Una questione dannatamente combattuta: breve storia del conflitto delle Isole Falkland

by Russell Phillips, Elisa Brambilla (Translator)

“Fu una questione dannatamente combattuta”
— Maggior Generale Moore, comandante delle forze di terra britanniche nell’Atlantico del Sud

Nel 1982, il cittadino britannico medio non era a conoscenza dell’esistenza delle isole Falkland, per non parlare del loro status di territorio britannico non lontano dalle coste argentine al centro di una disputa. Questo cambiò nel momento in cui gli argentini invasero le isole e annientarono la piccolo forza di difesa. Entrambe le nazioni dichiararono la propria sovranità sulle isole e gli argentini credevano che i britannici si sarebbero arresi senza combattere.

Si sbagliavano.

Il Regno Unito inviò una task force nell’Atlantico del Sud per riprendere possesso delle isole e la breve ma intense Guerra che seguì fu, con le parole del Maggior Generale Moore, “una questione dannatamente combattuta”.

Questa breve cronologia riassume gli eventi che hanno portato alla guerra e le operazioni militari rilevanti, inclusi dettagli quali un piano degli argentini per affondare una nave della Royal Navy nel porto di Gibilterra (sventato all’ultimo momento dalla polizia spagnola) e un audace piano britannico per far arrivare soldati SAS in Argentina per distruggere velivoli contenenti missili Exocet mentre si trovavano ancora al suolo.

Genres: Nonfiction, Military Fiction, History, British Literature

ebook

First published September 12, 2011

About the author

Russell Phillips writes military history and RPG books. Born and brought up in a mining village in South Yorkshire, they have lived and worked in South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Cumbria and Staffordshire. Russell has always had a deep interest in history and conflicts all over the world, and enjoys sharing their knowledge with others through clear, factual accounts which shine a light on events of the past.

Their articles have been published in Miniature Wargames, Wargames Illustrated, The Wargames Website, and the Society of Twentieth Century Wargamers' Journal. They have been interviewed on WW2TV, BBC Radio Stoke, The WW2 Podcast, and Cold War Conversations. They currently live in Stoke-on-Trent with their wife and two children.

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit sketchy and disjointed, but generally an adequate history of the 1982 Falklands war. Author Russell Phillips doesn't go into much background about the pre-war history of the archipelago and what the real issues of the war were both from the Argentine Junta's side and from Margaret Thatcher's side.

A Damn Close-Run Thing: A Brief History of the Falklands War is a quick read which gets increasingly scattered once the ground fighting begins. There is no real strategic vision, and the fighting just moves from one locale to another.

Two facts stick in my memory: After the surrender, Argentine officers were allowed to keep their side-arms for fear of getting lynched by their men; and the 15,000 mines laid by the Argentinians were a boon for nesting penguins because, while they were too light to set off explosions, their predators were not.

[Steve Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know much about the Falklands War, and this provided a good overview of the conflict. I learned much. I didn't realize so many lost their lives, and that Argentine agents attempted to hit a British ship in Gibraltar. Russell Phillips writes straightforward narratives that convey a lot of information concisely. You can trust their accuracy. As a historical fiction author looking for topics to research, I rely on articles such as these to point me in the right direction. I look forward to more.

[Glenn Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

In honor of the 30th anniversary of the Falklands Conflict, I'm reviewing A Damn Close Run Thing: A Brief History of the Falklands Conflict, by UK author and military historian Russell Phillips. Available for Amazon Kindle via Amazon.com and in other eBook formats via Smashwords.com, the book is approximately 55 pages or 11000 words, and as a result makes a relatively quick read.

A Damn Close Run Thing provides an excellent overview of the Falklands War from the strategic and political setting prior to the war, through the Argentine invasion itself, the early British mobilization and reconnaissance, through the initial naval campaign to the multiple ground battles that ultimately liberated the island. Phillips concludes with a view of the political situation in the aftermath of the war to include relations today.

The book is quite comprehensive in its coverage of major events. Though I've read several more detailed histories of the Falklands Campaign, I don't recall previously reading of several of the covert operations that Phillips details -- an Argentine plot to attack British ships in Spain, for example, and British plans to attack the Argentine Super Etendard bases on the mainland. The summary of each action is separated into chapters and is readily accessible to both the lay reader and student of military history.

The Falkands Conflict is significant for students of military history as it represents the most recent true combined air, land, and sea conflict in modern warfare and illustrates the significant challenges of projecting power far from home. It is also an example that shows that even in today's irregular and asymmetric warfare that two combatants can conduct themselves professionally in accordance with teh Laws of War -- Phillips cites instances where Argentine commanders cited their British counterparts for heroism.

I'd rate the book at 4 of 5 stars -- because of the many linked battles, I feel the book could be improved somewhat by the inclusion of either a map or timeline of events to put the many actions into relative context.

I would recommend this book to both casual readers of military history and serious students who have not previously been exposed to the Falklands Conflict. For the serious military historian, A Damn Close Run Thing is an excellent stage-setter for more detailed analysis; I recommend following this book up with Max Hastings' and Simon Jenkins' superb The Battle for the Falklands for diving into significantly greater tactical detail. For readers interested in following up with soldier stories written at a more personal level, I recommend -- if you can find it, as it is out of print -- Robert and John Lawrence's When the Fighting is Over: A Personal Story of the Battle of Tumbledown Mountain and its Aftermath.

Enjoy A Damn Close Run Thing, and remember to keep both British and Argentine verterans of that conflict in your thoughts on this anniversary.

[Nathan Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone with an interest in the Falklands Islands [1], and who is slightly familiar with the writings of its author [2], this book does what it sets out to do. It is a brief history, without a great deal of analysis, and only implicit critique, and largely contents itself to write a factual account of various operations and encounters during the war, providing a discussion of tactics (with no images), some quotes, and enough information for others to create their own analysis of the various operations. For example, the account is detailed enough to demonstrate that the United Kingdom was seeking to defend its claim to the Falklands and restore control on the cheap, and that tacit American and Chilean support was critical in this end. It is also clear that although the Argentines had a great deal of advantages, not least of which is being closer to the Falklands than the United Kingdom, the lack of morale among many Argentine troops when it became obvious that the British were fighting in earnest contributed greatly to Britain’s victory in the war. Speaking of British earnestness, it appears that Argentina’s initial invasion was done in part to bolster flagging approval of the military junta and in part because Argentina sensed weakness in the British behavior in the months and years leading up to the invasion. That said, the British effort, while at first threatening the legitimacy of its political leadership, ended up making Thatcher’s government much more successful in the following elections.

In terms of its organization, the book is written in a strictly chronological fashion, with a page (or two) devoted to every operation. Despite the brevity of the book as a whole, the coverage in terms of the operations covered is both complete and of great interest. For example, of a minor engagement at Bluff Cove, the author writes: “Elements of 2 Para had occupied Fitzroy and Bluff Cove, southeast of Stanley, once it was confirmed that there were no Argentinian forces in the area. On the 7th and 8th of June, the Welsh Guards sailed in RFA Sir Tristram and Sir Galahad from San Carlos to Fitzroy and Bluff Cove. Three waves of Argentinian aircraft attacked on the afternoon of the 8th. Three Argentinian aircraft were shot down, with a fourth damaged, but they managed to successfully bomb both RFA Sir Tristram and Sir Galahad. Both ships caught fire and had to be abandoned, at a cost of 56 dead and 150 wounded. RFA Sir Tristram was recovered to the UK and repaired, while RFA Sir Galahad was towed out to sea and sunk as a war grave by HMS Onyx on the 25th of June.” The author depends on the reader having enough context in reading to note that the 2 Para refers to the 2nd Paratroopers Regiment, for example. A reader who is prepared to note the regiment and company names, though, would be able to mentally reconstruct the battles with the information that is given, though.

It is important to at least comment briefly on the unfortunate title of this book. Although I must admit to have a history of reading books with unfortunate titles, in this case the title comes from a quote from a British military leader, whose statement is accurate. The British suffered heavily in terms of their limited war material as well as in casualties in bringing their forces to bear in the Falklands Islands. Additional losses in time and men and material took place because of the political need for interim victories that went against the soundest military practice of seeking to go after the capital first and then mop up any remaining resistance. That said, if the British were hampered by not having a robust military after the long imperial decline by the time the Falklands War came around, the Argentines were even more hindered as a result of the massive political disconnect between the military leaders and the troops that made the ground forces. In general as well, the gentlemanly treatment given to both the British and Argentine soldiers after their surrenders at the beginning and end of the war, respectively, speaks to the fact that although feelings were harsh between the two nations over the control of the islands and to what extent the wishes of the local inhabitants should be respected, and here I side with the British in believing that the wishes of the local residents is decisive, both sides fought the war in a humane if serious fashion. It should also be noted that the book gives attention to the conduct of the war in South Georgia as well as the abortive commando raids in both Gibraltar and the Tierra Del Fuego. The book almost makes one do a walking tour of the Falklands Islands, if one can avoid the minefields that still remain there.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

[2] https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

[3] Russell Phillips. A Damn Close-Run Thing: A Brief History of the Falklands War (Kindle Locations 355-360). Shilka Publishing.

[Zoe Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Falklands War has been a topic of interest for me for many years and never have I read a more clear and succinct description of the events involved than in this book. Well done, Mr Phillips!

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very in-depth account of the facts of the war, but one that did not go into too much explanatory depth; it gave the “who” and “what” of the war, but lacked in the “why” department.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear and concise

The book lays out the context for the war, and then walks through every phase of it with full details and events. I learned a lot!

[Perry Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief history of the Falklands conflict By Russell Phillips and read by Phillip J Mather. 
This book is less than two hours in audio form and having a map and a notebook is suggested by this reviewer before listening to gain the most enjoyment from this very detailed book.

I was in High School myself during this conflict and remember well the United States Media take on this conflict. The Falklands Conflict and the United States own Grenada Incident were the last two major conflicts before the Intetnet.

Although this story tells of the BBC reporting troop readiness and thus alerting Argentina to an upcoming assault it is nothing like CNN on the beaches in the Middle East during the first gulf war.

This audiobook takes you through each major and minor battle from both the United Kingdoms and Argentinas archives. The book describes soldiers acts of valor, of faulty equipment, ships being sunk for the first time since World War II, and the interaction of both countries allies as they work to procure and contain modern missile disemenation.

The fact that 13 kilometers are still mined in the Falklands was amazing but more so the environmental impact of the minefields creating a safe Penguin habitat safe from humans.

Again this book is full of facts, and as usual the winner writes the history. Argentina continues to this day to peacefully have diologue with the UK but as more and more Oil Platforms go up in the south Atlantic the UK is less and less likely to conseed any of the Falkland Islands back to Argentina.