Is there any way that the reagan admin could've openly supported the Thatcher govt in retaking the Falklands by deploying a USN carrier battle group ?
USN supports British taskforce to retake Falklands 1982
- Thread starter Melvin Loh
- Start date
Didn't the US offer military support and we (The Mighty British Empire) refuse?
No, we took ALL of the latest sidewinders.
But I seem to recall reading that USS Nimitz and USS Forrestal were on standby to back up the British forces retaking the Falklands, if the Brits needed the help.
The U.S. DID support the UK, although in a very hush-hush manner at the time.
The U.S. gave the British unlimited access to KH-11 intell, including real-time. It wasn't as helpful as it might have been thanks to the weather, but being able to watch the enemy at least 40% of the time, and listen to him around 80% of the time, was quite the advantage.
The U.S. gave the British unlimited access to KH-11 intell, including real-time. It wasn't as helpful as it might have been thanks to the weather, but being able to watch the enemy at least 40% of the time, and listen to him around 80% of the time, was quite the advantage.
They were actually ours, the first purchases of the latest model, but they were earmarked for NATO warstocks (not to be opened unless WW3) and we could only nab them because the US and A replaced them immediately from their own arsenal.
The US did help with access to satellite communications and intelligence.
As to the question: only acceptable if needed to stop the RN - and through that, NATO - from being severely weakened through loss of numerous major vessels. Be a bit more than embarassing for the PM to have to ask for direct US help.
Wasn't exactly hush-hush, CalBear, but you had to be involved..
Much was done by Brits calling up people in the states they'd served with or known through NATO, and stuff getting done over the telephone...no awkward bits of paper trail that way....