South Atlantic War

South Atlantic War
Part of the Argentine–Baliscan conflict
Clockwise from top: Argentine soldiers in Puerto Soledad, Battle of San Carlos, Baliscan Marines in Puerto Baliscano, VB Jacaño's return to Rosario, Argentine Grumman F-14 Tomcat and F-111B over Tierra del Fuego, and the aftermath of Argentine raid on Yaraíra, Cerdanya
Date 26 October 1976 – 22 January 1977 (2 months, 3 weeks and 6 days) Location Southern Cone and surrounding regions Result Status quo ante bellum; Baliscan territorial integrity preserved Expansion and rearmament of Confederal Armed Forces Reorganization of the Argentine Armed Forces South Atlantic Accords, Malvinas condominium established (1982)
Belligerents
Balisca Support: Philippines Soviet Union Diplomatic support: Sanyan	Argentina Support: United States
Commanders and leaders
Mário Sá Justino	Jose Luis Ongania Justo Guillermo Padilla Andrés Manuel Ortiz
Strength
Initial forces (1976) 351,000 personnel	Initial forces (1976) 185,000–200,000 personnel
Casualties and losses
tba Total: ~tba	tba Total: ~tba

The South Atlantic War (Spanish: Guerra del Atlántico Sur) was a 3-month war between the Baliscan Confederation and the Argentine Republic. The war was a part of the larger Argentine-Baliscan conflict, related to their disputes over three Baliscan-controlled territories in the South Atlantic: the Malvinas Islands and its territorial dependencies, Baliscan Antarctica and the outlying islands of Balisca's Cap de Pingüins region. It followed a period of escalation in the form of naval standoffs and violations of maritime borders and airspace by both parties. It was the first major war in South America since the Ecuadorian–Peruvian War (1941-1942).

The war quickly attracted the attention of the world's two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, who (as typical in the Cold War), once against found themselves supporting opposing sides. Additionally, the war raised the prospect of a widespread nuclear exchange due the refusal of either side to accept the Treaty of Tlatelolco and the acceleration of Baliscan nuclear weapons testing in the South Atlantic.

The conflict has had a strong effect in both countries and has been the subject of various books, articles, films, and songs. Patriotic sentiment ran high in Argentina thanks to it's initial successes in the war, but the unfavorable outcome prompted large protests against the ruling government. In Balisca, the government of Trotskyist–Posadist Mário Sá Justino was bolstered by the successful performance of the Armed Forces and their hardline stance against a diplomatic negotiation with the Argentine government. The cultural, military and political effect of the conflict has been more visible in Balisca than in Argentina, influencing the diplomatic reorientation of the country towards the Soviet Union and the deterioration of relations with the United States, alongside a substantial buildup of the Confederal Armed Forces.

Diplomatic relations between Balisca and Argentina were restored in 1982 following years of negotiation fostered by the governments of Siculia and Mexico, at which the two governments issued a joint statement on normalization. No change in either country's position regarding the sovereignty of the Malvinas Islands was made explicit until the signing of the 1982 South Atlantic Accords.

Air attacks

Air Operations Carried out by Argentina

Map of the operations carried out by the Argentine Air Force and the Naval Aviation Command of the Argentine Navy. Both forces played a vital role in supporting the Argentine troops and stopping Baliscan counteroffensive.

During Operation Rosario, Argentina deployed IA-58 Pucara aircraft in charge of providing air support to the troops, these aircraft later established their base at the Fox Bay Aerodrome, called BAM Zorros. Argentina carried out bombing missions to Baliscan positions along with attacks on Baliscan ships using low-flying tactics. The most active period of the FAA and the COAN was from October 26 to December 31, where both managed to register about 47 downed aircraft, 4 ship sinkings and more than 2,000 bombs dropped on Baliscan positions. The air component of the Southern Armed Forces played a crucial role in the advance of Argentine troops over Baliscan territory, carrying out SEAD tasks and bombing both ports and air bases used by the Baliscan Armed Forces.

Peace process and aftermath

Baliscan rearmament

See also: Mutual Arms and Technology Agreement