ABSTRACT
The British view up to 21 April was that Argentina had neither reinforced the garrison nor detected the Task Group. There was fluctuating intelligence on the strength of the Argentine Garrison in South Georgia. As American sources warned of from 100 to 200 Argentine naval infantry, a Chilean report suggested that the Argentines had evacuated all military and civilian personnel from South Georgia. These reports were all treated with reserve. The British stuck to their view that the 50 Argentine Marines known to have landed at the start of hostilities were still there. Another 20 might be at Leith, along with some 15 ‘scrap metal workers’. On balance, it seemed unlikely that Argentine commanders would judge that they had spare resources, particularly naval, to devote to the defence of this remote acquisition and also that they would make much effort to contest any reoccupation by the United Kingdom. A landing at Grytviken might be stiffly defended but not ‘to the death’ if confronted by superior forces. Argentine press reports that its South Georgia garrison was as large as 350 were dismissed.
