31 Years Ago Today The Sheffield Was Destroyed

[camberiu]

31 years ago today, the Argentinian Navy extracted vengeance from the Royal Navy for the sinking of the ARA General Belgrano. The Royal Navy destroyer HMS Sheffield felt victim to Argentina's most advanced and powerful weapon: The French made AM39 Exocet anti-ship missile.
It was the first time that this new type of weapon, an aircraft launched, computer controlled, sea skimming anti-ship missile had ever been used in combat, and its effect proved to be devastating. The Royal Navy, and to be fair, most navies of the world at the time, were ill prepared to deal with this new type of weapon. Fortunately for the British, the Argentinians had only a handful of Exocet missiles when the war broke out. Had the military junta waited until all purchased missiles had been delivered before starting the conflict, the outcome of the war could have been very different. But to be fair, probably the Argentinians generals also did not understand how devastating and powerful the Exocet was until it was first used during the conflict.
Over 20 British sailors died on that attack and the HMS Sheffield was eventually scuttled and sunk.

 

[Gringoboy]

Haven't you beaten this topic to death already?
As if we or the Argentine people need reminding of this particularly dark era.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Haven't you beaten this topic to death already?
As if we or the Argentine people need reminding of this particularly dark era.

It's the Argentines (or, rather, their government) that persists in flogging this to death, to their own disadvantage.

 

[Sojourner]

This is history, my friends, and I think it is good to remember and understand. I appreciated the contribution both of the Sheffield and the General Belgrano.

 

[Gringoboy]

It's the Argentines (or, rather, their government) that persists in flogging this to death, to their own disadvantage.

I'm sorry, but that's complete rubbish.
Apart from the outburst from CFK, this has largely gone without mention.
The rights and wrongs of the Belgrano sinking have been thrashed over ad nauseum.

 

[mariano-BCN]

in fact Argentina should be thankful to Thatcher that UK won the war, it was the beginning of the end of the military dictatorship

 

[camberiu]

in fact Argentina should be thankful to Thatcher that UK won the war, it was the beginning of the end of the military dictatorship

Actually most of South America should be grateful. It was very much a domino effect after the fall of Galtieri, with Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile following right after. Had the junta prevailed during the war, the fall of the dictatorships would have taken much longer, with the process probably beginning with the end of the cold war, instead of almost a decade sooner.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Actually most of South America should be grateful. It was very much a domino effect after the fall of Galtieri, with Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile following right after. Had the junta prevailed during the war, the fall of the dictatorships would have taken much longer, with the process probably beginning with the end of the cold war, instead of almost a decade sooner.

The consequences of an Argentine victory would have been far worse than their defeat. It would have institutionalized militarism for an incalculably longer time.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

The consequences of an Argentine victory would have been far worse than their defeat. It would have institutionalized militarism for an incalculably longer time.

An Argentine victory would also have made a land war with Chile much more likely. That would have been far more serious, with likely large-scale civilian deaths, not to mention economic damage to both countries.

 

[camberiu]

An Argentine victory would also have made a land war with Chile much more likely. That would have been far more serious, with likely large-scale civilian deaths, not to mention economic damage to both countries.

Maybe, but then the stakes would have been much higher. Before the Falklands conflict, Brazil and Argentina were in a state of "cold war", if you will. One of the imagined scenarios in which this could war would have turned 'hot" would have been an Argentinian "land grab" move towards Chile. Maybe the Argentinian military would have felt emboldened had they beaten the British, but they would still be contemplating a two front war against Chile, Brazil and Brazil's puppet state at the time, Paraguay.