SITREP OPS Center Episode 5: Intro To The Falklands War
April 19, 2019 by stvitusdancern
Welcome back to the next great instalment of the OPS Center from Jim "Oriskany". He is here to guide us on this little war that happened way down in the southern end of the world. He brings us into the fold of how and why this war started.
Also while you are here take a moment to check out the REPLAY of the live stream where I as the British take on Jim as the Argentinians in a air battle and win!
Have you thought about gaming in this theater?
Excellent start to the series Oriskany.
Thanks very much. 😀
The first war I remember, I was 6.
Thanks very much, @darthcheese – Yeah, I was 10 that summer, I turned 11 later that year. It was a “busy summer” with Israel’s “Peace for Galilee” kicking off in Lebanon in June of the same year. Briefly, both wars were in progress at the same time (June 6-13, 1982).
I remember when this was in the news. Scary time. The people in the Falklands weren’t British citizens? That was the whole idea of going down there, I thought, to save their people, etc.
Thanks for the comment, @pslemon – Yes, my sources indicate that FULL citizenship was bestowed to Falklands residents shortly AFTER the Falklands War. That said, Falklands residents enjoyed some kind of partial citizenship (not sure of the legal details there), and definitely considered themselves “British” by descent. They CERTAINLY did not feel “liberated from colonialism” by the Argentinian marines and commandos. I should also take this opportunity here to offer a small correction: ERRATA: At 17:45 I mention French-made Exocet antiship missiles mounted aboard the light cruiser ARA General Belgrano. Okay, I wasn’t really clear here. The Belgrano herself …… Read more »
Great video. I’m embarrassed to admit I don’t know much about this war. Looking forward to changing that while shooting down some planes.
We should get another game of AirWar C21 going. We’ve only done one scenario out of the “Operation Corporate” supplement so far. There are also: Good Morning Stanley! – A British destroyer and frigate have been bombarding the Port Stanley Airport all night. As the sun comes up, they are attacked by Argentinian A-4 Skyhawks and Mirage IIIs. Harriers on CAP intercept. A Couple Cannon Would be Nice – a British “Nimrod” AEW aircraft – armed with Sidewinders missiles (yes, the British did that), is attacked by a lone Mirage III. Because … reasons. 😀 Attack the Airport – Despite… Read more »
@oriskany great stuff – recall this on the news one of the 1st wars I lived with
Thanks @rasmus ! Yeah, like I was saying with @darthcheese – this was a “busy” summer. Next year would see Grenada and the Marine barracks bombing in Beirut. The 80s weren’t always so great, it seems.
As always great stuff @oriskany I look forward to the next installment! I’m showing my age here but, I was a senior in high school when this all went down. We all wondered if this would expand and lead into the much thought about ‘Third World War’. I remember talking in Government class about how America’s hands were for the most part ‘tied’ as the little-remembered ‘Monroe Act’ technically said that we, (USA), must side with Argentina and not with our long-standing Allie the United Kingdom. ***”The Monroe Doctrine is the best known U.S. policy toward the Western Hemisphere. Buried… Read more »
Thanks for the great and insightful comment, @templar007 – Yeah, when it comes to American support in the Falklands War … this is a tricky one. While the Monroe Doctrine was, as you say, originally written as a “wave off” against British or French colonialism in the Western Hemisphere, and this largely forgotten by the end of World War II, it popped up again big time in the 60s, 70s, and 80s – not against the British and French, but the Soviets (just another “European” colonial power). The Monroe Doctrine was invoked as justification for actions starting with Cuba, then… Read more »
That is a fascinating insight that I had no idea about thanks for that @oriskany
🙂
Thanks very much, @warzan . Yeah, America’s role (or lack thereof) in the Falklands is a multifaceted issue. It’s tricky because so much of the Argentinian weapons, aircraft, ships, and ordinance were American manufactured. The A-4 Skyhawks that bombed HMS Sir Galahad (worst single disaster for the British in the Falklands War) were American planes, dropping American bombs, by pilots probably trained in part by American advisors. The LVTP-7 AAVs that “conquered” Port Stanley: American. Argentinian boots, helmets, web gear: American. In fact, if you wanted to build this force in a Team Yankee type setting, I would recommend players… Read more »
Excellent stuff Oriskany. Really brings back memories and makes me feel bloody old. Everyone talking about being at school when it happened I was 29 at the time! Looking forward to the next episode.
Thanks very much, @gremlin ! 😀 And hey, don’t worry about it. Anyone who still plays with toy soldiers on this site is still young at heart. 😀 😀 😀 On the subject of British equipment being used against them in the Falklands, I forgot to mention the biggest piece of them all, the aircraft carrier Veinticinco de Mayo (25th of May) – originally the Colossus class HMS Venerable – commissioned in 1944, sold to the Netherlands, who used her for a few years, and sold her to Argentina to serve as their carrier, biggest warship, and basically flagship of… Read more »
Brilliant Oriskany i can remember being on immediate stand bye for this conflict looking forward to the rest of this.
Awesome! Thanks, @ironshield . I hope I do it justice. Yeah, that’s the thing about covering conflicts more and more modern, before you know it you’re covering conflicts that people know first hand. And I know well the dread of “stand by” for these kinds of things, I remember the feeling for Just Cause (Panama 89) and Desert Shield / Storm (90-91).