Tomorrow, October 24th, at 6:00 PM, at the Royal Bookstore (San Martin 945) in Comodoro Rivadavia, the book "Georgias: The Secret History" will be presented. This work is co-written by Malvinas War Veterans (VGM) Captain (RE) Roberto Giusti and Sergeant Major (RE) Víctor Ibáñez . The event, organized by the General Enrique Mosconi Federal Shooting Range (TFGM) and the Union of Veterans of the Malvinas, Georgias and the South Atlantic Islands in Comodoro Rivadavia, has the support of the municipal Secretariat of Culture , the UNPSJB (National Union of Military Personnel), and the provincial Ministry of Education.

This book delves into an often overlooked passage from the 1982 conflict: the Battle of Grytviken in the South Georgia Islands . The advance release from the Ministry of Culture highlights that the work offers a detailed and critical look at the episode, which was initially presented by official Argentine propaganda as a victory, a narrative that time and events have proven to be "a falsehood" concocted to bolster public morale.

Captain Giusti , one of the authors, will actively participate in the event, which includes an academic activity in university lecture halls and a meeting with history professors, in addition to the keynote presentation and book signing.

Georgia's Legacy: A Call to Leadership and National Virtue

The essence of “Georgias: The Secret History” transcends the military narrative. According to the organizers, the work is “instructive,” seeking to evoke the marines' sense of duty and conviction as a counterpoint to the “tragic Argentine decline.”

The promotional material criticizes the country for forgetting the legacy of these combatants, contrasting it with the spirit of those soldiers who, guided by values, faced the enemy. The promoters cite the Spanish Golden Age aphorism, "Without virtue there is no empire," suggesting that the lack of solid principles has led to decadence. The book is presented as a challenge to current leadership, seeking inspiration from the testimony of veterans to restore cohesion and a vision for the future in national leadership.

The Battle of the Georgias: Facts, Myths and Controversies

The Battle of South Georgia was an engagement that took place early in the Malvinas War in April 1982. The initial capture by Argentine forces, known as Operation Georgias , occurred on 3 April 1982, with the Battle of Grytviken resulting in the surrender of the small British garrison. Days later, on 25 April, British forces carried out Operation Paraquet and recaptured the islands.

The main controversy relates to the incident that preceded it: a group of Argentine civilian workers had traveled to Port Leith in March 1982 to dismantle an old whaling factory under contract. The British report that an Argentine flag had been raised and shots fired in the air escalated diplomatic tensions. Argentina initially denied the presence of military infiltrators, although other sources suggest the incident may have been part of a covert Argentine military operation.

The Astiz Controversy and the Santa Fe Submarine

A focus of historical dispute is the participation of then-Navy Lieutenant Alfredo Ignacio Astiz , sent to lead a commando group called "Los Lagartos." On April 25, 1982, after being surrounded and attacked, Astiz laid down his arms and signed the surrender in Port Leith. His action was highly criticized and characterized as cowardice, with testimonies and the subsequent Rattenbach Commission suggesting that he surrendered without putting up a proper fight. Astiz's case was further complicated by his status as a known ESMA repressor. When he was taken prisoner, France and Sweden requested his extradition for crimes against humanity. The United Kingdom returned him to Argentina at the end of the war.

During Operation Georgias (the initial Argentine takeover), on April 3, three Argentine casualties occurred in the Battle of Grytviken . The most famous and tragic case of surrender is that of First Petty Officer, Naval Engineer, Félix Artuso , a crew member of the submarine ARA " Santa Fe ."

The submarine ARA Santa Fe played a crucial role, and on its last mission was attacked on April 25, 1982, by British helicopters near Cumberland Bay . Despite severe damage, it managed to return and moor in Grytviken, an action that the ship's commander, Horacio Bicain, described as a "heroic feat." After the surrender, while the submarine was moored, a British marine shot and killed Petty Officer Félix Artuso in Grytviken . The circumstances of his death are controversial (some speak of a "tragic error" or an assassination), and Artuso was elevated to the rank of war hero and is the only Argentine combatant buried in South Georgia .

Current Events and Geopolitical Claim

Currently, South Georgia Islands, along with the South Sandwich Islands, are usurped by the United Kingdom of Great Britain, which considers it a British Overseas Territory .

Argentina has never ceased to uphold the sovereignty of the archipelagos, claiming their belonging as an integral part of the province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica, and the South Atlantic Islands.