Goa 1961- Portugal gets help ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Vijay_(1961)

Is there any way that the Portuguese could've held onto Goa in the face of Op VIJAY in 1961 ? WI say there had been the Portuguese AF F-86 Sabre sqn based at the airport as the Indians had (wrongly0 suspected ?

also- another interesting WI-
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,827139,00.html

The above link notes that, technically, Britain was bound by a 600-yr-old teaty to provide military assistance to Portugal in the event of an attack on Goa with-
"troops, archers, slingers, galleys sufficiently armed for war."

Could said british military assistance have materialised ? Could any other country have offered tangible military assistance to the Portuguese to assist their defence of Goa ?
 
Bwahahahahahahahaha!!!


I'm sorry...I just had this image of London trying to put together a force of slingers, galleys armed for war...:D
 

AINDF

Banned
The F-86s would be of little help here, as the airport was ruined in the first Indian air strikes.

In any kind of action on the Indian mainland (and the islands since they are so close) anything that any other nation tries is going to be pretty much doomed to failure, you would need a massive force and huge naval resources to supply it by sea. If the USA, France or Britain tried this, I'm sure the Soviets would be practically jumping for joy as they supply India with whatever they need for defense (The Styx missile has just entered service for example).

The only chance would be if a well planned Pakistani offensive at the time causes the destruction of much of the Indian army, and then they would have so little to spare for Goa that any third party could have an effect, and they may have to come to a negotiated peace.
 
One can see the scene.

'But, Humphrey, surely we have treaty obligations here.'

'Indeed we do, Minister. I should think that our immediate despatch of the Royal Company of Archers - keen archers, the Scots - in a galley should more than satisfy them.'

'Satisfy them? I don't think, if I were at the Portuguese MoD, I should be at all satisfied.'

'I'm sorry, Minister, when I said, "That should satisfy them", I meant, the treaty obligations. In my experience, nothing satisfies the Portuguese.'

'Although Charles the Second did his best with Catherine of Braganza.'

'Bernard!'
 
'But, Humphrey, surely we have treaty obligations here.'

'Indeed we do, Minister. I should think that our immediate despatch of the Royal Company of Archers - keen archers, the Scots - in a galley should more than satisfy them.'

'Satisfy them? I don't think, if I were at the Portuguese MoD, I should be at all satisfied.'

'I'm sorry, Minister, when I said, "That should satisfy them", I meant, the treaty obligations. In my experience, nothing satisfies the Portuguese.'

'Although Charles the Second did his best with Catherine of Braganza.'

'Bernard!'

Priceless, just priceless!!
 

HJ Tulp

Donor
'But, Humphrey, surely we have treaty obligations here.'

'Indeed we do, Minister. I should think that our immediate despatch of the Royal Company of Archers - keen archers, the Scots - in a galley should more than satisfy them.'

'Satisfy them? I don't think, if I were at the Portuguese MoD, I should be at all satisfied.'

'I'm sorry, Minister, when I said, "That should satisfy them", I meant, the treaty obligations. In my experience, nothing satisfies the Portuguese.'

'Although Charles the Second did his best with Catherine of Braganza.'

'Bernard!'


That's actually damn good stuff!
 
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