May 21: Anniversary of Operation Sutton of Britain against Argentina in the Falklands Islands leading to a British amphibious assault that begins the Battle of San Carlos in 1982.

Low-flying land-based Argentine jet aircraft made repeated attacks on ships of the British Task Force. Argentines sank the British ship HMS Antelope.

The War of the Malvinas (Falkland Islands) between Argentina and The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland began Friday April 2, 1982, with the occupation of Argentine troops to the islands. During the night of May 21, an Amphibious Task Group, under “Operation Sutton”, landed on the beaches of San Carlos Water, on the western coast of East Falkland Islands and facing the Falkland Sound.

Movements of the English fleet to the Falklands and South Georgia.

Argentina claimed that “Las Malvinas” (Falklands), South Georgia, and the Sandwich Islands belong to Argentina since the nineteenth century. The resulting conflict lasted 74 days and ended with the surrender of Argentina on June 14, 1982, which returned the islands to British control.

Map showing the route from San Carlos to Stanley.

In late March 1981, there was the transfer of power between Argentinian general Jorge R. Videla and Roberto E. Viola. In 1976 there was a military coup, and since then, a Military Board ruled the country. In December 1981 there were changes with new military Board headed by General Leopoldo Galtieri, amid civil strife and a devastating economic crisis.

Añadir leBritish troops landed on the Falklands on 21 May 1982. From their beachhead in San Carlos they fought and marched their way across the islands, reaching the capital Stanley on 14 June.

Admiral Jorge Anaya, a member of the Board, was the designer of the war to motivate nationalism and weaken attention to the economic, political, and social situation. It seems that the Military Board, in his despair, underestimated the reaction of Britain.

Argentinian forces hand over their weapons near Port Stanley following their surrender.

But the "Iron Lady" and head of the British Government, Margaret Thatcher, responded by sending naval and air forces to regain territory which managed to make Argentina to surrender. During the conflict, 649 Argentinean soldiers, and 255 British servicemen and 3 islanders died.

Argentine prisoners of war - Port Stanley. 17th June 1982

The “know-it-all”, believe that the islands belong to Britain legally, but morally and geographically, to Argentina.

Margareth Thatcher's boys: Visiting troops in the Falklands in 1983