Osprey Essential Histories 15 : The Falklands War 1982

The Argentine invasion of the Falklands in 1982 sparked national outrage. When images of captured Royal Marines forced to lie on the ground flashed round the world, the situation moved beyond negotiation. Britain felt she had to avenge this humiliation, which was regarded by many as the final straw after years of a steady decline in British prestige. For Margaret Thatcher, the British Prime Minister, failure to evict the Argentines would have meant the end of her political career. This book explores both the military and political dimensions of this important conflict, including detailed accounts of, among others, the air/sea battle, the Battle for San Carlos Water, Goose Green, Mount Harriet and Tumbledown. It explains how success in the Falklands set the stage for the years of Thatcher's dominance, and restored British prestige. Dr Anderson includes first hand accounts from both soldiers and civilians.

Contents

• Introduction
• Chronology
• Background to War : Tango and Tea Dance : Argentine and British Misperceptions
• Warring Sides : Race to the Islands : Argentina and Britain Deploy their Forces
• Outbreak : 'Gotcha!' The Sinking of the Belgrano
• The Fighting : From 'Bomb Alley' to Mount Harriet
• Portrait of a Soldier : Comrades and Companeros
• The World around War : Preparing for the Third World War
• Portrait of a Civilian : An Islander's Ordeal : The Diary of John Smith
• How the War Ended : The Mind of Menendez
• Conclusion and Consequences : Thatcher's Triumph : It was a Famous Victory