Argentina Planned Massacre of 500 Brits, US Staff Before Falklands War

Newly uncovered CIA documents reveal that Argentina, under dictator General Leopoldo Galtieri, planned to 'disappear' approximately 500 British citizens and over 100 US embassy staff in Argentina on the eve of the Falklands War in April 1982. The Argentine military, specifically the 601st Intelligence Battalion, prepared contingency plans to carry out these kidnappings and likely killings, intending to blame the atrocities on the Argentine terrorist group Montoneros. These plans emerged shortly after Argentina invaded the Falklands and were detailed in files declassified in 2018 but remained unknown to the public until historian Ricky D. Phillips discovered them while researching for a new book. Phillips likened the planned massacre to a Kristallnacht-like event, referencing the Nazi pogrom against Jews during World War II. The documents also suggest that the US government's hesitance to immediately support Britain may have been influenced by the need to evacuate potential victims in Argentina. This chilling revelation sheds new light on the brutal strategies considered during the Falklands conflict and Argentina's readiness for violent escalation against civilians linked to the dispute.