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PSC 321: British Politics
"The Battle of the Falklands /Malvinas, May-June 1982."
summary for undergrads,
revised 17 Jan. 2006 from presentation July 2003,
by Jeremy Lewis, Professor of Political Science, with tenure, Huntingdon College.

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short term political miscalculation, not grand strategy, caused battle

developing country met developed country on roughly equal technological terms

Argentina, 1982: pop. 30 m, income $7,000 per capita.

UK, 1982: pop 60 m, income $21,000 per capita.

differences of expertise, not technology, caused success in ground war

outcomes indicated consequences of political conflict without economics

conflicting claims to sovereignty

United Kingdom's historical limited investiture, plantation, and support

Argentina's constitutional claim to Malvinas

Questionable strategic value of islands to either side

UK political concerns:

Conservative government's military budget cuts without reducing commitments

decolonizing in conflict with self-determination of small colonial population

implications for other possessions

remoteness (see maps)

impending reduction of naval forces

Argentina's political concerns:

Peronist revival in junta, ardent nationalism

domestic political dissent, riots, economic recession, inflation

Falklands population's concerns:

maintenance of colonial status, stubborn resistance to change

lack of economic development

dependence on communications via mainland Argentina

attrition of females of child-bearing age owing to small garrison

Initial Attack by Argentina, 2 April 1982

British response, sending flotilla (slide of routes, distances)

April skirmishes at sea and in South Georgias (slide)

Naval battle begins, with sub sinking cruiser, missile killing destroyer

May 1982, British landings and Argentine aerial attacks

May British assaults on Darwin & Goose Green

Marches, landings & battle for heights above Stanley (3 weeks)

Argentine result:

misled by British signals of unwillingness to defend Malvinas

poor timing of the Argentine invasion, before UK capability reduced

incomplete political and military planning

British results

hasty departure of HM fleet, improvised planning of supplies & logistics

amphibious ships hastily returned to active duty

only one UK amphibious brigade improvised successfully

minimal intelligence available until scouting accomplished

second infantry brigade cannibalized, unready till final battle

diplomatic scramble to win favor of UN, US.

strategy of attacking center of gravity, in tension with incremental victories

by invading, Argentina lost anticolonial advantage in latin America

Argentina overestimated US support

UK successful with US & at UN despite Latin American leadership of UN

Argentina's over optimistic propaganda soon disproven, intensified political failure

UK control in theatre over reporters' communications, factual statements

logistics: distances neutralized British advantage of naval forces

weaponry in improvised roles: guided missiles & tracked vehicles

major exception: UK nuclear attack submarine

closest to equality in Argentine air forces and 5th marines

widest in naval forces, capital ships

Argentine army conscripted, static, lacking patrolling

UK professional army: scouting, patrolling, night attack, maintenance

Argentina

air forces adjusted strike tactics daily, lear jets, Exocet, refuelling

navy used corvettes for scouting, special forces in invasion

Mistakes:

army failed to counter attack, defend mount Kent, feed conscripts

navy failed to use capital ships, submarine attacks

United Kingdom

adaptation was required by rapid deployment, reorganization of forces

extensive use of special forces

STUFT requisitioned ships

adjusted fleet tactics rapidly after attacks

attacked Argentine cruiser flotilla outside TEZ to hasten battle

moved fleet according to operational needs

amphibious landing in sheltered sound, sacrificing radar for air defense

used new & adapted weaponry

adjusted tactics to respond to loss of helo-lift (Snow cats, landing ships)

long range bombing with daisy-chained tankers, improvised refuelling

mistakes:

paratroops with inadequate artillery support

Welsh guards landed Bluff Cove in daylight without air defense.

250 UK, 1200 Argentine losses, mostly of ground troops

destroyed fighter-bomber strength of Argentine air forces

one Argentine cruiser and several smaller ships sank, one submarine beached

two British destroyers, several frigates, one container ship and helicopters sunk.

replacement of junta with democratic regime

fortress Falklands, still heavily dependent on communications

re-election of Conservatives in UK, 1983, with historic majority, cabinet shift to right

reduction of UK forces, naval in particular, continued

British commitments to Belize, Gibraltar and N. Ireland continued