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On 2 April 1982, after an incident between British Royal Marines Commandos and Argentine scrap-metal workers and protecting Special Forces on South Georgia, Argentina invaded the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, a remote British colony in the South Atlantic. The Argentinian amphibious operation, [[Operación Rosario]], led to a brief, but bitter war.

On 2 April 1982, after an incident between British Royal Marines Commandos and Argentine scrap-metal workers and protecting Special Forces on South Georgia, [[Argentina]] invaded the [[Falkland Islands|Falkland]]/Malvinas Islands, a remote [[United Kingdom|British]] colony in the South [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]]. The Argentinian amphibious operation, [[Operación Rosario]], led to a brief, but bitter war.

==Background==

==Background==

Argentina's military junta under [[Lieutenant-General Leopoldo Fortunato Galtieri]] hoped to restore its support at a time of economic crisis and world wide condemnation because of the [[Dirty War]] and the mass disappearances of left-wing radicals, by reclaiming sovereignty of the islands. Argentina claimed to have had inherited the ''"Islas Malvinas"'' from Spain in 1810 and they were close to the Argentinian continental shelf.  

Argentina's military junta under [[Lieutenant-General Leopoldo Fortunato Galtieri]] hoped to restore its support at a time of economic crisis and world wide condemnation because of the [[Dirty War]] and the mass disappearances of left-wing radicals, by reclaiming sovereignty of the islands. Argentina claimed to have had inherited the ''"Islas Malvinas"'' from Spain in 1810 and they were close to the Argentinian continental shelf.  

The British garrison under Major Mike Norman (Naval Party 8901/NP8901) and the supporting local militia (Falklands Islands Defence Force/FIDF) under Major Phil Sommers resisted, however the Argentinian 2nd Marine Infantry Battalion had captured the capital at Port Stanley. The next day, Argentine Marines from the 1st Marine Infantry Battalion also landed on South Georgia and quickly secured the island.

The British garrison under Major Mike Norman (Naval Party 8901/NP8901) and the supporting local militia (Falklands Islands Defence Force/FIDF) under Major Phil Sommers resisted, however, the Argentinian 2nd Marine Infantry Battalion had captured the capital at Port Stanley. The next day, Argentine Marines from the 1st Marine Infantry Battalion also landed on South Georgia and quickly secured the island.

The British authorities, which had ruled the islands for 150 years, chose to fight. British Prime Minister [[Margaret Thatcher]] said the 1,800 Falklanders were ''"of British tradition and stock"''. A naval task force was sent to reclaim the islands, 8,000 miles away.

The British authorities, which had ruled the islands for 150 years, chose to fight. British Prime Minister [[Margaret Thatcher]] said the 1,800 Falklanders were ''"of British tradition and stock"''. A naval task force was sent to reclaim the islands, 8,000 miles away.