If the Falklands Islands had been heavily defended?.

If the Falklands Islands had been heavily defended, say 1000 British Combat troops entrenched in the same way the Germans were in the British Channel Islands during World War II, with Attack Aircraft, A Destroyer and a Submarine.


Would Argentina still try to invade?.
 
Wouldnt need 1,000 troops, aircraft and naval assets. A Commando company, an Artillery battery, a Rapier battery and some Wessex or Wasp helicopters armed with AS12 missiles would be a good deterrent. The Argentine invasion would probably still succeed by weight of numbers but at a horrendous cost.
 

CalBear

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The Junta was looking for a cheap, quick win. THis would be a bloodbath that would, even if successful, enrage a NUCLEAR POWER and the United States' closest ally. The U.S. wouldn't have sat on the sideline if the Junta somehow managed to kill/capture 1,000 British troops.

The Junta figured the UK wouldn't really care based on the Falklands defensive contingent. It didn't expect the Iron Lady to blow a valve.
 
I wonder what the minimum amount of garrison strength would be required to deter Argentina. I wonder what a garrison strength just insufficient to deter Argentina could do to the invasion force.

I think a battalion group wirh artillery and maybe light armour and air support would easily be enough and we know that 2 platoons with 80 men wasn't enough. So where does the line lie?
 
Wouldnt need 1,000 troops, aircraft and naval assets. A Commando company, an Artillery battery, a Rapier battery and some Wessex or Wasp helicopters armed with AS12 missiles would be a good deterrent. The Argentine invasion would probably still succeed by weight of numbers but at a horrendous cost.
Or some Gurkhas. Once that blade comes out, it must be bloodied.

GurkhaAttack.jpg


https://www.alternatehistory.com/fo...on-arrives-at-falklands.381166/#post-11990663
 
Or some Gurkhas. Once that blade comes out, it must be bloodied.

Oh, such a myth. It's not uncommon to shave with one, particularly when hot water isn't readily available. It takes a bit of practise, particularly around the fiddly bit under the nose, and it's a good idea to be careful around the throat, and you don't get such a good shave as you do with a proper cut-throat razor.
 
As others pointed out, the Argentines would never have invaded had the Islands been well defended. The junta was looking for a cheap win to boost their popularity much like India got when they invaded Portuguese Goa in 1961. Oh sure, some sanctions and yelling in the UN, but they never in a million years expected Thatcher to actually send a fleet to retake the islands.
 

Artaxerxes

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Oh, such a myth. It's not uncommon to shave with one, particularly when hot water isn't readily available. It takes a bit of practise, particularly around the fiddly bit under the nose, and it's a good idea to be careful around the throat, and you don't get such a good shave as you do with a proper cut-throat razor.


I'd imagine its impractical as well "got my knife out to poke at this thing on the ground... oh bugger now I need to cut myself" "got my knife out to clean it and make sure its not rusting... best cut myself after"
 
Oh, such a myth. It's not uncommon to shave with one, particularly when hot water isn't readily available. It takes a bit of practise, particularly around the fiddly bit under the nose, and it's a good idea to be careful around the throat, and you don't get such a good shave as you do with a proper cut-throat razor.
According to John Masters in Bugles and a Tiger the myth arose as a defence by Gurkhas who got tired of being asked to show off their kukris.
 
WI Britain quietly sent some artillery (including anti-shipping and AAA) to "exercise" on the Falklands the month before the Argentines invaded?
British gunners are just packing up for the return voyage when Argentine Marines roll ashore?
 
How about Argentina doesn't know that Britain has reinforced the island?

We'd need a way to get this increase in strength gets past Argentinian spies, or have them arrive too close to the invasion date, while still being potentially effective.
 
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How about Argentina doesn't know that Britain has reinforced the island?

We'd need a way to get this increase in strength gets past Argentinian spies, or have them arrive too close to the invasion date, while still being potentially effective.

Or they are just a tad more arrogant and don't buy the British reinforcements as significant.
 
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