Malvinas/Falklands War How Close To Defeat?-part05

STRICTLY HISTORICAL PURPOSES ONLY

The Falklands War started on Friday, 2 April 1982 with the Argentine invasion and occupation of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia, and ended with the Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982. The war lasted 74 days, and resulted in the deaths of 255 British and 649 Argentine soldiers, sailors, and airmen, and three civilian Falklanders. It is the most recent conflict to be fought by the UK without any allied states and the only external Argentine war since the 1880s.

The conflict was the result of a protracted diplomatic confrontation regarding the sovereignty of the islands. Neither state officially declared war and the fighting was largely limited to the territories under dispute and the South Atlantic. The initial invasion was characterised by Argentina as the re-occupation of its own territory, and by the UK as an invasion of a British dependent territory.

Britain launched a naval task force to engage the Argentine Navy and Argentine Air Force, and retake the islands by amphibious assault. The British eventually prevailed and at the end of combat operations on 14 June the islands remained under British control. However, as of 2010 and as it has since the 19th century, Argentina shows no sign of relinquishing its claim. The claim remained in the Argentine constitution after its reformation in 1994.

The political effects of the war were strong in both countries. A wave of patriotic sentiment swept through both: the Argentine loss prompted even larger protests against the ruling military government, which hastened its downfall; in the United Kingdom, the government of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was bolstered. It helped Thatcher's government to victory in the 1983 general election, which prior to the war was seen as by no means certain. The war has played an important role in the culture of both countries, and has been the subject of several books, films, and songs. The cultural and political weight of the conflict has had less effect on the British public than on that of Argentina, where the war is still a topic of discussion.

Argentina

President Leopoldo Galtieri
Admiral Jorge Anaya
Vice-Admiral Juan Lombardo
Brigadier-General Ernesto Crespo
Brigadier-General Basilio Lami Dozo
Brigade-General Mario Menéndez
649 killed
1,068 wounded
11,313 taken prisoner
Losses:
1 cruiser
1 submarine
4 cargo vessels
2 patrol boats
1 spy trawler
25 helicopters
35 fighters
2 bombers
4 transports
25 COIN aircraft
9 armed trainers

United Kingdom

Admiral Sir John Fieldhouse
Rear-Admiral John Sandy Woodward
Major-General Jeremy Moore
Brigadier Julian Thompson
Commodore Michael Clapp
258 killed
777 wounded
115 taken prisoner
Losses:
2 destroyers
2 frigates
1 LSL landing ship
1 LCU amphibious craft
1 container ship
24 helicopters
10 fighters

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Falklands
• Malvinas
• war
• 1982
• England
• Argentina
• united
• kingdom
• iran
• iraq
• vietnam

[petrwarry72]

i wonder what will happen there in near future ...

[ginhobergler]

It is true, has been a lot of talking these days about the Falklands/Malvinas because England began oil exploration. this is why Argentina has been protesting!

[omidpersian2000]

interesting Documentery. Thank you

[ginhobergler]

You´re welcome mate!

[robmanofbris]

....totally changed the trajectory of the UK.

And what about an invasion these days with the UK without an functioning carrier for 10+ yrs? UK pretty mush rely on the garrison there now with the 4 typhoons and a larger military force. Retaking the islands if they were lost would be much harder, especially if the argies learnt their lessons from last time.

Brits would have to rely on the UN..........HA!

[robmanofbris]

"6 better fuses and we would have lost" so said a Brit commander.

Incredibly close run thing in reality but not really appreciated. The brits retaking the islands considered military impossibility by the yanks and you can see why.

Also had major impact on the UK. the 3 decades after the end of WW2 had seen it go from being one of the 'big 3' to the sick man of europe. Its navy a shadow of its former self, relegated to helping the yanks look for soviet subs in its backyard. This victory.....

[puppyjasper]

Thank you very much for uploading this.

This provided some really good information I needed.

Thanks

[roadyrider]

Great documentary! I've always wanted to know more about this war.

[GwB1967AR]

Britains and Argentines have a lot of thins in common. Not only the Malvinas/Falklands, our history is very large of conflictive and non conflictive events.

Since 1806 and 1807 (Buenos Aires invasions), 1816 (Vuelta de Obligado), 1833 when you occuped the Islands... and since our independence until Perón (1950 aprox) all the railways, meat /cereals and our economy was strongly managed by the UK companies. .... Some politics said on the 30's that "argentina is a part of the british empire" !!

[alanheath3]

Thank you very much for posting. In many ways this is very frightening.

I also believe that had the aggressor counter attacked at Goose Green then it may have brought a temporary Argentinian victory.

[porfiros7]

nice upload no propaganda for anyone, nice man bravo.

[patria0tehuelche]

@neverfearchrisishere In reality the one who suffered cassualties in Kent was the 602 agaisnt the SAS.

I mean,CAS with pucaras and the remaining hueys and augustas.

We still had the LVPTs (or LVTP?).

Also,if our chain command had approved some missions which were made by the 601 on their own,the outcome would have been totally different.

[neverfearchrisishere]

@patria0tehuelche 601&602 commando were excellent troops - but they lacked in numbers & had already suffered serious casualties on mount kent. They couldn't win a war on there own anymore than SAS/SBS.

.

Argentine airforces inficted heavy casualties early on - but later in the war british air defences were well established - the argentine air force withdrew because they were suffering extreme casualty rates. Every mission had become a suicide mission.

[patria0tehuelche]

@neverfearchrisishere But sir,were not talking about these conscripts here,we are talking about our BIM5 and the 601 & 602 Commando Sections,these man were equals to your Gurkhas and SBS/SAS in that time (not anymore of course,due to lack of proper equipment and funding).

An All-Out attack by the remaining A4,Pucaras and Super Etendard plus the already mentioned batallions with support of the oto melara cannons could have changed the history.

In fact,we lost the war due to poor command chain.