Parliament
is recalled in London from a break . In the Commons, Mrs Thatcher
addresses the house and lays out the British case and the measures that
have been taken
Below are excerpts full text of the speech can be found here:
http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/104918
''It is right, at this time of grave concern over the Falkland Islands
and their people, that Parliament should be recalled so that the
Government may report and the House may discuss the latest developments.
Our objective, endorsed by all sides of the House in recent
debates, is that the people of the Falkland Islands shall be free to
determine their own way of life and their own future. The wishes of the
islanders must be paramount. But they cannot be freely expressed, let
alone implemented, while the present illegal Argentine occupation
continues.
That is why our immediate goal in recent days has
been to secure the withdrawal of all Argentine forces in accordance with
resolution 502 of the United Nations Security Council and to secure the
restoration of British administration. Our strategy has been based on a
combination of diplomatic, military and economic pressures and I should
like to deal with each of these in turn.
First of all, we
seek a peaceful solution by diplomatic effort. This, too, is in
accordance with the Security Council resolution. In this approach we
have been helped by the widespread disapproval of the use of force which
the Argentine aggression has aroused across the world, and also by the
tireless efforts of Secretary of State Haig, who has now paid two visits
to this country and one to Buenos Aires."
"Diplomatic efforts
are more likely to succeed if they are backed by military strength. At 5
am London time on Monday 12 April, the maritime exclusion zone of 200
miles around the Falkland Islands came into effect. From that time any
Argentine warships and Argentine naval auxiliaries found within this
zone are treated as hostile and are liable to be attacked by British
forces.
We see this measure as the first step towards
achieving the withdrawal of Argentine forces. It appears to have exerted
influence on Argentina, whose navy has been concentrated outside the
zone. If the zone is challenged, we shall take that as the clearest
evidence that the search for a peaceful solution has been abandoned. We
shall then take the necessary action. Let no one doubt that.
The naval task force is proceeding with all speed towards the South
Atlantic. It is a formidable force, comprising two aircraft carriers,
five guided missile destroyers, seven frigates, an assault ship with
five landing ships, together with supporting vessels. The composition of
the force and the speed with which it was assembled and put to sea
clearly demonstrate our determination.
on board the ships in
the task force is very high. The ships and aircraft are carrying out
exercises on passage, and by the time the force arrives off the
Falklands it will be at a very high state of fighting efficiency."
13th
April 1982, the Organisation of American States, a regional caucus of
35 North and South American States that includes Argentina, issues the
following Resolution 359:
"The situation obtaining between the Republic of Argentina and the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in relation to the
Malvinas (Falkland) Islands.
Whereas: The dispute between
the Republic of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland in relation to the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands is
endangering the peace of the hemisphere, and the fundamental principles
and purposes established in the Charter of the Organization of American
States include those of strengthening the peace and security of the
continent, preventing possible causes of difficulties and ensuring the
peaceful settlement of disputes, the Permanent Council of the
Organization of American States resolves:-
(1) To express its
profound concern over the serious situation that the Republic of
Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
now face;
(2) To express its fervent hope that a rapid,
peaceful solution can be found to the disagreement between the two
nations within the context of the rules of international law;
(3) To offer its friendly cooperation in the peace efforts already under
way, in the hope of contributing in this way to a peaceful settlement
of the dispute that will avert once and for all the danger of war
between countries that deserve the respect of the international
community."
12th
April 1982 the Maritime Exclusion Zone around the Falkland Islands
comes into effect. All Argentine air and sea movement within the 200
mile zone surrounding the islands is now subject to being fired upon by
whatever British forces may be in the area
Meanwhile, the US
Secretary of State's diplomatic peace mission is in London again. During
dinner with the Prime Minister and Ministers, Haig is
summoned away for a telephone call with Argentine Foreign Minister
Costa Mendez. Costa Mendez confirms that despite some original
softening in the Argentine line towards accepting the Haig plan (Plan
involves cessation of hostilities, withdrawal of Argentine forces and a
structured handover of sovereignty over time to Argentina with joint
Argentine, UK and US Custodianship until handover is completed) Their
line has now hardened and they refuse to accept the plan unless the UK
accepts full priori Argentine sovereignty immediately
The Argentine position leaves no room for negotiation and war moves one step closer to inevitability
Diary Entry 12.04.82 Jim Rentschler, NSC Official for European Affairs, Alexander Haig Mission:
http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/114324
April
11 1982, The Nuclear Powered Swiftsure Class Hunter-Killer Submarines
HMS Splendid and HMS Spartan arrive at the Falkland Islands Maritime
Exclusion Zone
They are two of the most recently designed and
launched vessels in the taskforce, each being under three years old.
They are designed for anti-submarine warfare, specifically to detect and
sink enemy submarines. Their role will be to prevent
enemy submarines from approaching or attacking the amphibious assualt
force or the carrier force. They will also gather intelligence
On arrival Spartan has the opportunity to fire upon several Argentine
transports off Port Stanley, but is ordered not to in order to
keep the submarines' presence secret, and thus avoid alerting higher value
targets which may be in the area, such as the Veinticinco de Mayo, to their presence
HMS Spartan
HMS Splendid
10th
April 1982, US Secretary of State Alexander Haig attempts to bring
Argentina to the negotiation table. His proposals amount to a disguised
handover of sovereignty to Argentina over time and in stages to gain the
acceptance of the Islanders
The Junta refuses the proposals in
favour of their current position. General Leopold Galtieri tells Haig
'Why are you telling me this? The British will not fight'
General Leopoldo Galtieri
US Secretary of State Alexander Haig
9th April 1982, SS Canberra leaves port to join the majority of the Taskforce already sailing for Ascension
The SS Canberra was built by the famous Harland & Wolff in Belfast,
the same company that built the RMS Titanic and a slew of other famous
ships, for £17m. She was launched in 1960 and entered service with
P&O Cruises as a luxury Ocean Liner in 1961.
in 1982, as war became increasingly likely,
planners in the Admiralty began looking at ships they would need for an
amphibious operation and it became clear the Royal Navy lacked anywhere
near the number of ships it would need. In particular it lacked the
nnumber of necessary tankers, supply ships, freighters and troop
transports. P&O were contacted and informed that the Navy required
to requisition the Queen Elizabeth II and the Canberra
At the
time the Canberra was on a cruise of the Mediterranean and was heading
for Gibraltar. On arrival at Gibraltar her captain received a message
informing him that the ship had been requisitioned and he was required
to set sale immediately for Southampton
She arrived in
Southampton on 7th April where her passegers were unloaded in great
haste and refit was hastily undertaken to prepare her for war. This was
completed in only two days and the ship then onloaded the bulk of 3
Commando Brigade and 2 Para (elements of 3 Commando Brigade including
Commando Logistics Regt had already sailed on the RFA Sir Lancelot on
6th April)
The QE2 was considered too vulnerable to enter the
war zone itself and would remain outside the Total Exclusion Zone, but
the Canberra would be right at the heart of the Amphibious phase of the
operation anchored in San Carlos water. After unloading her troops she
would act as a hospital ship during hostilities and afterwards would be
used to repatriate many of the 10,000 Argentine prisoners
Picture is the Canberra in more peaceful times
8th
April 1982, US Secretary of State Alexander Haig arrives in London on
his mission of shuttle diplomacy to find a last minute peaceful
resolution to the conflict
Mrs Thatcher admits that the idea of
a mediated solution was not seriously considered as possible when the
news of the invasion was received. American documents reveal the role of
minister Francis Pym in convincing her to put the possibility
of peaceful resolution ahead of military action. The British government
agrees to go to the negotiating table if Argentina agrees
Meanwhile the bulk of the Taskforce continues on its voyage to Ascension
Island whilst further ships leave port and take on full speed for the
rendezvous in the Atlantic before heading south west to the MEZ
