Despite the determination of the Thatcher government to fight for the islands a successful outcome for Britain was by no means certain.
The UK’s armed forces would be fighting 8,000 miles from home.
The nearest airfields at Britain's disposal were on Ascension island, a barren volcanic rock more than 3,000 miles from the Falklands.
Without covert US aid in logistics and intelligence the British may have found the task beyond them.
The Argentineans used the lull between the invasion and the approach of the British battle group to dig-in and reinforce their positions.
On 7 April the British set up a 200-mile military exclusion zone around the Falklands - it came into force on the 12 April. Keen to keep up momentum and provide an early success the British re-took South Georgia on 25 April.
Only one Argentinean was killed and there were no British casualties. The operation was a complete success, although it had skirted on the edge of disaster. British special forces had faced being trapped on a glacier as two helicopters sent to rescue them both crashed during horrendous weather conditions.
UN peace talks continued as the British pushed their military campaign forward. On 1 May they began air raids over Argentine positions around the Falklands capital, Stanley.
