The Falklands War: What Actually HappenedThis section of the website details what events occurred in the Falklands War and why they happened. The timeline on the right should be useful to place events in chronological order. HMS Coventry sinking
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Timeline2nd April - Argentina invades the Falklands - British cabinet approves sending a Task Force to the South Atlantic 3rd April - UN passes Resolution 502 demanding Argentine withdrawal 5th April - Task Force leaves Britain 9th April - 3 Commando Brigade sail aboard Canberra, a converted cruise ship - Sanctions against Argentina are approved and introduced 12th April - Maritime 200 mile exclusion zone introduced around the Falkland Islands by the British 14th April - Argentinean fleet leaves Puerto Belgrano to engage the Task Force 15th April - British Task Force takes up positions in the Mid Atlantic 18th April - Argentina's aircraft carrier returns to port with engine trouble 21st April - Britain begins recapture of South Georgia 24th April - British Task Force is now at full strength (100+ ships) 25th April - South Georgia recaptured by British soldiers 29th April - Task Force arrives at the exclusion zone. Vulcan bombers preparing for Black Buck Raids arrive at Ascension Island 30th April - Total exclusion zone put into force - President Raigen declares US support to Britain, promising 'martial aid' 1st May - Initial SAS (Special Air Service) and SBS (Special Boat Service) landings on the Falklands - First Black Buck raid on Port Stanley airport - Sea Harrier raids and naval bombardment 2nd May - ARA Belgrano sunk on orders of War Cabinet, killing 323 - Peace negotiations begin in New York, supervised by the UN 3rd May - Argentine patrol boats repeatedly attacked by Task Force. - Galtieri rejects peace plans citing the sinking of the Belgrano 4th May - HMS Sheffield sunk - First Sea Harrier shot down 5th May - British War Cabinet approve the UN peace plans 6th May - Military Junta rejects peace plans for a second time 8th May - British Task Force has secured sufficient territory to send the landing forces 12th May - Queen Elizabeth 2 leaves Southampton with 5 Brigade 18th May - San Carlos landing plan goes to full cabinet - Landing party regroups with Admiral Woodward's Task Force |
19th May - War Cabinet gives Woodward the go ahead for landing
20th May - Thatcher informs Houses of Parliament that peace talks have failed 21st May - Landings at San Carlos begin - HMS Ardent sunk - 16 Argentine aircraft lost 23rd May - 7 Argentine aircraft lost 24th May - HMS Antelope sunk 25th May - HMS Coventry and the Atlantic Conveyer (a supply ship) sunk 26th May - War Cabinet questions the lack of movement out of the San Carlos bridgehead 27th May - SAS set out in strength to assault Mount Kent - 2 Para set out for an assault on Goose Green 28th May - Battle on Goose Green won by British 31st May - 42 Commando begin attack on Mount Kent 2nd June - 2 Para leapfrog 42 Commando to attack Bluff Cove - Argentine military envoys arrive at the UN in preparation to surrender 6th June - Scots Guard land at Fitzroy with the Welsh Guards close behind 8th June - HMS Gallahad and HMS Tristram bombed landing troops. 51 died. 11th June - British advance towards Port Stanley begins - Assault of Mount Longdon - Assault of Mount Harriet - Assault of Two Sisters 13th June - Battle of Tumbledown - Battle for Wireless Ridge 14th June - Argentine surrender at Port Stanley |