Big Time 1958
v1 Chapter 865: Anglo-American special relationship
"It was given to the Argentinian by the Chileans, not me! It seems that things have gotten a little bigger!" Shelov muttered to himself and put down the phone. If the UK can't even find out what country's missiles sank its own aircraft carrier, it will be living up to the name of the old imperialism.
I didn't feel much about Alexey's accusations of being a military blind, and they were right. He was originally a military blind.
It is conceivable that as long as the United Kingdom understands the silent distance between the Invincible aircraft carrier and Argentina, it will be able to understand that only the Soviet Union can have such a long-range anti-ship missile in the world. Moreover, the Soviet weapons are not difficult to detect. As long as you find someone to compare them, you can quickly determine that it is the Soviet Granite anti-ship missile.
Granite is the third-generation long-range anti-ship missile of the Soviet Union, a large-scale supersonic anti-ship missile propelled by a rocket ramjet. The SS-N-19 has a total length of 10.5 meters and a weight of 6.98 tons. It can be launched from a vertical launcher, with a maximum range of 500-550 kilometers and a maximum flight speed of Mach 2.5. It can be equipped with a 500kt equivalent nuclear warhead or a 750kg semi-armor-piercing high Blast the warhead. The SS-N-19 uses inertia/command correction/active radar guidance.
Depending on the weight of the warhead, the range is of course all different. For a range beyond 600 kilometers, the Argentines must have reduced the weight of the warhead, but as Alexey said, even if the battle is reduced Ministry, the granite originally used to hit the US aircraft carrier, can also sink the British light aircraft carrier HMS Invincible.
For specific intelligence, Serov still has to practice intelligence officers in Argentina. Think he still didn't do it, the British will report it, and he can save a little energy.
The sinking of the HMS Invincible had very different effects in Britain and Argentina. Just like what the Soviet Ministry of Defense said after the sinking of the destroyer Sheffield, from now on, the British Empire will not be able to get even a little bit of awe from all countries in the world, and all the newspapers in the UK will be destroyed by the HMS Invincible Shen's news is occupied.
The same is true for Argentina. Contrary to the mood of the United Kingdom, the news of the sinking of the aircraft carrier Invincible once again aroused Argentina’s fighting enthusiasm, and parades in support of the war came one after another.
Soon a doubt occupied everyone's mind, what was the invincible aircraft carrier sunk. Just as the sinking of the Sherfield made the French flying fish famous, the weapons that sank the Invincible aircraft carrier are even more expected.
"Are the Argentines sick? It's not that they don't feel bad about their own things, right?" When Serov saw the battle report, he thought that it was not Argentina, but the United States or the Soviet Union.
For an aircraft carrier Invincible, Argentina launched 16 Granite anti-ship missiles, of which seven anti-ship missiles stalled due to insufficient charge, and four failed to find their targets. Three were intercepted by the HMS Invincible, and only two were concentrated on the British HMS Invincible, but it was these two heavy anti-ship missiles that sank the few important strategic projection forces in the UK today.
"I have a heart attack. Don't mention anti-ship missiles to me. It has nothing to do with me. It was given to Argentina by Chile!" At the meeting of the Central Presidium, Serov couldn't do anything. His malaise was definitely not fake, it was definitely hollowed out.
"I didn't say that this is your responsibility, but Comrade Gromyko is very busy at the moment." Defense Minister Ustinov was not dissatisfied. Any weapon must be used in actual combat, and it can't be a good thing that you treasure, no Let the enemy see the powerful, right?
From the sinking of the British aircraft carrier HMS Invincible, that is, two days ago, the U.S. Navy's fleet monitoring the Soviet Red Navy retreated another 200 nautical miles. Obviously, the U.S. Navy has estimated from the location where the British aircraft carrier sank, the limit range of the Granite anti-ship missile. How much is it? The earlier confrontation distance was wrong, and he could not guarantee his own safety.
This kind of retreat has also been noticed by some countries. In addition, British newspapers have disclosed that Argentina has used Granite anti-ship missiles. The Granite anti-ship missiles became famous for a while, offsetting the French Flying Fish that sank the Sheffield destroyer.
In the midst of the clamor all over the world, the Soviet Union has received numerous letters of protest from the United Kingdom, as well as fierce accusations from British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, but Mrs. Thatcher did not get a little advantage from the famous Mr. Gromyko was the foreign minister of the Soviet Union, but in fact he was not a diplomat in his early years. He was highly regarded as a scholar because he studied papers, evaluated the capital export of the United States, and the economic crisis of the United States.
Therefore, Gromyko was the first among the Soviet Central Presidium to think that Serov was right. The focus on the financial industry in the United Kingdom and the United States is completely slow suicide. As long as the Soviet Union withstands the most difficult times, it will be able to draw an end to the Cold War.
Mrs Thatcher gained two sentences from Gromyko. First, this matter has nothing to do with the Soviet Union. It was given to Argentina by Chile, and the Soviet Union did not interfere. Second, Gromykoton's tirade criticized the behavior of a certain imperialist to wage war, and at the same time stated that at this time, Britain and Argentina used negotiation to solve the problem.
Negotiations? Maybe Argentina is now willing to negotiate, but the UK won't. The Falklands War has made the United Kingdom a big show in front of the world. If the island is not taken back, then the United Kingdom will be no different from losing the war. Margaret Thatcher's diplomatic advocacy for a greater British role failed at the outset.
"We can't go on like this. If we ignore the current difficult situation in the United Kingdom, the entire NATO will no longer trust us. Even Argentina makes us worry. When it really faces the Soviet Union, who would dare to let us protect it?" Reagan was firm and unequivocal. "Quickly end the war, and don't give the Soviet Union an opportunity to intervene in Latin America."
Which is more important between the UK and Argentina, is this a question of choice? The U.S. supports the U.K. not only because it will have serious consequences for U.S. strategic interests if it does not stand on the U.K.’s side. The loss of the U.S. from this close ally will make it difficult for the NATO group to maintain unity on issues such as military, economic, and diplomatic issues. much more.
The United Kingdom was an important ally of the United States against the Soviet Union in Europe, and Argentina was insignificant compared to the United Kingdom. On external issues, NATO countries are always the same, even if France has stopped Argentina's arms purchase contract.
Another reason is that Argentina dared to use force without the U.S. nodding. It really doesn’t take the U.S. seriously. America is the America of Americans. , this right belongs only to the United States itself.
If Argentina had the strength, Reagan would still consider it, but the problem is that Argentina does not. Compared with the U.S. allies in Western Europe, the U.S. allies in Latin America are very unsatisfactory, not only do they not have the relative economic advantages of Western Europe over Eastern Europe. On the contrary, in terms of per capita indicators, the allies of the United States lag behind Cuba and Chile. It is not that the enemy is too powerful, but that Latin American countries are too unsatisfactory.
After comprehensive consideration, Reagan decided to provide assistance to Britain to end the war as soon as possible. As for the dissatisfaction in Latin America, it can be solved slowly in the future. If the UK loses this battle, the impact on the confrontation in Europe will be decisive.
"Okay, to express our support for the United Kingdom, do you want the Secretary of State to go?" Vice President Bush has no objection to this matter, and normal people know how to choose between the United Kingdom and Argentina.
"I went in person, Prime Minister Thatcher was under a lot of pressure, and I had to come forward to express my support for her in person." Reagan made up his mind, and he had contact with Margaret Thatcher. From a personal point of view, this woman is very difficult to contact, even if the two are standing together in the trenches, the friendship between the two countries is only when they treat the Soviet Union.
Reagan has no choice now, such as helping Margaret Thatcher. Once the United Kingdom is defeated, he will not be able to find another ally who will fight alongside him. The French are unreliable as always, and the Germans cannot do anything in the face of the Soviet Union's high pressure. Got more.
Now Mrs Thatcher is indeed under enormous pressure, especially after the sinking of the USS Invincible, because no one knows how many Soviet anti-ship missiles there are in Argentina. The Soviets know it, but they still say that Britain is an imperialist The Soviets probably wouldn't tell them.
There has been a voice for ending the war, which believes that when a war breaks out, hostility will arise and the UK will lose the support of the international community. The foreign secretary believes that the UK should accept the document comfortably. We do not give in to each other. The draft agreement stipulates that the British task force will leave the designated area within a week and disappear completely after 15 days. This would completely deprive us of military influence over the withdrawal process. Second, the sanctions against Argentina will be lifted from the date of the signing of the agreement.
Of course, this was the day the USS Invincible was sunk, and now the United States has figured it out. Mrs Thatcher, who was in turmoil, quickly received Washington's latest attitude. The United States dispatched a fleet to help the British movement to land troops, and the ship Carry the opportunity to cover the landing of the British Expeditionary Force and seize the Falklands.
"We absolutely cannot tolerate Argentina's aggression!" Later, US President Ronald Reagan publicly expressed his position on the Falklands War on behalf of the United States for the first time, and expressed his willingness to assist Britain to end the war as soon as possible.
Then Reagan said that he would visit the UK in half a month. At the same time as Reagan made his statement, the US Continental Fleet still replenished fuel to the British task force, and mobilized a batch of steel plates to repair the British task force.
This move will definitely arouse anti-American interest in Latin America, but simply commenting on the war, "Argentina is over!"
"The next generation of Meteor anti-ship missiles is not smooth. Several launches have failed, which is very troublesome." Shelov is not concerned about Argentina's affairs. The United States intervenes. Unless aliens help Argentina, it is estimated that Argentina will surrender in a few days.