The rise of a great power: starting with military industry

Chapter 270: Opportunity to Enter South America (asking for monthly ticket)
Previously, production capacity was limited and the products could only be delivered to troops and exported to the Middle East.

But it’s different now. The production capacity of the southwest weapons industry is already more than sufficient.

In terms of firearms, there is a huge surplus.

According to the current situation, all the troops will be re-equipped when they are transferred to Tianzhu Mountain for training, which means that one division will be re-equipped in about a month.

This speed of equipment replacement is totally unable to keep up with the production speed of the Southwest Ordnance Industry, so that the warehouses are now almost full.

As for exports to the Middle East, all previous orders have been delivered, leaving only tanks, self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, "Vanguard" air defense missiles, and anti-tank missiles, which have to be delivered twice a year.

These guns are also suitable for export to South America.

I couldn’t find the opportunity before, but now it has come!

This opportunity is the Falklands War!
One of the root causes of the Falklands War was that Argentina, which was in deep economic and debt crisis, took the initiative to instigate the war in order to divert conflicts.

And there is no doubt that this is a good time, because at this time, not only the United States is in trouble with high inflation, but the United Kingdom is also in an economic crisis.

Unfortunately, Galtieri did not think about this. He felt that Britain was in an economic crisis and had no energy to care about things thousands of miles away. This was a good opportunity for him to divert conflicts. However, he forgot that the more there is a lack of bread and circuses, the more politicians need foreign victories to boost confidence. This is also what the British Prime Minister and the ruling party need in order to save their rule.

It can be said that the Falklands War was both accidental and historically inevitable.

In 1981, Argentina's inflation rate reached 600%, and its GDP fell by 11.4%. Trade unions launched a major strike in the country, and the rule of the Galtieri military government was in jeopardy.

During the same period, the British economy was not doing well. After Mrs. Thatcher came to power, she adopted neoliberal policies, drastically cut welfare, and suppressed trade unions. In 1980, inflation reached 18% and unemployment reached 12%. Although the situation improved in 1981, the unemployment rate and inflation rate still exceeded 10%, and the real GDP fell by 2.2%. Mrs. Thatcher's comrades were not stable, and the forces opposing her were very strong. The people were very dissatisfied and resentful of her.

Regarding the Falkland Islands, it is said that before the war broke out, it was Britain's established policy to abandon the Falkland Islands and return them to Argentina.

Because in 1965, when the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 2065, it urged Britain and Argentina to jointly seek a peaceful solution that was in line with the UN Charter and the interests of the islanders, and Britain also showed a positive attitude at the time. In 1981, Britain passed the British Nationality Act, which clearly stated that the residents of the Falkland Islands were not British residents.

By now, the British South Atlantic Fleet has been completely disbanded, with only an icebreaker named "Endurance" and two hundred soldiers left on the Falkland Islands. Even these soldiers are probably still discussing whether to withdraw them back to the country.

It can be said that at this point, the UK does not want the Falkland Islands anymore, and the two sides have reached a consensus on "determining a timetable agreed by both parties for the eventual return of the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands to Argentina." What remains is how to return the Falkland Islands to Argentina!
Of course, this island is not very important to the UK, but as the former world hegemon and now one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, the UK always has to win something to restore the confidence of its people.

So now the British have proposed a plan called "sale and leaseback", which is to hand over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands to Argentina, and then the islanders will lease the governance of the Falkland Islands back from Argentina for 99 years. During this period, the islanders can choose to immigrate to the UK. If they do not leave at the expiration date, they will be deemed to have recognized Argentina's sovereignty.

Isn’t this a familiar recipe?!

The British also want to apply this approach to Hong Kong, that is, the separation of sovereignty and governance!
But Argentina was not willing to accept a 99-year lease at all, and they would only accept a 10-year lease at most.

The relationship between the two sides has become tense and they have been engaged in a war of words.

"Hmph, the British!" Liu Tao snorted in his heart, a cold look flashed in his eyes.

The First Opium War and the Second Opium War were both caused by the British.

Even when the Eight-Nation Alliance invaded the capital, it was the British who took the lead!
This is a shame engraved on all British people. This time he wants to let the British have a taste of his power.

No. 11, Sanlitun East th Street.

This is the Embassy of Argentina in China.

The two sides officially established diplomatic relations on February 1972, 2. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Liu Tao left the China North Industries Corporation and came here, just in time to encounter the commemorative activities for the tenth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two sides.

The so-called commemorative activities are nothing more than some activities held by both sides, such as lectures and speeches.

Half an hour later, Liu Tao finally met the person in charge, 'Martino', who was a middle-aged man of about fifty years old.

Hearing Liu Tao's intention, Martino laughed and said, "Mr. Liu Tao, first of all, I am very grateful for your intention, but war is impossible to break out. The British are no longer the British of decades ago. Now Britain is no longer the world hegemony, not the empire on which the sun never sets. They can't come to compete with us for a desolate island across 13000 kilometers."

Liu Tao smiled when he heard this.

Today's Britain is indeed no longer the world hegemon of the "Empire on which the Sun Never Sets", and in the eyes of some people it has become a small fry.

But what was even funnier in his mind was the Argentines' naive thinking, that they actually held such an idea.

If you want to take back the Falkland Islands, you should make the most unfavorable preparations and be fully prepared for war.

As a result, they all thought that the British would definitely not go to war with them. This naive and stupid idea made it normal for them to lose the Falklands War.

"And, to be honest, you Chinese are too poor and backward. Your weapons and equipment are very backward, even worse than ours. But we have aircraft carriers." Martino spoke with some condescension.

Liu Tao was not angry either. The impression given by China now was that it was poor and backward!
After all, according to published data, the per capita GDP of China is US$270, less than one-tenth of Argentina's.

Argentina is indeed worthy of pride. Even though they have been slowly declining since the 30s, they are still the tenth largest economy in the world, and their per capita GDP has still reached US$2760!

China's navy is completely incompetent, but Argentina's navy has aircraft carriers. It can even be said that Argentina's naval strength far exceeds that of China's navy.

Even though the world's third largest military power was beaten badly by the "Red Dragon's Roar", outsiders' views on China are still deeply rooted.

This view can only be changed if there is a real in-depth communication.

At least Iran, Iraq, Libya, Saudi Arabia and other countries will not think that China is poor and backward. They may think that China is crazy poor, but its weapons and equipment are easy to use.

At least in terms of cost-effectiveness, it is very pleasing, and everyone who has used it has spoken highly of it.

(End of this chapter)