April 2nd
At midnight Argentina puts Operation Rosario into action by bringing ships into position off the Islands. Governor Hunt declares a State of Emergency at 3.25am.
Argentine special forces land at Mullet Creek at 4.30am, more troops land at York Bay at 5.30am, and by 6am are engaged in battle with the Royal Marines - 3 Argentines are killed.
The main Argentine landing force begins disembarking at Stanley at 8am, by which time the airstrip is cleared and the 25th Regiment flies in. Governor Hunt orders the surrender at 9.15am - by now the whole town other than Government House is under Argentine control. Galtieri hails the 'recovery of the Malvinas', saying Argentina had been left no option other than military action, while Carrington tells Parliament "Port Stanley is now occupied by Argentine military forces".
During the afternoon Governor Hunt (dressed in full regalia), other Foreign Office officials and the captured Royal Marines are forcibly evacuated by the Argentines to Montevideo. The islands and Port Stanley are 'renamed' Islas Malvinas and Puerto Argentino respectively.
Royal Marines on South Georgia attack the Argentine forces at 12.30pm but after inflicting heavy damage surrender to a far-superior force at 2.30pm.
An emergency cabinet meeting approves the sending of the task force to liberate the Islands.
MPs are recalled for a special Saturday sitting of the House of Commons (the first since Suez). 9 navy ships on exercise in the Mediterranean sail south. Great Britain's UN ambassador Sir Anthony Parsons puts a draft resolution to the Security Council condemning the hostilities and demanding immediate Argentine withdrawal from the Islands.
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