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123-812: Traditionally, Argentina maintains close defense cooperation and military-supply relationships with the United States and to a lesser extent, with Israel, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, Belarus, Italy, and Russia. As of 2024, the current Chief of the General Staff is the Air Force Brigadier General Xavier Isaac. The oldest forces of the Argentinian military are the Argentinian Army and the Argentinian Navy, both created in 1810, during

246-460: A Royal Navy shell hit the house they were sheltering in during a naval bombardment of military targets inside Stanley itself. For the United Kingdom, the war cost 258 men, 6 ships (10 others suffered varying degrees of battle damage), 34 aircraft, and £2.778 billion (£9.255 billion in 2018), but the campaign was considered a great victory for the United Kingdom. The months following the war saw

369-654: A counter-revolution , and the Intendency of Paraguay , which did not recognize the outcome of events at the May Revolution. However, the improvised army gathered by Liniers at Cordoba deserted him before battle, so the former Viceroy attempted to flee to the Upper Peru , expecting to join the royalist army sent from the Viceroyalty of Peru to suffocate the revolution at Buenos Aires. Colonel Francisco Ortiz de Ocampo , who led

492-609: A "revolutionary foco in this remote and mountainous province, in the north-west of Argentina." The last military dictatorship, the National Reorganization Process , lasted from 1976 to 1983. As Isabel Perón was unable to defeat the terrorist organizations of Montoneros and ERP , the military took power during the 1976 Argentine coup d'état and exterminated the violent communist guerrillas by random detentions, torture or death. The government of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner that sympathized with Perón , antagonized

615-754: A UK government minister resigned openly in response to a failure of his department (in not anticipating the war). Criticism was levelled at Ted Rowlands , a former junior foreign minister in the preceding government, who disclosed in Parliament in April 1982 that the British had broken the Argentine diplomatic codes. As the same code machines were used by the Argentine military, this disclosure immediately served to deny British access to valuable intelligence. This, and other responses to parliamentary questions, and leaks of information to

738-528: A caballo ): General Manuel Belgrano was appointed as the new commander of the Army of the North. Facing the overwhelming invasion of a royalist army led by General Pío de Tristán , Belgrano turned to scorched-earth tactics and ordered the evacuation of the people of Jujuy and Salta , and the burning of anything else left behind to prevent enemy forces from getting supplies or taking prisoners from those cities. This action

861-498: A conflict between Argentina and the UK when approving weapon exports to Argentina. In 1982, British warships were routinely armed with the WE.177 , a tactical nuclear weapon with a variable yield of either 10 kilotons or 0.5 kiloton, which was used as a Nuclear Depth Bomb in an antisubmarine role. The Official History describes the contorted logistical arrangements that led to the removal of

984-677: A definitive attack. Buenos Aires was declared a rogue city by the Council of Regency, which appointed Montevideo as capital of the viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, and Francisco Javier de Elío the new viceroy. However, the May Revolution was not initially separatist. Patriots supported the legitimacy of the Juntas in the Americas, while royalists supported instead the Council of Regency; both acted on behalf of Ferdinand VII. All of them believed that, according to

1107-529: A fighter replacement. British intervention was apparently a key factor in the cancellation with Britain stopping the export of the aircraft incorporating various British components. In October 2020, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) confirmed that since major components of the aircraft were supplied by the U.K., the aircraft could not be exported to Argentina. Britain similarly blocked the potential sale of Brazilian license-built Saab Gripen aircraft to Argentina given avionics that were of British origin. In 2003, for

1230-579: A growing rivalry between the Criollos , white people born in Latin America, and the peninsulares , Spanish people who arrived from Europe (the term "Criollo" is usually translated to English as "Creole", despite being unrelated to most other Creole peoples ). Although they were all considered Spanish, and there were no legal distinctions between Criollos and Peninsulares, most Criollos thought that Peninsulares had undue influence in political matters. The ideas of

1353-478: A land base, in mountainous islands with few roads. After the war much work was done to improve both the logistical and amphibious capability of the Royal Navy. Task force commander Rear Admiral Sir Sandy Woodward referred to the conflict as "a lot closer run than many would care to believe", reflecting the naval and military belief that few people understood—or understand—the extent to which the logistical dimension made

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1476-565: A means to modernize the doctrine of the armed forces and define their role. The law states that the armed forces will only be used against foreign aggression, and reduces the powers of the heads of the armed services, centralizing whole operational and acquisitions decisions under the authority of the Armed Forces Joint General Staff ( Spanish: Estado Mayor Conjunto de las Fuerzas Armadas – EMC ) emphasizing Jointness . In 2007, an agreement for cooperation in peace operations

1599-516: A new viceroy, Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros , and Liniers handed the government to him without resistance, despite the proposals of the military to reject him. The military conflict in Spain worsened by 1810. The city of Seville had been invaded by French armies, which were already dominating most of the Iberian Peninsula. The Junta of Seville was disestablished, and several members fled to Cádiz,

1722-729: A result of the war were announced in the December 1982 Defence White Paper . After the war, the sale of HMS Invincible to Australia was cancelled, with Hermes offered instead (eventually being sold to India as INS Viraat in 1986), and the operational status of all three support carriers was maintained. The proposed cutback in the surface fleet was abandoned and replacements for many of the lost ships and helicopters plus more Sea Harriers were ordered. The amphibious assault ships HMS  Intrepid and HMS  Fearless were not decommissioned until 1999 and 2002, respectively, being replaced by HMS  Albion and HMS  Bulwark . A RN ship

1845-652: A scheduled visit to New Zealand, also impressed on the War Cabinet that the primary objective for the United Kingdom should be: "to bring about the withdrawal of Argentine forces from the Falkland Islands, and the re-establishment of British administration there, as quickly as possible". Inspired, Thatcher ordered the despatch of the Task Force for the South Atlantic. The principal adjustments to British defence policy as

1968-447: A smaller number of destroyers and frigates. The carrier HMS  Hermes was therefore to be scrapped and HMS  Invincible sold to Australia. Under the review, the Royal Navy was focused primarily on anti-submarine warfare under the auspices of NATO. Any out-of-area amphibious operations were considered unlikely. The entire Royal Marines was in jeopardy of being disbanded and the sale of HMS  Intrepid and HMS  Fearless

2091-622: A systematic failure to prepare service personnel for the horrors of war and to provide adequate care for them afterwards. There are allegations that the Ministry of Defence has tried to ignore the issue of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which left many sufferers emotionally scarred and unable to work, immersed in social dislocation, alcoholism , and depression . Veterans have suffered prolonged personality disorders, flashbacks , and anxiety sometimes reaching pathological levels. It has been claimed that more veterans have committed suicide since

2214-467: A variant of the Nimrod ASW aircraft's Searchwater radar . These first travelled south after the war on the brand new HMS  Illustrious , sister ship to Invincible  (R05) . The usefulness of helicopters in combat, logistic, and casevac operations was confirmed. The logistical capability of the UK armed forces was stretched to the limit in order to mount an amphibious operation so far from

2337-424: Is always present in the South Atlantic. In 2007, the Royal Navy confirmed its commitment to a carrier force with the order of two Queen Elizabeth -class carriers. In 2012 on the thirtieth anniversary of the war, the air-defence destroyer HMS  Dauntless visited the Falkland Islands. Since 2015, the Royal Navy has limited its surface presence in the South Atlantic to an Offshore Patrol Vessel on station around

2460-723: Is an annual holiday in Argentina to commemorate the First National Government (and the creation of the Primera Junta ), one of the significant events in the history of Argentina . These and other events of the week leading to this day are referred to as the Semana de Mayo (May Week). Malvinas syndrome The aftermath of the 1982 Falklands War between the United Kingdom and Argentina affected world geopolitics ,

2583-661: Is contended that his presence and words spiritually prepared Argentines for a possible defeat, contrary to the propaganda issued by the Junta. He returned to Argentina in 1987 after the return of democratic government. Militarily, the Falklands conflict remains the largest air-naval combat operation between modern forces since the end of the Second World War. As such, it has been the subject of intense study by military analysts and historians. The most significant "lessons learned" include

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2706-620: Is known as the Jujuy Exodus . Turning against the Triumvirate orders, however, Belgrano decided to fight the royalists at Tucumán , obtaining a great victory and then decisively defeating the royalist army at the Battle of Salta , in northwestern Argentina, forcing the bulk of the royalist army to surrender their weapons. Tristán (a former fellow student with Belgrano at Salamanca University ) and his men were granted amnesty and released. Then again,

2829-405: Is one of the lowest of South America and as of 2010, its 0.9% of GDP only exceeds Suriname Within the defence budget itself funding for training and even basic maintenance was significantly cut, a factor contributing to the accidental loss of the Argentine submarine San Juan in 2017. The result has been a steady erosion of Argentine military capabilities, with some arguing that Argentina had, by

2952-609: The American and French Revolutions , and the Age of Enlightenment , promoted desires of social change among the criollos. The full prohibition imposed by Spain to trade with other nations was also seen as damaging to the viceroyalty's economy. The population of Buenos Aires was highly militarized during the British invasions of the Río de la Plata , part of the Anglo-Spanish War . Buenos Aires

3075-665: The Argentine War of Independence , while the Argentinian Air Force was established in 1945. The Argentine military played a role in the institutional life of the country, during a series of coups d'état that took place in the 20th century. After the Revolución Libertadora coup that deposed president Juan Domingo Perón in 1955, the armed forces split into opposing sectors named Azules y colorados ("Blues and Reds"). The fight would end in 1963 with military clashes and

3198-577: The Army of the North to prepare a new invasion of the Upper Peru . However, he quickly resigned as he foresaw yet another defeat. Instead, he developed a new strategy to attack the Viceroyalty of Perú through the Captaincy of Chile , inspired on the writings of Sir Thomas Maitland , who was quoted as saying that the only way to defeat the Spanish at Quito and Lima was attacking Chile first. San Martín asked to become

3321-472: The Battle of Huaqui , whose forces dispersed and left the provinces. The resistance of patriot republiqueta guerrillas of Upper Peru, however, kept the royalists at bay, hampering any serious advance to the south: The other militia sent by Buenos Aires was commanded by Manuel Belgrano and made its way up the Paraná River towards the Intendency of Paraguay. A first battle was fought at Campichuelo , where

3444-555: The Cape Horn islands, the outcome of the war averted a planned Argentine military invasion of Chile and made possible the Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1984 between Chile and Argentina . In May 1982, Pope John Paul II carried out a long-scheduled visit to the United Kingdom . In view of the crisis it was decided that this should be balanced with an unscheduled trip to Argentina in June. It

3567-558: The Mapuches . On April 4, Argentine Colonel Juan Gregorio de Las Heras had occupied Concepción , but the Royalists retreated to Talcahuano. In early 1818, Royalist reinforcements from the Viceroyalty of Peru arrived, commanded by general Mariano Osorio , and advanced towards the capital. San Martín then turned to scorched earth tactics and ordered the evacuation of Concepción, which he thought

3690-507: The SAS raid on Pebble Island ) and carried out highly informative intelligence-gathering operations. Contrary to popular understanding, the Argentine special forces also patrolled hard, in appalling climatic conditions, against a professional enemy and showed that they could sometimes get the upper hand. Nylon was shown to be a poor choice for fabric in uniforms, as it is more flammable than cotton and also melts with heat. Burning nylon adheres to

3813-620: The further actions of the United Army into Peru were carried on under the authority of the Chilean government, not the United Provinces. However, defensive actions continued to be carried on in the northern frontier of the United Provinces until the 1825 Battle of Ayacucho , which ended the royalist threat from the Upper Peru. The Día de la Revolución de Mayo ( May Revolution Day) on May 25

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3936-461: The retroversion of the sovereignty to the people , in the absence of the rightful king sovereignty returned to the people, which would be capable to appoint their own leaders. They did not agree on who was that people, and which territorial extension had the sovereignty. Royalists thought that it applied to the people on European Spain, who had the right to rule over all the Spanish empire . The leaders of

4059-487: The 1990s, Argentine Armed Forces began a close defense cooperation and friendship policy with neighbors Brazil and Chile, with emphasis on fulfillment of United Nations mandates. The Argentine military have been reduced both in number and budget, but became more professional, especially after conscription was abolished by president Menem. The British embargo due to the Falklands War (Spanish: Guerra de las Malvinas )

4182-575: The Argentine fighters failing to shoot down a single Sea Harrier, can be explained by several factors, including limited fighter control that was provided by British warships in San Carlos Water , the then almost unparalleled Blue Fox radar, and the extreme manoeuvrability of the Sea Harrier. Additionally the British had the latest AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles (a gift from USA), while the only Argentine planes with air-to-air missiles for self-defence were

4305-524: The Argentine officers and NCOs and Vassel had to step down from his post as under-secretary of human rights of Corrientes in 2010. The Falkland Islands remained a self-governing British overseas territory, but shortly after the war the British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983 granted the Islanders British citizenship (replacing British Dependent Territories citizenship), strengthening

4428-525: The Armed Forces with the justification of the past junta and limited the powers of the armed forced to avoid state terrorism of the past. On 2 April 1982, Argentine forces invaded the British overseas territory of the Malvinas Islands , followed shortly afterwards by the invasion of South Georgia. Britain sent a task force to recover the islands. Argentina surrendered on 14 June. The political effect of

4551-662: The Army used white phosphorus in a violation of the Geneva Convention (according to a document presented by the human rights commission of the United Nations on January 12, 2001). Argentina was the only Latin American country to participate in the 1991 Gulf War sending a destroyer and a corvette in first term and a supply ship and another corvette later to participate on the United Nations blockade and sea control effort of

4674-557: The BBC has been alleged by historian Hugh Bicheno to be a deliberate attempt to undermine the Thatcher government on the part of a variety of individuals who had a vested interest in its fall. There is some debate as to the accuracy of the claims regarding Ted Rowlands. Mark Urban in his book UK Eyes Alpha makes reference to a "figure intimate with the workings of GCHQ" who suggested that Rowlands's comment had no noticeable effect. Ultimately,

4797-486: The Beagle Channel problem ... [its] foreign intervention ([in] Bolivia and Nicaragua) ... and [its] propounded geopolitical doctrines that were seen in other countries as threatening to them". So, according to David R. Mares, "Brazilian military analysts worried about the problems of having a successful and belligerent Argentina as neighbour". For Chile, engaged with Argentina in a long-standing territorial dispute over

4920-661: The British Empire (KBE) for their help in the campaign, but the more obvious result was the common alignment of Britain and the US in a more confrontational foreign policy against the Soviet bloc , sometimes known as the Second Cold War . In 2007 the British government expressed regrets over the deaths on both sides in the war. Margaret Thatcher was quoted as saying "in the struggle against evil... we can all today draw hope and strength" from

5043-592: The Comodoro Rivadavia Criminal Cassation Court ruled that tortures suffered by soldiers are not crimes against humanity thus the Argentine statute of limitations was applicable, and since that time limit had already been exceeded, the court therefore dismissed ["prescribed", in Argentine legal language] the case. On appeal to a higher court, the Comodoro Rivadavia Federal Chamber upheld the lower court's ruling. During

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5166-531: The Falklands vindicated the UK decision to maintain at least the STOVL aircraft carriers after the retirement of HMS  Ark Royal . The domination of air power in major naval engagements was demonstrated, along with the usefulness of carriers and it proved the small but manoeuvrable Sea Harrier as a true fighter. Sea Harriers shot down 21 aircraft with no air-to-air losses themselves, although six were lost to ground fire and accidents. The disparity in figures, with

5289-628: The Falklands War as proof of the failure of the TIAR. Regarding the attitude of the Latin American governments, K. J. Holsti presents another sight of the South American dilemma: "While South American governments (except Chile) publicly supported Argentina in its conflict with Great Britain, in private many governments were pleased with the outcome of the war. Argentina's bellicosity against Chile over

5412-460: The Falklands victory, while former Argentine President Néstor Kirchner claimed while in office that the UK won a colonial victory and vowed that the islands would one day return to Argentine sovereignty. He qualified this, however, with an affirmation that force could never again be used in an attempt to bring this about. The United States' reputation in parts of Latin America was damaged because of

5535-731: The Governor of the Province of Cuyo , where he prepared the Chile campaign. Installed in the city of Mendoza , San Martín reorganized the Granaderos cavalry unit into the Army of the Andes , which he created out of patriots from both the United Provinces and exiles from Chile. In early 1817, San Martín led the crossing of the Andes into Chile, obtaining a decisive victory at the battle of Chacabuco on February 17, 1817, and took Santiago de Chile , where he refused

5658-460: The Junta to be replaced by an executive Triumvirate in September 1811. This new government decided to promote a new campaign to the Upper Peru with a reorganized Army of the North and appointed José de San Martín , a veteran of the Napoleonic Wars who had recently arrived from Spain, as lieutenant colonel. San Martín was ordered to create the professional and disciplined cavalry unit known as Regiment of Mounted Grenadiers ( Spanish : Granaderos

5781-436: The May Revolution thought that it applied to all the capitals of Spanish kingdoms. José Gervasio Artigas would lead later a third perspective: the retroversion applied to all regions, which should remain united under a confederative system. The three groups battled one another, but the disputes about the national organization of Argentina (either centralist or confederal) continued in Argentine Civil War , for many years after

5904-415: The Mirages. The AIM-9Ls had a much wider angle of engagement than the earlier versions employed by the Argentines, which could only effectively engage the rear quarter of an enemy aircraft. The fact that heat seeking Sidewinders were targeting hot jet exhausts against a cold background of the South Atlantic in winter resulted in a lethality rate of over 80 percent. The only advantage of the Argentine jets

6027-467: The Northern Army, in replacement of José Rondeau, but the officiality did not recognize this and remained loyal to Rondeau: The unsuccessful outcome of the third Upper Peru campaign would spread rumors in Europe that the May Revolution was over. Furthermore, King Ferdinand VII was restored to the Spanish throne on 1813, so an urgent decision was needed regarding the political status of the United Provinces. On July 9, 1816, an assembly of representatives of

6150-458: The Norwegians, who gave us a stream of information about the Argentine warships' positions. The information came to us all the time and straight to our war headquarters at Northwood. The information was continuously updated and told us exactly where the Argentine ships were. According to Russian journalist Sergei Brilev, whose claims were reported in The Times on 2 April 2010, Argentina may have received satellite imagery of British positions from

6273-420: The PARACACH (Patrulla de Rescate Antártica Combinada Argentina-Chile, Argentine Chilean Antarctic combined search and rescue patrol) with support from the German Space Agency which provided satellite imagery The three branches of the Argentine Armed Forces are under the direct authority of the Defense Ministry , while the Argentine National Gendarmerie and the Argentine Naval Prefecture, as security forces, under

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6396-429: The Patriots claimed victory. However, they were completely overwhelmed at the subsequent battles of Paraguarí and Tacuarí . Thus, this campaign ended in failure as well from a military point of view; however, some months later, inspired on the Argentine example, Paraguay broke its links with the Spanish crown by declaring itself an independent nation: The undesired outcomes of the Paraguay and Upper Peru campaigns led

6519-422: The Provinces (including three Upper Peru departments but excluding representatives from Santa Fe , Entre Ríos , Corrientes and the Banda Oriental , united into the Federal League ) met at the Congress of Tucumán and declared the Independence of the United Provinces in South America from the Spanish Crown, with provisions for a national Constitution. In 1814, General José de San Martín had taken command of

6642-410: The Royal Navy during the conflict, bypassed the delays in getting the ROE changed by ordering the British nuclear submarine, Conqueror , to fire on the oncoming Argentine naval vessels with his permission. The admiral's judgement call highlighted the flaws in the ROE approval process and would improve British communications. The ships of the task force could only remain on station for a limited time in

6765-417: The Soviet Union during the conflict. In 2005, an Argentine film called Blessed by Fire exposed the mistreatment of Argentine conscripts during the war. That film "led directly to a criminal investigation" which resulted in the filing of formal charges of crimes against humanity against 70 Argentine military officers for the alleged abuse, torture and, in one case, murder of their own troops. However,

6888-443: The Spanish king Ferdinand VII was captured, his sister Carlota Joaquina sought to rule in the Americas as regent, but nothing came out of it because of the lack of support from both the Spanish Americans and the British. Javier de Elío created a Junta in Montevideo and Martín de Álzaga sought to make a similar move by organizing a mutiny in Buenos Aires, but the local military forces intervened and thwarted it. Spain appointed

7011-416: The Triumvirate with a new unipersonal Executive office, the Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata , and elected Gervasio Antonio de Posadas for that role. One of the first actions of Posadas was to create a naval fleet from scratch, which was to be financed by Juan Larrea , and appointed William Brown as lieutenant colonel and chief commander of it, on March 1, 1814. Against all

7134-552: The UK's armed forces in the belief that capabilities such as a blue-water navy were no longer required. The Conservative government's Defence Secretary John Nott produced a white paper in 1981 proposing major cuts for the navy in the next ten years (the army and the RAF had already been tailored for NATO.) Denis Healey , the Defence Secretary in 1966, once said that aircraft carriers were required only for operations involving 'landing or withdrawal of troops against sophisticated opposition outside range of land-based air cover'. When

7257-454: The Upper Peru. Santiago de Liniers came out of his retirement in Córdoba and organized an army to capture Buenos Aires, Montevideo had naval supremacy over the city, and Vicente Nieto organized the actions at the Upper Peru. Nieto proposed to José Fernando de Abascal y Sousa , viceroy of the Viceroyalty of Peru at the North, to annex the Upper Peru to it. He thought that the revolution could be easily contained in Buenos Aires, before launching

7380-432: The Upper Peru. The royalist generals Vicente Nieto , Francisco de Paula Sanz and José de Córdoba y Rojas were captured and executed. Castelli then proposed to the Buenos Aires Junta to cross the Desaguadero River , taking the offensive into the Viceroyalty of Peru domains, but his proposal was rejected. His army and Goyeneche's stationed near the frontier, while negotiating. Goyeneche advanced and defeated Castelli at

7503-428: The Upper Peru: After securing the loyalty of the northwestern Provinces to the May Revolution through elections of representatives to the Junta in Buenos Aires, Castelli sent General Antonio González Balcarce into the Upper Peru, but he was defeated at the battle of Cotagaita . Castelli then sent him reinforcements, leading to the first patriotic victory at the battle of Suipacha , which gave Buenos Aires control over

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7626-420: The candidate for the Justicialist Party ( Peronist movement). In the long term the debacle concluded both the periodic intervention of the Argentine military in politics since the 1930s and the Peronist electoral hegemony since 1945. In 2009, Argentine authorities in Comodoro Rivadavia ratified a decision made by authorities in Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego (which, according to Argentina, have authority over

7749-410: The command of the troops entirely to San Martín in a meeting on the plains of Maipú. Then, on April 5, 1818, San Martín inflicted a decisive defeat on Osorio in the Battle of Maipú , after which the depleted royalists retreated to Concepcion, never again to launch a major offensive against Santiago. The Chile campaign is generally considered to be the conclusion of the Argentine War of Independence, as

7872-532: The conflict, due to the isolated, rough landscape of the Falklands in which the mobility of land forces was restricted. Air strikes were staged against ground, sea and air targets on both sides, and often with clear results. All of the UK losses at sea were caused by aircraft or missile strikes (by both the Argentine Air Force and Naval Aviation). The French Exocet missile proved its lethality in air-to-surface operations, leading to retrofitting of most major ships with Close-in weapon systems (CIWS). The air war in

7995-425: The conflict, made following disclosure regarding the activities of the UK's Secret Intelligence Service (MI6): I authorised our agents to pose as bona fide purchasers of equipment on the international market, ensuring that we outbid the Argentines, and other agents identified Exocet missiles in markets and rendered them inoperable. According to a documentary by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK), during

8118-432: The convening of an open cabildo to discuss the fate of the local government. The military gave their support to the request, forcing Cisneros to accept. The discussion ruled the removal of viceroy Cisneros and his replacement with a government junta , but the cabildo attempted to keep Cisneros in power by appointing him president of such junta. Further demonstrations ensued, and the Junta was forced to resign immediately. It

8241-477: The criollos during the conflict, and the Regiment of Patricians became a highly influential force in local politics, even after the end of the British threat. The transfer of the Portuguese Court to Brazil generated military concern. It was feared that the British would launch a third attack, this time allied with Portugal. However, no military conflict took place, as when the Peninsular War started Britain and Portugal became allies of Spain against France. When

8364-498: The defeat of the reds who were opposed to Perón. In 1965, the Argentine military conducted a 10-man patrol on Antarctica called Operación 90 under then-Colonel Jorge E. Leal to perform scientific observations and promote Argentina's claim to a portion of the continent. In 1975 the armed forces started a massive operation in the Tucumán Province to crush the ERP ( Ejército Revolucionario del Pueblo or People's Revolutionary Army) guevarist guerrilla group which attempted to create

8487-432: The defence budget itself funding for training and even basic maintenance was significantly cut, a factor contributing to the accidental loss of the Argentine submarine San Juan in 2017. With the United Kingdom also taking active diplomatic measures to restrict even modest Argentine military modernization efforts, the result has been a steady erosion of Argentine military capabilities, with some arguing that Argentina had, by

8610-461: The direct authority of the Ministry of Security. Argentina was the only South American country to send warships and cargo planes in 1991 to the Gulf War under UN mandate and has remained involved in peacekeeping efforts in multiple locations like UNPROFOR in Croatia / Bosnia , Gulf of Fonseca , UNFICYP in Cyprus (where among Army and Marines troops the Air Force provided the UN Air contingent since 1994) and MINUSTAH in Haiti . UNFICYP

8733-427: The end of the 2010s, ceased to be a capable military power. For the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact militaries, the Falklands War forced a re-examination of their estimates in the quality of Western troops and in particularly, how well an all-volunteer force would compare against conscripted forces. The Soviets became aware that the British relied heavily on the quality and training of their personnel to compensate for

8856-582: The end of the 2010s, ceased to be a capable military power. The small-scale capability modernization that Argentina has attempted has been actively opposed by the United Kingdom. In 2019 the Argentine Air Force and government selected the Korean KAI FA-50 as its interim fighter to replace its aging Falklands-vintage aircraft. However, the deal was cancelled in early 2020 leaving the Air Force without

8979-423: The end of the war of independence. The Primera Junta sent military campaigns to the viceroyalty, in order to secure support to the new authorities and retain the authority held as the capital of the viceroyalty. The victories and defeats of the military conflict delimited the areas of influence of the new United Provinces of the Río de la Plata . With the non-aggression pact arranged with Paraguay early on, most of

9102-541: The extreme logistical difficulties the campaign presented. It was also noted that both sides were using many of the same western made weapon systems, their combat performance and effectiveness information collected during and after the war was analyzed by the Soviets, to be used to create counter-combat strategies to be adopted by their forces in an event of a then-possible war against NATO . The Coordinating Committee for Multilateral Export Controls (COCOM) failed to anticipate

9225-674: The first time, the Argentine Navy (classified as a major non-NATO ally) interoperated with a United States Navy battlegroup when destroyer ARA Sarandí (D-13) joined the USS Enterprise Carrier Strike Group and Destroyer Squadron 18 as a part of Exercise Solid Step during their tour in the Mediterranean Sea. On June 12, 2006, President Néstor Kirchner brought into force the Defense Law, which had been passed in 1988 as

9348-705: The gulf. The success of "Operación Alfil" (English: "Operation Bishop") as it was known, with more than 700 interceptions and 25,000 nautical miles (46,000 km) sailed on the operations theatre helped to overcome the so-called " Malvinas syndrome ". From 1990 to 1992, the Baradero-class patrol boats were deployed under UN mandate ONUCA to the Gulf of Fonseca in Central America. In 1994, the three Drummond-class corvettes participated on Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti. Also, in

9471-512: The hell was the point in having a Navy if it was not used for this sort of thing?". Aware of the necessity for speed, Leach had already given orders for the ships of a potential task force to be prepared for deployment. On 2 April, at a briefing at the House of Commons , Leach advised the Prime Minister that a task force was necessary and could sail within 48 hours. Lewin, who was forced to return from

9594-528: The initial conflict took place in the north, in Upper Peru , and in the east, in the Banda Oriental . In the second half of the decade, with the capture of Montevideo and the stalemate in Upper Peru, the conflict moved to the west, to Chile. The first two military campaigns ordered by the revolutionary Junta in Buenos Aires were launched against Cordoba , where former Viceroy Santiago de Liniers organized

9717-402: The inland populations living in provinces such as Tierra del Fuego and Chaco . Paraguay was isolated from all other regions. In the political structure most authoritative positions were filled by people designated by the Spanish monarchy, most of them Spanish people from Europe, also known as peninsulares , without a strong commitment for South American problems or interests. This created

9840-792: The islands and to an ice patrol ship deployed during the South Atlantic summer season. However, both army and RAF units remain deployed at RAF Mount Pleasant in the islands. The war's outcome had an indelible impact on the Argentine Armed Forces. The war destroyed the military's image as the "moral reserve of the nation" that they had maintained through most of the 20th century. After 1984, democratic governments in Argentina did not generally approve major military equipment purchases. Argentina's military spending has also been steadily reduced and as of 2010, its devotion of 0.9% of GDP to defence only exceeded Suriname within South America. Within

9963-512: The islands) charging 70 officers and corporals with inhumane treatment of conscript soldiers during the war. "We have testimony from 23 people about a soldier who was shot to death by a corporal, four other former combatants who starved to death, and at least 15 cases of conscripts who were staked out on the ground", Pablo Vassel, under-secretary of human rights in the province of Corrientes, told Inter Press Service News Agency. There are claims that false testimonies were used as evidence in accusing

10086-468: The larger of the two British carriers. Woodward's strategy, therefore, required the land war to be won before Hermes , in particular, succumbed to the harsh environment. Woodward called the operation "a damned close-run thing", quoting the Duke of Wellington after the Battle of Waterloo . The usefulness of special forces units was reaffirmed. British special forces destroyed many Argentine aircraft (notably in

10209-456: The last conventional carrier in the Royal Navy, HMS  Ark Royal , was decommissioned in 1978, the pro-carrier lobby succeeded in acquiring light carriers (euphemistically christened 'through deck cruisers') equipped with VTOL Sea Harriers as well as helicopters, justified by the fact that one of their primary roles was anti-submarine warfare. John Nott's defence review concluded that anti-submarine defence would be performed more cheaply by

10332-541: The last portion of Spain still resisting. They established a Council of Regency, prelude to the Cortes of Cadiz , with political tendencies closer to Liberalism and Popular sovereignty than the former Junta of Seville. This began the May Revolution in Buenos Aires, as soon as the news was known. Several citizens thought that Cisneros, appointed by the disestablished Junta, did not have the right to rule anymore, and requested

10455-589: The link between the Islanders and the UK. The economy also benefited indirectly from UK military investment and directly from development of fisheries. The future of the Falkland Islanders' link to the UK has been more certain as a result of the war, and the Islands' government remains committed to self-determination and British sovereignty. The only civilian deaths during the war were three women who were killed when

10578-451: The local political culture in Argentina and the UK, military thought, medical treatment, and the lives of those who were directly involved in the war. Diplomatic relations between the UK and Argentina were not restored until 1989 under a formula which put the issue of sovereignty to one side ( the sovereignty umbrella ) and established a framework within which further talks on matters of mutual interest could be held. The Argentine loss of

10701-529: The nuclear depth bombs from the frigates, following political alarm in Whitehall. Eventually at least some of the depth bombs were brought back to the UK by an RFA vessel. In December 2003, Argentine President Néstor Kirchner demanded an apology from the British government for the "regrettable and monstrous" act of arming warships engaged in the conflict with nuclear depth charges. In his 2002 memoirs Sir John Nott , Britain's Secretary of State for Defence during

10824-505: The odds, on 14 May 1814 the improvised patriot navy engaged the Spanish fleet and defeated it three days later. This action secured the port of Buenos Aires and allowed the fall of Montevideo, which could not stand the siege any more, on 20 June 1814. The fall of Montevideo eliminated the royalist menace from the Banda Oriental and meant the actual end of the Spanish Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. Soon afterwards, William Brown

10947-461: The offer of the governorship of Chile in favour of Bernardo O'Higgins (who became supreme director) because he did not wish to be diverted from his main objective, the capture of Lima . O'Higgins installed a new independent government . In December 1817, a popular referendum was set up to decide about the Independence of Chile. However, Royalist resistance persisted in southern Chile, allied with

11070-516: The operations, several wounded British soldiers had to spend hours in the cold before receiving medical aid—yet no British soldier died who was evacuated to a medical aid station, a fact confirmed by Surgeon Commander Rick Jolly , the Medical Officer in Charge of the refrigeration plant at Ajax Bay (nicknamed "The Red and Green Life machine" by the medics). Many recovered better than medical opinion of

11193-466: The patriot army was defeated into the Upper Peru at the battles of Vilcapugio and Ayohuma and retreated to Jujuy: In early 1812, the truce between Buenos Aires and Montevideo was over, and Manuel de Sarratea led an army to the Banda Oriental, but he was soon replaced by José Rondeau , who initiated a second siege of Montevideo . Although royalist Gaspar de Vigodet sought to break the siege, he

11316-459: The patriot army, captured Liniers and the other leaders of the Cordoba counter-revolution on 6 August 1810, but, instead of executing them as he was instructed, he sent them back to Buenos Aires as prisoners. As a result, Ocampo was demoted and Juan José Castelli was appointed as the political head of the army. On 26 August, Castelli executed the Cordoba prisoners and led the Army of the North towards

11439-559: The perception that it had broken the Rio Treaty ( Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance or TIAR) by providing the UK with military supplies. American intervention in the war led to many Latin Americans believing that the United States held a strong fascination over the East–West dichotomy over hemispheric interests. In September 2001 the then President of Mexico Vicente Fox cited

11562-552: The popularity of the Conservative Government increase, with some attributing this rise to the aftermath of the war with others suggesting that the rise in popularity was due to an increase in economic optimism, with the war increasing productivity by 3%. The war did however cause several members of the government to resign, including the Foreign Secretary Lord Carrington , the most recent time that

11685-574: The rebellions, Alfonsín promoted the Full stop law and the Law of due obedience . The following president, Carlos Menem , gave the presidential pardon to the military found guilty in the Trial of the Juntas. It would not be until 1990, when the last military uprising in Argentine history was crushed, that the political conflict within the Army finally subsided. In January 1989, during the subversive attack on La Tablada ,

11808-482: The seemingly limited consequences of the war, it confirmed the dominance of the submarine in naval warfare. This is especially so, Keegan argues, because submarines are far less vulnerable than aircraft to counterattack, being able to approach and destroy their targets with almost complete impunity. However, many prominent naval tacticians have recently argued this point; the sinking of the ARA General Belgrano

11931-454: The skin, causing avoidable casualties. Strained by two oil crises ( 1973 and 1979 ), the United Kingdom's government desired to cut defence spending in line with the rest of Europe. Many former British possessions in Africa and Asia had gained independence from the UK by the 1980s. Due to this decolonisation , successive British governments investigated closing British overseas bases and reducing

12054-493: The successful conclusion of the war gave a noticeable fillip to British patriotic feeling, with the mobilisation of national identity encapsulated in the so-called "Falklands Factor". Since the failure of the 1956 Suez campaign , the end of Empire and the economic decline of the 1970s which culminated in the Winter of Discontent , Britain had been beset by uncertainty and anxiety about its international role, status and capability. With

12177-489: The surrender lead to protests against the dictatorship, which hastened its downfall. The democratic government of Raúl Alfonsín that took office in 1983 prosecuted the 1970s crimes and made the unprecedented (and only Latin American example) Trial of the Juntas and soon the Army was rocked by uprisings and internal infighting. Far-right sectors of the Army rebelled in the Carapintadas ( painted faces ) movement. To contain

12300-507: The time considered possible; subsequent theories have postulated this may have been due to a combination of the extreme cold and the good standards of physical fitness amongst the wounded. Britain also had medical staff familiar with high velocity gunshot wounds, due to their experiences in the Northern Ireland conflict with the IRA . The British Ministry of Defence was accused several times of

12423-642: The viceroyalty were in Upper Peru (modern-day Bolivia). Salta and Córdoba had closer ties with Upper Peru than with Buenos Aires. Similarly, Mendoza in the west had closer ties with the Captaincy General of Chile , although the Andes mountain range was a natural barrier. Buenos Aires and Montevideo , who had a local rivalry, located in the La Plata Basin , had naval communications allowing them to be more in contact with European ideas and economic advances than

12546-479: The vulnerability of surface ships to anti-ship missiles and submarines, the challenges of coordinating logistical support for a long-distance projection of power, and reconfirmation of the role of tactical air power, including the use of helicopters. In his book The Price of Admiralty , military historian Sir John Keegan noted that the brief conflict showed the incurable vulnerability of surface ships to anti-ship missiles, and, most importantly, to submarines: despite

12669-465: The war a Norwegian Intelligence Service facility situated at Fauske in the northern county of Nordland regularly intercepted Soviet satellite intelligence data, which was forwarded to the Northwood Headquarters . Said "a high-ranking British military source": When the war broke out, we ourselves almost didn’t have any intelligence information from this area. It was here we got help from

12792-520: The war a difficult operation for the UK. Royal Navy communication was hindered during the conflict due to misinterpretation and lack of clear Rules of Engagement(ROE) which had to be forwarded from the Ministry of Defense to the Prime Minister in order to establish clear orders. When the British Navy was engaged with two Argentine Navy forces using a pincer tactic, Admiral Woodward who was in charge of

12915-611: The war led to ever-larger protests against the Galtieri regime and is credited with giving the final push to drive out the military junta that had overthrown Isabel Perón in 1976 and perpetrated the crimes of the Dirty War . Galtieri was forced to resign and elections were held on 30 October 1983 and a new president, Raúl Alfonsín , the Radical Civic Union (UCR) party candidate, took office on 10 December 1983, defeating Italo Luder,

13038-451: The war successfully concluded, Thatcher was returned to power with an increased Parliamentary majority and felt empowered to press ahead with the economic readjustments of Thatcherism . A second major effect was a reaffirmation of the special relationship between the US and UK. Both Reagan and Weinberger (his Secretary of Defense ) were appointed honorary Knights Commander of the Order of

13161-547: The west bank of the Paraná river and the Triumvirate awarded San Martín the rank of general. The Granaderos unit was instrumental in the Revolution of October 8, 1812 which deposed the government and installed a new Triumvirate , considered to be more committed to the cause of Independence. In fact, this second Triumvirate convened a national assembly which was meant to declare Independence. The Assembly, however, first decided replace

13284-401: The worsening southern hemisphere winter. With such a high proportion of the Royal Navy's surface fleet engaged, or lost in combat, there were few units available for northbound traffic. At the core of the fleet, Invincible could possibly have been replaced by the hastily prepared Illustrious or the loaned USS  Iwo Jima  (LPH-2) , but there was no replacement available for Hermes ,

13407-515: Was a secessionist civil war fought from 1810 to 1818 by Argentine patriotic forces under Manuel Belgrano , Juan José Castelli , Martin Miguel de Guemes and José de San Martín against royalist forces loyal to the Spanish crown . On July 9, 1816, an assembly met in San Miguel de Tucumán , declaring independence with provisions for a national constitution . The territory of modern Argentina

13530-556: Was also a precedent in the Latin American military as troops of Bolivia , Brazil, Chile , Paraguay , Peru and Uruguay are embedded in the Argentine contingent Since 1999 and as of June 2006, Argentina is the only Latin American country to maintain troops in Kosovo during SFOR (and later EUFOR ) operations where combat engineers of the Argentine Armed Forces are embedded in an Italian brigade . In 2007, an Argentine contingent including helicopters, boats and water purification plants

13653-510: Was awarded the rank of admiral, and Carlos María de Alvear , who was put in charge of the siege of Montevideo just a few days before the surrender of the city, succeeded his uncle Gervasio Posadas as the Supreme Director of the United Provinces, on January 11, 1815. Alvear, however, was resisted by the troops, so he was quickly replaced, on April 21, by Ignacio Álvarez Thomas through a mutiny. Álvarez Thomas then appointed Alvear as general of

13776-415: Was captured in 1806, and then liberated by Santiago de Liniers with forces from Montevideo. Fearing a counter-attack, all the population of Buenos Aires capable of bearing arms was arranged in military bodies, including slaves. A new British attack in 1807 captured Montevideo, but was defeated in Buenos Aires, and forced to leave the viceroyalty. The viceroy Rafael de Sobremonte was successfully deposed by

13899-474: Was defeated at the Battle of Cerrito . The Spanish navy then sought to evade the land blockade by raiding nearby populations on the west bank of the Uruguay river. On 31 January 1813, Spanish troops from Montevideo landed near the town of San Lorenzo , Santa Fe Province, but it was absolutely defeated by the Granaderos unit led by San Martín on February 3. The Battle of San Lorenzo ended further Spanish raids on

14022-536: Was impossible to defend. On 18 February 1818, the first anniversary of the battle of Chacabuco, Chile declared its independence from the Spanish Crown. On March 18, 1818, Osorio led a surprise attack on the joint Argentine-Chilean army , which had to retreat to Santiago, with heavy losses. In fact, among the confusion, Supreme Director O'Higgins was thought to be killed, and panic seized the patriot camp. Crippled after his defeat at Cancha Rayada, O'Higgins delegated

14145-519: Was mooted. In 1980, low funding caused many ships to be in harbour for months due to lack of spare parts and fuel. The largest cut in the Royal Navy's conventional forces led to the resignation of the Navy Minister Keith Speed in 1981. Sea battles, mass convoys, amphibious landings, and coastal bombardments were considered obsolete in the second half of the 20th century. The head of the admiralty, First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Henry Leach ,

14268-492: Was officially eliminated and Argentina was granted Major Non-NATO ally status by United States President Bill Clinton . The modern Argentine Armed Forces are committed to international peacekeeping under United Nations mandates, humanitarian aid on emergencies relief and support the country's continuous presence at Antarctica . Democratic governments since 1983 streamlined the military budget and did not approve any large scale equipment purchases. Argentina military spending

14391-582: Was part of the Spanish Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata , with its capital city in Buenos Aires , seat of government of the Spanish viceroy . Modern Uruguay , Paraguay and Bolivia were also part of the viceroyalty, and began their push for autonomy during the conflict, becoming independent states afterwards. The vast area of the territory and slow communications led most populated areas to become isolated from each other. The wealthiest regions of

14514-411: Was replaced by a new one, the Primera Junta . Buenos Aires requested the other cities in the viceroyalty to acknowledge the new Junta and send deputies. The precise purpose of these deputies, join the Junta or create a congress, was unclear at the time and generated political disputes later. The Junta was initially resisted by all the main locations around Buenos Aires: Córdoba, Montevideo, Paraguay and

14637-748: Was sent to help Bolivia against their worst floods in decades. In 2010 the Armed Forces were also involved in Haiti and Chile humanitarian responses after their respective earthquakes. Argentine military forces formed part of And as military observers in UNTSO , MINURSO , UNMIL , MONUC , UNMIS and UNOCI . Argentina was also responsible for the White Helmets initiative. Argentine War of Independence Argentine victory Royalists [REDACTED] Spanish Monarchy The Argentine War of Independence (Spanish: Guerra de Independencia de Argentina )

14760-583: Was signed with France. A combined Argentinian-Chilean force for future United Nations Mandates was created. Named Cruz del Sur (English: Southern Cross ), the new force began assembly in 2008 with its headquarters alternating between the two countries each year. In 2009, UNASUR , the South American countries union, created the CDS ( Spanish: Consejo de Defensa Sudamericano (South American Defence council) in order to promote cooperation and transparency between their armed forces As of 2011, they perform with Chile

14883-596: Was still fighting the cuts in the Ministry of Defence together with the Chief of Defence Staff , who by chance, was also a naval officer – Admiral of the Fleet Sir Terence Lewin . At the onset of the crisis, First Sea Lord Sir Henry Leach was summoned to brief the Prime Minister. He claimed that Britain was able to recapture the islands, and that it should be done. "Since here was a clear, imminent threat to British overseas territory that could only be reached by sea, what

15006-548: Was the result of a modern nuclear-powered submarine hunting a pre-World War II ship with no anti-submarine capabilities, and the British ships sunk by the Argentine Air Force were acceptable casualties since they were screening forces, either for the British aircraft carriers in the cases of HMS Sheffield and even Atlantic Conveyor , or for the amphibious landing forces as with HMS Coventry , HMS Ardent and HMS Antelope . Neither side achieved total air supremacy; nonetheless, air power proved to be of critical importance during

15129-463: Was their higher maximum speed, but Argentine pilots could not benefit from this unless they risked running out of fuel, as was seen in the first air combat of the war when a Mirage IIIEA was forced to attempt a landing at Stanley . The importance of Airborne Early Warning (AEW) was shown. The Royal Navy had effectively no over-the-horizon radar capability. This was hastily rectified after the war, with Sea King helicopters fitted with radomes containing

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