Falklands War Disaster

The Falklands war is a Suez level disaster for the British, everything that could possibly go wrong goes wrong, what happens next? Both in Britain and internationally?
 
We've done this many times over the years. A military failure for the British would have a number of impacts:

1) Margaret Thatcher would resign or be forced to leave No.10 Downing Street. It's likely William Whitelaw would take over as Caretaker Prime Minister but the firestorm of anger from all sides and notably from the families of those service men and women lost in the conflict would be unbearable and at the next Election the Alliance of Social Democrats and Liberals would either win or become the largest party putting Roy Jenkins into power.

2) The Argentinean leadership under Galtieri would be strengthened. The rapid re-enforcement of the islands would be followed by the evacuation of the islanders (under American auspices). It might be that the British and Americans would be more supportive of Pinochet and encourage him to cause trouble for the junta in Buenos Aires.

3) There would be a conscious shift in American thinking away from Britain and toward both Latin America and West Germany. Britain would be a busted flush in American eyes and wholly dependent on NATO for their survival.

4) Under Jenkins and with the sense of national humiliation still strong, Britain throws itself into sport and closer to Europe joining first the ERM and ultimately the Euro in 1999.
 
Top