The World - News from May 31, 1988

Britons disputed a claim by John F. Lehman Jr., former U.S. secretary of the Navy, that Britain would have lost the 1982 Falklands War without American military aid. In an interview with the British Broadcasting Corp., Lehman said, “Britain would have had to have withdrawn from the Falklands” without the aid. In response, Michael Mates, chairman of the House of Commons Defense Select Committee, said: “If Mr. Lehman is saying we couldn’t have won without the Americans, he is wrong. It would have taken longer . . . but we could still have done it.” The BBC said the aid included 200 Sidewinder anti-aircraft missiles, eight Stinger shoulder-fired missile launchers, Vulcan air defense systems, Harpoon anti-ship missiles and satellite intelligence.