). Pith helmet of the Second French Empire. ...

It should not be overlooked that the islanders themselves spoke English and had a British cultural identity and had repeatedly indicated their wishes to be British. British diplomacy centred on arguing that the Falkland Islanders were entitled to use the UN principle of self-determination and showing willingness to compromise. The UN Secretary-General said that he was amazed at the compromise that the UK had offered. Nevertheless, Argentina rejected it, the Junta being constrained by massive popular support for the invasion and unable to backtrack; they based their arguments on rights to territory based on actions before both 1945 and the creation of the UN. Many UN members realised that if territorial claims this old could be resurrected, and invasions of territory allowed unchallenged, then their own borders were not safe. On 3 April, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 502, calling for the withdrawal of Argentine troops from the islands and the cessation of hostilities. On 10 April, the European Community approved trade sanctions against Argentina. President Ronald Reagan and the United States’ administration did not issue direct diplomatic condemnations, instead providing intelligence support to the British military. Land claims are claims of control over areas of land and included bodies of water. ... Border stone at Passo San Giacomo between Val Formazza in Italy and Val Bedretto in Switzerland Borders define geographic boundaries of political entities or legal jurisdictions, such as governments, states or subnational administrative divisions. ... April 3 is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 272 days remaining. ... A session of the Security Council in progress The United Nations Security Council is the most powerful organ of the United Nations. ... April 10 is the 100th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (101st in leap years). ... The European Community (EC), most important of two European Communities, was originally founded on March 25, 1957 by the signing of the Treaty of Rome under the name of European Economic Community. ... Trade sanctions are trade penalties imposed by one or more countries on one or more other countries. ... The presidential seal was first used by President Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ... Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975). ... Military intelligence (abbreviated MI, int. ...

Shuttle diplomacy and U.S. involvement

At first glance, it appeared that the U.S. had military treaty obligations to both parties in the war, bound to the UK as a member of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and to Argentina by the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (the "Rio Pact"). However, the North Atlantic Treaty only obliges the signatories to support if the attack occurs in Europe or North America north of Tropic of Cancer, and the Rio Pact only obliges the U.S. to intervene if one of the adherents to the treaty is attacked—the UK never attacked Argentina, only Argentine forces on British territory. In March, Secretary of State Alexander Haig directed the United States Ambassador to Argentina to warn the Argentine government away from any invasion. President Reagan requested assurances from Galtieri against an invasion and offered the services of his Vice President, George H.W. Bush, as mediator, but was refused. Single European Act A treaty is a binding agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely states and international organizations. ... NATO 2002 Summit The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), sometimes called North Atlantic Alliance, Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance, is an international organisation for defence collaboration established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington, DC, on April 4, 1949. ... The Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (commonly known as the Rio Treaty or by the Spanish-language acronym TIAR) was an agreement made in 1947 in Rio de Janeiro among many American countries that states among its articles that an attack against one would be considered an attack against... The North Atlantic Treaty is the treaty that brought NATO into existence, signed in Washington, DC on April 4, 1949. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... World map showing the Tropic of Cancer The Tropic of Cancer (cancer is Latin for crab), or Northern tropic is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. ... Seal of the United States Department of State. ... For other persons named Alexander Haig, see Alexander Haig (disambiguation). ... This is a list of ambassadors from the United States. ... Order: 41st President Vice President: Dan Quayle Term of office: January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993 Preceded by: Ronald Reagan Succeeded by: Bill Clinton Date of birth: June 12, 1924 Place of birth: Milton, Massachusetts First Lady: Barbara Pierce Bush Political party: Republican George Herbert Walker Bush, KBE (born... // Mediation comprises an act of bringing two states, sides or parties in a dispute closer together toward agreement through alternative dispute resolution (ADR), a dialogue in which a (generally) neutral third party, the mediator, using appropriate techniques, assists two or more parties to help them negotiate an agreement, with concrete...

Jeane Kirkpatrick

In fact, the Reagan Administration was sharply divided on the issue. Meeting on 5 April, Haig and Assistant Secretary of State for Political Affairs Lawrence Eagleburger favoured backing Britain, concerned that equivocation would undermine the NATO alliance. Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs Thomas Enders, however, feared that supporting Britain would undermine U.S. anti-communist efforts in Latin America. He received the firm backing of U.N. Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick, Haig's nominal subordinate and political rival. Kirkpatrick was guest of honour at a dinner held by the Argentine ambassador to the United States, on the day that the Argentine armed forces landed on the islands. Image File history File links JKirkpatrickpbs. ... Image File history File links JKirkpatrickpbs. ... Jeane Kirkpatrick Jeane Jordan Kirkpatrick (November 19, 1926 â€“ December 7, 2006) was an American ambassador and an ardent anticommunist. ... President Reagan, with his Cabinet and staff, in the Oval Office (February 4, 1981) Headed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan from 1981 to 1989, the Reagan Administration was conservative, steadfastly anti-Communist and in favor of tax cuts and smaller government. ... April 5 is the 95th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (96th in leap years). ... Lawrence Sidney Eagleburger (born August 1, 1930), is an American statesman and diplomat who served as The United States Secretary of State under President George H. W. Bush. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ... United States Ambasadors to the United Nations, full title, Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, with the rank and status of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, and Representative of the United States of America in the Security Council of the United Nations (also known as the... Jeane Kirkpatrick Jeane Jordan Kirkpatrick (November 19, 1926 â€“ December 7, 2006) was an American ambassador and an ardent anticommunist. ...

The White House continued its neutrality; Reagan famously declared at the time that he could not understand why two allies were arguing over "that little ice-cold bunch of land down there". But he assented to Haig and Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger's position. Haig briefly (8 April–30 April) headed a "shuttle diplomacy" mission between London and Buenos Aires. North façade of the White House, seen from Pennsylvania Avenue. ... A neutral country takes no side in a war between other parties, and in return hopes to avoid being attacked by either of them. ... The United States Secretary of Defense is the head of the United States Department of Defense (DoD), concerned with the armed services and The role of the Secretary of Defense is to be the principal defense policy advisor to the President and is responsible for the formulation of general defense... Caspar Willard Cap Weinberger, GBE (August 18, 1917 – March 28, 2006), was an American politician and Secretary of Defense under President Ronald Reagan from January 21, 1981, until November 23, 1987, making him the third longest-serving defense secretary to date, after Robert McNamara and Donald Rumsfeld. ... April 8 is the 98th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (99th in leap years). ... April 30 is the 120th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (121st in leap years), with 245 days remaining. ... In diplomacy and international relations, shuttle diplomacy is the use of a third party to serve as an intermediary or mediator between two parties who do not talk directly. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... For other uses see Buenos Aires (disambiguation). ...

At the end of the month Reagan blamed Argentina for the failure of the mediation, declared U.S. support for Britain, and announced the imposition of economic sanctions against Argentina. Economic sanctions are economic penalties applied by one country (or group of countries) on another for a variety of reasons. ...

In a notorious episode in June, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Jeane Kirkpatrick cast a second veto of a Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire, then announced minutes later that she had received instructions to abstain. The situation was blamed on a delay in communications, but perceived by many as part of an ongoing power struggle between Haig and Kirkpatrick. United States Ambasadors to the United Nations, full title, Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, with the rank and status of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, and Representative of the United States of America in the Security Council of the United Nations (also known as the... Jeane Kirkpatrick Jeane Jordan Kirkpatrick (November 19, 1926 â€“ December 7, 2006) was an American ambassador and an ardent anticommunist. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... An armistice is the effective end of a war, when the warring parties agree to stop fighting. ... Abstain means to keep oneself from some indulgence. ...

Galtieri, and a fair proportion of his government did not think that the UK would react. Margaret Thatcher declared that the democratic rights of the Falkland Islanders had been assaulted, and would not surrender the islands to the Argentinian "jackboot." This stance was aided, at least domestically, by the mostly supportive British press. A jackboot is a type of combat boot that reaches mid-calf, has no laces, and typically has a leather sole with hobnails and heel irons. ... Mass media is a term used to denote, as a class, that section of the media specifically conceived and designed to reach a very large audience such as the population of a nation state. ...

The Argentine dictatorship felt that the United States would, even in a worst-case scenario, remain completely neutral in the conflict (based upon the support that Argentina had given to the Reagan administration in Central America, training Contras). This assumption demonstrated a clear blindness to the reality of the US-UK special relationship. Map of Central America Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. ... The Contras (from the Spanish term La Contra, short for movement of the contrarrevolucionarios) were the armed opponents of Nicaraguas Sandinista Junta of National Reconstruction following the July 1979 overthrow of Anastasio Somoza Debayle (which ended the Somoza dynasty), and continuing throughout the following decade. ... Prime Minister Winston Churchill, (left) with President Franklin Roosevelt, at the 1945 Yalta Conference. ...

To some extent, the Argentine military dictatorship was misled by its own opinion of democracies as being weak, inefficient talking-shops, afraid of taking risks. Indeed, in Britain there was much debate about the rights and wrongs of war. However, regardless of their own policies and opinions, opposition parties firmly backed the government during the crisis to present a single united front.

A U.S. fear of the perceived threat of the Soviet Union and the spread of communism, along with the certainty that Britain could handle the matter on its own, may have influenced the U.S. to take a position of non-interference. During the Cold War, with the performance of forces being watched closely by the Soviet Union, it was considered preferable for the UK to handle without assistance a conflict within its capabilities. Communism is an ideology that seeks to establish a classless, stateless social organization, based upon common ownershipmovement]]. Early forms of human social organization have been described as primitive communism by Marxists. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ...

Caspar Weinberger

American non-interference was vital to the American-British relationship. Ascension Island, a British possession, was vital in the long term supply of the Task Force South; however, the airbase stationed on it was run and operated by the U.S. The American commander of the base was ordered to assist the British in any way, and for a brief period Ascension Air Field was one of the busiest airports in the world. The most expedient NATO contributions were satellite photographs, intelligence information, and the rescheduled supply of the latest model of Sidewinder Lima all-aspect infra-red seeking missiles, which allowed existing British inventory to be employed. Margaret Thatcher stated that "without the Harrier jets and their immense manoeuvrability, equipped as they were with the latest version of the Sidewinder missile, supplied to us by U.S. Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, we could never have got back the Falklands". This is not only politically, but militarily questionable, however, as all the Fleet Air Arm Sidewinder engagements, proved to be from the rear. Official PUBLIC photo of Secretary Caspar Weinberger (around 1960) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Official PUBLIC photo of Secretary Caspar Weinberger (around 1960) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Caspar Willard Cap Weinberger, GBE (August 18, 1917 – March 28, 2006), was an American politician and Secretary of Defense under President Ronald Reagan from January 21, 1981, until November 23, 1987, making him the third longest-serving defense secretary to date, after Robert McNamara and Donald Rumsfeld. ... Anthem: God Save the Queen Capital Georgetown Largest city Georgetown Official languages English Government Dependency of St. ... An Earth observation satellite, ERS 2 For other uses, see Satellite (disambiguation). ... Sidewinder Missile The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range, air-to-air missile carried by fighter aircraft and recently, certain gunship helicopters. ... An all-aspect missile is one which is able to track a target no matter which way the target faces relative to the missile. ... Harrier can mean: Harrier vertical take-off and landing fighter/attack aircraft and derivatives: Hawker-Siddeley Harrier - 1st generation Harrier BAE Sea Harrier - Maritime strike/air defence fighter AV-8 Harrier II - 2nd generation Harrier BAE Harrier II - 2nd generation Harrier used by the UK Harrier (dog) Harrier (bird), several... The United States Secretary of Defense is the head of the United States Department of Defense (DoD), concerned with the armed services and The role of the Secretary of Defense is to be the principal defense policy advisor to the President and is responsible for the formulation of general defense...

In early May, Casper Weinberger offered the use of an American aircraft carrier.^[7] This seemingly extremely generous offer was seen by some as vital: it was noted by Woodward that the loss of Invincible would have been a severe setback, but the loss of Hermes would have meant an end to the whole operation. Weinberger admits [4] that there would have been many problems if a request had ever been made; not least, it would have meant U.S. personnel becoming directly involved in the conflict, as training British forces to crew the vessel would have taken years.

Both Weinberger and Reagan were later awarded the British honour of Knight Commander of the British Empire (KBE). American critics of the U.S. role claimed that, by failing to side with Argentina, the U.S. violated its own Monroe Doctrine. Commanders Badge of the Order of the British Empire (Military division) The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions; in decreasing order of seniority... U.S. President James Monroe The Monroe Doctrine is a U.S. doctrine which, on December 2, 1823, proclaimed that European powers should no longer colonize or interfere with the affairs of the nations of the Americas. ...

In September 2001, President of Mexico Vicente Fox cited the conflict as proof of the failure of the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance, since the treaty provides for mutual defence. However, in this conflict, Argentina was the aggressor. The President of the United Mexican States is the head of state of Mexico. ... Vicente Fox Quesada[1] (born July 2, 1942) served as President of Mexico from December 1, 2000 to December 1, 2006. ... The Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (commonly known as the Rio Treaty or by the Spanish-language acronym TIAR) was an agreement made in 1947 in Rio de Janeiro among many American countries that states among its articles that an attack against one would be considered an attack against...

French involvement

President of France François Mitterrand gave full support to the UK in the Falklands war. Sir John Nott, who was Secretary of State for Defence during the conflict, has acknowledged in his memoirs that "In so many ways Mitterrand and the French were our greatest allies".^[8] A large part of Argentina's military equipment was French-made, so French support was crucial. Sir John has revealed that France provided Mirage and Etendard aircraft, identical to the ones that it supplied to Argentina, for British pilots to train against. It is also disclosed in Sir John's memoirs that France provided intelligence to help fight the Exocet missiles that it had sold to Argentina, including details of special electronic countermeasures that at the time were only known to the French armed forces. In her memoirs, Margaret Thatcher says of Mitterrand that "I never forgot the debt we owed him for his personal support...throughout the Falklands Crisis". As France had recently sold Super Etendard aircraft and Exocet missiles to the Argentine Navy, there was still a French team in Argentina helping to fit out the Exocets and aircraft for Argentine use at the beginning of the war. Argentina claims that the team left for France soon after the April 2 invasion, but according to Dr. James Corum the French team apparently continued to assist the Argentines throughout the war, in spite of the NATO embargo and official French government policy.^[9] The President of France, known officially as the President of the Republic (Président de la République in French), is Frances elected Head of State. ...   IPA: (October 26, 1916 – January 8, 1996) was President of France from 1981 to 1995, elected as representative of the Socialist Party (PS). ... The Right Honourable Sir John William Frederic Nott (born February 1, 1932 in Bideford, Devon) was a British Conservative Party politician prominent in the late 1970s and early 1980s. ... The Secretary of State for Defence is the senior United Kingdom government minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence. ... For other uses, see Aviator (disambiguation). ... The Exocet is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels, submarines, and airplanes. ... Exocet missile in flight A missile (see also pronunciation differences) is a projectile propelled as a weapon at a target. ... The Dassault Super Etendard is a French carrier-borne strike fighter in service with the French and Argentine Navy. ... April 2 is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 273 days remaining. ...

Latin American support

Argentina received military assistance only from Peru — despite receiving cursory support from the Organisation of American States in a resolution supporting Argentina's sovereignty and deploring European Community sanctions (with Chile, and Colombia, Trinidad & Tobago, and the United States attending but abstaining), and Venezuela. Peruvian president Belaunde announced that his country was "ready to support Argentina with all the resources it needed." This came in the form of aircraft supplies such as long range air fuel (drop) tanks and spare parts. With the War over, Argentina received Mirage 5P fighter planes from the Peruvian Air Force whilst the Argentine Navy received Aermacchi MB-326 and Embraer Bandeirantes from the Brazilian Air Force. The Organization of American States (OAS; OEA in the other three official languages) is an international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., USA. Its members are the 35 independent nations of the Americas. ... Modern Trinidad and Tobago maintains close relations with its Caribbean neighbors and major North American and European trading partners. ... The Dassault Mirage III is a supersonic fighter aircraft designed in France by Dassault Aviation during the 1950s, and manufactured both in France and a number of other countries. ... The Peruvian Air Force (Spanish: Fuerza Aerea del Peru, or FAP) is the aviation branch of the armed forces of Peru. ... RAAF Aermacchi A7-041. ... EMB 110 Bandeirante The Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante (pioneer in Portuguese) is a general purpose 15-21 passenger twin-turboprop light transport aircraft suitable for military and civil duties. ... The Brazilian Air Force (Portuguese: Força Aérea Brasileira, FAB) is the air force branch of the Brazilian armed forces. ...

Cuba and Bolivia offered ground troops, but their offers were seen as political posturing and not accepted. An Australian anti-conscription propaganda poster from World War One U.S. propaganda poster, which warns against civilians sharing information on troop movements (National Archives) The much-imitated 1914 Lord Kitchener Wants You! poster Brochure of the Peoples Temple, portraying cult leader Jim Jones as the loving father of the...

Neighbouring Chile, under General Pinochet's regime, became the only major Latin American country to support Britain (and then only indirectly) by providing a military and naval diversion. Chile and Argentina had almost gone to war over the possession of islands south of Tierra del Fuego in 1978 (the dispute ended peacefully with the 1984 Argentina and Chile Peace and Friendship Treaty mediated by Pope John Paul II). The relationship between these two countries was still very tense. The Chilean government was possibly concerned that if Argentina succeeded in taking the Falklands, General Galtieri's government would invade or attack Chile. The Chilean Connection is described in detail by Sir Lawrence Freedman in his book The Official History of the Falklands Campaign. Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte[1] (November 25, 1915 – December 10, 2006) was a general and President of Chile. ... Tierra del Fuego (Spanish for Land of Fire) (English pronunciation ; Spanish ) is an archipelago, 28,476 sq mi (73,753 km²), separated from the southernmost tip of the South American mainland by the Strait of Magellan. ... The 1984 Argentina and Chile Peace and Friendship Treaty (Spanish: Tratado de Paz y Amistad) was a agreement signed in 1984 between Argentina and Chile over the possession of the Picton, Lennox and Nueva islands and sea located south of Tierra del Fuego resolving a serious border conflict between the... Official papal image of John Paul II. His Holiness Pope John Paul II, né Karol Józef Wojtyła (born May 18, 1920 in Wadowice, Poland), is the current Pope — the Bishop of Rome and head of the Roman Catholic Church. ...

In her book "Statecraft", Lady Thatcher claims that General Pinochet gave Britain "vital" support during the war, most notably in intelligence, which saved British lives. Thatcher claims that the Chilean Air Force often provided Britain with early warning of impending Argentine Air Force attacks. When, at one point, the Chilean long-range radar was switched off for 24 hours for maintenance work, the Argentinian Air Force was able to bomb the Royal Navy ships Sir Galahad and Sir Tristram with many casualties.^[10] Roundel of the Chilean Air Force Image:Logo fach. ... The Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Argentina, FAA) is the national air force of Argentina. ... Sir Galahad (L3005) was the name of a LSL (landing ship logistical) belonging to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, part of the British fleet. ... RFA Sir Tristram (L3505) is a Landing Ship Logistics of the Round Table class. ...

References