“The Argentine Navy on the other hand were dreadful cowards and fled the scene back to base after losing the Belgrano, leaving the sea to the British and forcing the Argentine pilots to operate from mainland bases 800 miles from the battlefield.”
This is where technology made all the difference. The Argentine navy was essentially ready to fight a World War Two style battle. The Brits had deployed a nuclear sub that had the capability of sinking the entire navy. The Argentinians understood that and chose not to sacrifice the men and ships for nothing. The air force was modern.
“The Argentinians understood that and chose not to sacrifice the men and ships for nothing”.
Yes, that’s true, but with all the macho-Latino nonsense of the Argentines their navy should have stood their ground and gone down fighting if necessary.
This was the fight they had been preparing for for their entire history, if not now then when? The hated Ingleses were in their sovereign waters trying to recapture the beloved Malvinas, this was the time to prove that all their death-or-glory rhetoric meant something.
Turns out it meant nothing, they retreated back to base in the face of the enemy, to protect their clapped out aircraft carrier, which could actually have done some damage to the Brits if someone with cojones was in charge, and if it was sunk in the process then so be it, a glorious way to go.
But no, the navy after 10 years of raping and torturing left-wing students and stealing babies from pregnant women who were then murdered hadn’t the guts or bravery to fight a real war, they left it to the air force, a more courageous and honourable service, who sacrificed men and planes in the national cause.
There is no excuse for how the Argentine navy behaved, they were a disgraceful bunch, who deserve nothing other than contempt.