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Cold War turned hot in the 80s
Glanini:
1982
News
March 26, 1982 : News -A ground-breaking ceremony for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is finally held in Washington, DC.
May 8, 1982 : News –Ferrari’s French-Canadian racing driver Gilles Villeneuve survives a major crash during qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix but he would skip the next two races.
June 13-July 11, 1982: News - 1982 FIFA World Cup is played in Spain and won by Italy who beats West Germany in the final 3-1.
September 25, 1982: News - In Las Vegas, Gilles Villeneuve in Ferrari wins the Formula 1 World Championship and announces his retirement from racing.
November 3, 1982: News - The severe early 1980s recession ends. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surges 43.41 points, or 4.25%, to close at 1,065.49, its first all-time high in more than 9 years. It last hit a record on January 11, 1973 when the average closed at 1,051.70. The points gain is the biggest ever up to this point.
November 30, 1982: News – Singer Michael Jackson releases “Thriller”, the biggest-selling album of all time in the Uited States.
December 26, 1982 : News - Time Magazine's Man of the Year is given for the first time to a non-human, the computer.
Central Front/Europe
January 28, 1982: Central Front/Europe- A team of NOCS (a special operations unit of the Italian police) successfully carry out the rescue of James Dozier from an apartment in Padua, without firing a shot, capturing the entire terrorist cell.
February 10, 1982: Central Front/Europe- Australia, Canada, Italy, Netherlands, Greece and Norway sign a contract with the United States Government for the acquisition of the Northrop F20 Tigershark with the aircraft to be built also in Canada by Canadair.
April 10, 1982: Central Front/Europe- Leonid Brezhnev, Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, dies after a long illness.
May 23, 1982: Central Front/Europe- KGB head Yuri Andropov is appointed to the Secretariat of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
May 30, 1982: Central Front/Europe- Spain becomes the 16th member of NATO and the 1st nation to enter the alliance since West Germany's admission in 1955.
June 4, 1982: Central Front/Europe- Yuri Andropov gives the go-ahead to a secret plan to detonate a tactical nuclear bomb close to Bayswater RAF base to show that NATO has not followed the agreement on Nuclear Weapons Ban at the same time create havoc and riots in the UK. The codename of the operation is “Protocol 4”.
June 8, 1982: Central Front/Europe- Soviet spy Kim Philby, a former MI-5 defected agent dies in a car crash in Moscow, actually it was a KGB homicide in order to avoid any conscience crisis on the mission “Protocol 4”.
September 1, 1982: Central Front/Europe- At a Politburo Meeting Yuri Andropov, shows KGB reports describing that USRR economy is coming to pieces and that the only way to make it survive is to take over the whole Germany. “He also states that he needs to involve more the Warpact countries. Moscow had built up a military that consumed as much as 25 percent of the Soviet Union's gross national product at the expense of consumer goods and investment in civilian sectors. Soviet spending on the arms race and other Central Front/Europe commitments both caused and exacerbated deep-seated structural problems in the Soviet system, which saw at least a decade of economic stagnation during the late Leonid Brezhnev years. Soviet investment in the defense sector was not driven by military necessity, but in large part by the interests of massive party and state bureaucracies dependent on the sector for their own power and privileges. The Soviet Armed Forces became the largest in the world in terms of the numbers and types of weapons they possessed, in the number of troops in their ranks, and in the sheer size of their military–industrial base. However, the quantitative advantages held by the Soviet military often concealed areas where the Eastern Bloc dramatically lagged behind the West. Furthermore After Reagan's military buildup, the Soviet Union did not respond by further building its military because the enormous military expenses, along with inefficient planned manufacturing and collectivized agriculture, were already a heavy burden for the Soviet economy. At the same time, Reagan persuaded Saudi Arabia to increase oil production, even as other non-OPEC nations were increasing production. These developments contributed to the 1980s oil glut, which affected the Soviet Union, as oil was the main source of Soviet export revenues. Issues with command economics, oil prices decreases and large military expenditures gradually brought the Soviet economy to stagnation.”.
September 15, 1982: Central Front/Europe- At a Warsaw Pact meeting, Andropov illustrate the plan for the attack on West Germany and the details of all Warsaw Pact Nations involvement adding that major arms supply will be provided to them. When the offensive will start terrorists acts against NATO headquarters will be performed by Red Brigades and RAF in Italy and FDR respectively with support of STASI and KGB agents already part of “Sleeper Cells” in those countries. He adds that to increase pressure in the US and drain resource from Central Europe all proxy wars (Central America, Southern Africa, Northern Africa) shall continue and countries like Nicaragua, El Salvador, Angola and Libya will be supplied with new military equipment and instructors.
October 1, 1982: Central Front/Europe- Helmut Kohl of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) replaces the Social Democrat Helmut Schmidt as Chancellor of Germany through a Constructive Vote of No Confidence.
October 8, 1982 : Central Front/Europe- In Poland, the Communist Government bans Solidarity after having suspended it on 13 December 1981.
November 1, 1982: Central Front/Europe-The final details for the attack in West Germany are defined; the date of the attack is an important date for the Communist regime May 1st 1983, that is also a holiday in almost all Western Europe.
November 13, 1982: Central Front/Europe- The first United States cruise missiles arrive at Greenham Common Airbase in England amid protests from peace campaigners.
November 14, 1982: Central Front/Europe- The leader of Poland's outlawed Solidarity movement, Lech Wałęsa, is released from 11 months of internment near the Soviet border.
December 12, 1982: Central Front/Europe- Women's peace protest at Greenham Common: 30,000 women hold hands and form a human chain around the 14.5 km (9 mi) perimeter fence.
December 15, 1982: Central Front/Europe- British Mi-5 seize three KGB agents in an house 5 miles outside of Bayswater RAF base, material for a Nuclear bomb was found there.
December 22, 1982: Central Front/Europe- English newspaper “The Independent” publish the story of the Soviet “Protocol 4” mission.
Middle East
January 30, 1982: Middle East- US Secretary of State, Alexander Haig files a report with US President Ronald Reagan reveales Secretary Haig's fear that Israel might, at the slightest provocation, start a war against Lebanon.
April 21, 1982: Middle East- After a landmine kills an Israeli officer while he was visiting a South Lebanese Army gun emplacement in Taibe, Lebanon, the Israeli Air Force attacks the Palestinian-controlled coastal town of Damour, killing 23 people.
April 25, 1982: Middle East- Israel completes its withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula in accordance with the Egyptian–Israeli Peace Treaty.
May 9, 1982: Middle East-Israeli aircraft again attack targets in Lebanon. Later that same day, UNIFIL observes the firing of rockets from Palestinian positions in the Tyre region into northern Israel, but none of the projectiles hit an Israeli settlement.
June 6, 1982: Middle East- Israel’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Shlomo Argov is shot and seriously wounded in London by terrorists belonging to the Iraqi-backed Abu Nidal terrorist organization. The organization is the longtime rival of PLO. The PLO denies complicity in the attack, but Israel retaliates with punishing air and artillery strikes against Palestinian targets in Lebanon, including the PLO camps. Sabra and Shatila refugee camps are bombed for four hours. The PLO hit back firing rockets at northern Israel causing considerable damage and some loss of life.
June 6, 1982: Middle East- The 1982 Lebanon War begins: Forces under Israeli Defense Minister Ariel Sharon invade southern Lebanon in their "Operation Peace for the Galilee," Israel's publicly stated objective was to push PLO forces back 40 kilometres (25 mi) to the north. Israeli forces pushes in from Southern Lebanon in a three-pronged offensive.
June 6, 1982: Middle East- The United Nations Security Council votes to demand that Israel withdraw its troops from Lebanon.
June 9, 1982 : Middle East- With the advance of IDF forces north, the IDF/AF could no longer ignore the massive array of SAM and AAA systems the Syrians deployed in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley a year earlier. The IDF/AF set out to destroy the ninenteen SAM batteries and their support network in a major operation consisting of several waves, each made up of dozens of attack aircraft employing a variety of guided and un-guided air-to-ground ammunition, backed by some ground launched Shrike anti-radar missiles, as well as a massive screen of ECM and decoys. More than sixty Syrian interceptors (all different versions of MiG-21 and -23s) – which was slightly more than the Israelis expected – are scrambled to defend the air defense network, clashing with dozens of Israeli fighters to produce what could very well be the biggest jet dogfight in history. The SyAAF suffers considerable losses (estimated attwenyfive aircraft) at the hands of IDF/AF F-15s and F-16s, tasked exclusively with air-to-air missions.
June 10-11, 1982 : Middle East- More clashes follows when the SyAAF not only attempts to challenge the Israeli control of the skies over Lebanon, but also to strike advancing Israeli units on the ground. IDF/AF ends the days with more than eighty victories
June 11, 1982: Middle East- Israel and Syrian Governments agree on a ceasefire to start at noon that would not apply to PLO, before it a final air battle would cost Syrian Air Force further eighteen aircraft.
June 13, 1982: Middle East-The ring around Beirut is closed, seven days after the start of Israeli invasion to Lebanon. PLO and part of Syrian forces are isolated in the city.
July 1, 1982 : Middle East-Full scale siege of Beirut start by Israeli forces where 14’000 PLO and 2’000 Mourabitim militiamen are well dug.
July 14- 16, 1982 : Middle East- Ariel Sharon and chief of staff Rafael Eitan obtains Prime Minister Begin's support for large scale operation for conquering of West Beirut in order to achieve the eviction of PLO. But the plan is rejected two days later by full Israeli cabinet, out of concern for heavy loss of life.
August 1, 1982: Middle East- Beirut International Airport is take, after fierce fightings, by the Golani Brigade of the IDF.
August 4, 1982: Middle East- The United Nations Security Council votes to censure Israel because its troops are still in Lebanon, meanwhile IDF make its drive into the city of Beirut cutting off PLO camps from PLO Headquarters.
August 10, 1982: Middle East- As American envoy Philip Habib submitts a draft agreement to Israel, defense minister Sharon, probably impatient with what he regarded American meddling, orders a saturation bombing of Beirut, during which at least three hundred people die. That bombing is followed by the protest to the Israeli government by President Ronald Reagan.
August 14, 1982: Middle East- the Israeli cabinet strip Ariel Sharon of most of his powers, he is not allowed to order the use of air force, armored force and artillery without agreement of cabinet or prime-minister.
August 18, 1982 : Middle East- Israel, Lebanon, and the PLO finally agree, with US mediation, on a peace deal.
August 20, 1982: Middle East- Lebanese Civil War: A multinational force lands in Beirut to oversee the PLO withdrawal from Lebanon. 350 French paratroopers arrive in Beirut, followed by 800 US Marines and Italian Bersaglieri plus additional international peacekeepers (for a total force of 2,130) to supervise the removal of the PLO, first by ship and then overland, to Tunisia, Yemen, Jordan, and Syria. Altogether 8500 PLO men are evacuated to Tunisia, and 2500 by land to other Arab countries.
September 14, 1982: Middle East- Lebanese President-elect Bachir Gemayel is assassinated in Beirut as a bomb was detonated at the Phalangists headquarters.
September 18, 1982: Middle East- The Lebanese Christian Militia (the Phalange) kill thousands of Palestinians in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps with the overlooking of Israeli troops in West Beirut. The massacre is in retaliation for the assassination of pro-Israel president-elect, Bachir Gemayel, as well as several Palestinian massacres against Lebanese Christians.
September 23, 1982: Middle East- Amin Gemayel, brother of Bachir, is elected president of Lebanon.
September 25, 1982: Middle East- In Israel, 400,000 marchers demand the resignation of Prime Minister Menachem Begin.
November 11, 1982: Middle East- Suicide attack on the IDF headquarters in Tyre. 76 Israeli soldiers and 27 Lebanese are killed in the blast.
Central America
January 4, 1982: Central America- After Reagan has signed the top secret National Security Decision Directive 17 (NSDD-17), CIA proceeds and provides support the contras with $19 million in military aid. The effort to support the contras is one component of the Reagan Doctrine, which calls for providing military support to movements opposing Soviet-supported, communist governments.
March 3, 1982: Central America- Communist rebels with Nicaraguan Aides takes control of Santa Ana region in northern El Salvador
April, 1982: Central America- Edén Pastora (Comandante Cero), one of the heroes in the fight against Somoza, organizes the Sandinista Revolutionary Front (FRS) – embedded in the Democratic Revolutionary Alliance (ARDE) – and declares war on the Sandinista government. Himself a former Sandinista who has held several high posts in the government, he has resigned apruptly in 1981 and defected, believing that the newly found power have corrupted the Sandinista's original ideas
May-August, 1982: Central America- Mexico starts receiving MiG23 and T72 Tank that are deployed in the northern area of Mexico, close to the US border. This move forces the United States to re-deploy two Army Corps from Italy to Texas.
June 7, 1982: Central America- FLMN enters in San Salvador while El Salvador president Napoleon Duarte flees in Honduras.
July 22, 1982: Central America- In Guatemala General Efraín Ríos Montt is named President of the military junta, continuing the bloody campaign of torture, forced disappearances, and "scorched earth" warfare.
August, 1982: Central America- United States hold a joint exercise with the Hondurans, “Big Pine” , in the meantime, they continued to develop
facilities in Honduras, including a radar complex outside Tegucigalpa, and another – manned by US Marines – on Tiger Island, in the Gulf of Fonseca.
September, 8 1982: Central America- ARDE (The contras Air Arm) executes it best-known operation, two T-28s approach Managua flying at a very low level. The first drops a bomb near the home of Foreign Minister, the second Trojan attack Managua’s Augusto César Sandino Airport. The Nicaraguan soldiers open fire with AAA and personal weapons, hitting the plane as it was underway along the runway: the T-28 burst into flames and smash into the airport control tower, killing the crew of two. Documents found in the wreckage attest that the aircraft took off from Tobías Bolanos airfield, near Costa Rican capital of San José.
September 23, 1982: Central America- 3.200 US troops are airlifted to Honduras in Lockheed C-141 StarLifter, C-5A Galaxy and C-130 Hercules transports
October-December, 1982: Central America- Honduras receives military equipment from the US, among them a Squadron of F20 Tigershark, manned by USAF pilots of Honduran ancestry and supported by USAF specialists.
December, 1982: Central America- In Guatemala the four guerrilla groups, EGP, ORPA, FAR and PGT, merge and forme the URNG, influenced by the Salvadoran guerrilla FMLN, the Nicaraguan FSLN and Cuba's government, in order to become stronger. As a result of the Army's "scorched earth" tactics in the countryside, more than 45,000 Guatemalans flew across the border to Mexico. The Mexican government placed the refugees in camps in Chiapas and Tabasco and secretly starts training them for insurrection.
elmayerle:
*whistles* A few minor changes and things suddenly start getting far hotter than in OTL (Our Time Line).
Glanini:
South America
January 16, 1982: South America– Falklands War- An Intelligence report signal to the British Government the willingness of Argentina to take actions against the Falklands Islands. As a consequence it is ordered to accelerate the activities on HMS Ark Royal that is currently scheduled to entry into service in October 1982.
February 28, 1982: South America– Falklands War- Fuerza Aerea Argentina receives sixteen Dassault Mirage F1 from Israel.
March , 1982: South America – Falklands War- A ship of the Argentine navy, ARA Francisco de Gurruchaga, anchored at the Deceit island, de facto under Chilean sovereignty since 1881, and refused to abandon the bay despite Chilean demands
March 18, 1982: South America – Falklands War- An Argentine scrap metal dealer raises the Argentine flag in South Georgia.
April 2, 1982 : South America – Falklands War- The Falklands War begins: Argentina invades and occupies the Falkland Islands. Argentine forces mount amphibious landings of the Falkland Islands, before the Falklands War began. The invasion meet a nominal defence organised by the Falkland Islands' Governor Sir Rex Hunt, giving command to Major Mike Norman of the Royal Marines.
April 3, 1982: South America – Falklands War- Argentina's Invasion of South Georgia. Argentine naval forces seize control of the east coast of South Georgia after overpowering a small group of Royal Marines at Grytviken.
April 6, 1982: South America – Falklands War- The British Government set up a War Cabinet to provide day-to-day political oversight of the campaign. This is the critical instrument of crisis management for the British with its remit being to "keep under review political and military developments relating to the South Atlantic, and to report as necessary to the Defence and Overseas Policy Committee."
April 8, 1982: South America – Falklands War- Argentina refuses U.S. peace overtures, U.S. Secretary of State Alexander Haig announced that the United States would prohibit arms sales to Argentina and provide material support for British operations. Both Houses of the U.S. Congress pass resolutions supporting the U.S. action siding with the United Kingdom. The U.S. provided the United Kingdom with military equipment ranging from submarine detectors to the latest missiles. France provides dissimilar aircraft training so Harrier pilots could train against the French aircraft used by Argentina. French and British intelligence also worked to prevent Argentina from obtaining more Exocet missiles on the international market.
April 13, 1982: South America – Falklands War- British Government struck a secret deal with Chile to have access to air base and airspace for secret recce missions over Argentina. Chile accepts in change for spares and upgrades on Hunters and Canberras support that were under UN embargo and would provide also technical information on the Soviet equipment previously acquired by the Allende’s Government.
April 16, 1982: South America – Falklands War- Peru openly sends "Mirages, pilots and missiles" to Argentina during the war. Through Libya, under Muammar Gaddafi, Argentina received twenty launchers and sixty SA-7 missiles, as well as machine guns, mortars and mines, all in all, the load of four trips of two Boeing 707 of the AAF, refuelled in Recife with the knowledge and consent of the Brazilian government.
April 21, 1982: South America – Falklands War- British retake South Georgia during Operation Paraquet. The first landings of SAS troops took place on 21 April.
April 25, 1982: South America – Falklands War- After resupplying the Argentine garrison in South Georgia, the submarine ARA Santa Fe is spotted on the surface by a Westland Wessex HAS Mk 3 helicopter from HMS Antrim, which attacks the Argentine submarine with depth charges. HMS Plymouth launches a Westland Wasp HAS.Mk.1 helicopter, and HMS Brilliant launches a Westland Lynx HAS Mk 2. Santa Fe is damaged badly enough to prevent her from diving. The crew abandon the submarine at the jetty at King Edward Point on South Georgia. With the Tidespring now far out to sea and the Argentine forces augmented by the submarine's crew, Major Sheridan decide to gather the seventysix men he has and make a direct assault that day. After a short forced march by the British troops and a naval bombardment demonstration by two Royal Navy vessels (Antrim and Plymouth), the Argentine forces surrender without resistance.
April 28, 1982: South America – Falklands War- Royal Navy deploys HMS Ark Royal on its first operative mission, after overhaul, to the Falklands.
May 2, 1982 : South America – Falklands War- Royal Air Force operations on the Falklands open with the "Black Buck 1" attack (of a series of five) on the airfield at Stanley. A BAC TSR.2 Storm bomber from Ascension fly on an 8,000-nautical-mile (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) round trip dropping conventional bombs across the runway at Stanley and back to Ascension. The mission requires repeated refuelling, and several Victor tanker aircraft operating in concert, including tanker to tanker refuelling
May 2, 1982 : South America – Falklands War- The first naval loss is the World War II-vintage Argentine light cruiser ARA General Belgrano. The nuclear-powered submarine HMS Conqueror sink the Belgrano. Three hundred and twenty-three members of Belgrano's crew die in the incident. Over seven hundred men are rescued from the open ocean despite cold seas and stormy weather.
May 4, 1982: South America – Falklands War- HMS Sheffield is hit by an Exocet missile strike from the Argentine 2nd Naval Air Fighter/Attack Squadron, and burns out of control; twenty sailors are killed. The ship sinks on May 10.
May 14, 1982: South America – Falklands War- The SAS carry out the raid on Pebble Island at the Falklands, where the Argentine Navy has taken over a grass airstrip for MB339K Veltros and Aeritalia G91 light ground attack aircraft and T-34 Mentors. The raid destroy the aircraft there.
May 21, 1982 : South America – Falklands War- British landings spark the Battle of San Carlos. The amphibious landing on beaches around San Carlos Water, on the northwestern coast of East Falkland facing onto Falkland Sound. The bay, known as Bomb Alley by British forces, is the scene of repeated air attacks by low-flying Argentine jets.
May 22, 1982 : South America – Falklands War- HMS Ardent is sunk by Argentine aircraft, killing twentytwo sailors.
May 25, 1982: South America – Falklands War- British ships HMS Coventry and Atlantic Conveyor are sunk during the Falklands War. The loss of all but one of the Chinook helicopters being carried by the Atlantic Conveyor is a severe blow from a logistics perspective.
May 27-28, 1982: South America – Falklands War- From early on 27 May until 28 May 2 Para, (approximately 500 men) with artillery support from 8 (Alma) Commando Battery, Royal Artillery, approaches and attacks Darwin and Goose Green, which is held by the Argentine 12th Infantry Regiment. After a tough struggle that last all night and into the next day, the British win the battle; in all, seventeen British and fortyseven Argentine soldiers are killed. In total almost one thousand Argentine troops (including two hundred Argentine Air Force personnel of the Condor airfield) are taken prisoners.
June 1, 1982 : South America – Falklands War- with the arrival of a further 5,000 British troops of the 5th Infantry Brigade, the new British divisional commander, Major General Jeremy Moore RM, has sufficient force to start planning an offensive against Stanley.
June 8, 1982 : South America – Falklands War- British RFA Sir Galahad is destroyed during the Bluff Cove Air Attacks by three Sepecat Jaguar from Argentine Air Force.
June 11, 1982 : South America – Falklands War- After several days of painstaking reconnaissance and logistic build-up, British forces launch a brigade-sized night attack against the heavily defended ring of high ground surrounding Stanley. Units of 3 Commando Brigade, supported by naval gunfire from several Royal Navy ships, simultaneously assault in the Battle of Mount Harriet, Battle of Two Sisters, and Battle of Mount Longdon.
June 13, 1982 : South America – Falklands War- The night of 13 June see the start of the second phase of attacks, in which the momentum of the initial assault is maintained. 2 Para with CVRT support from The Blues and Royals, capture Wireless Ridge at the Battle of Wireless Ridge, at a loss of three British and twentyfive Argentine dead, and the 2nd battalion, Scots Guards captured Mount Tumbledown at the Battle of Mount Tumbledown, which cost ten British and thirty Argentine lives. With the last natural defence line at Mount Tumbledown breached, the Argentine town defences of Stanley begin to falter.
June 14, 1982 : South America – Falklands War- The Falklands War ends: Formal surrender of Argentine forces. A cease fire is declared and the commander of the Argentine garrison in Stanley, Brigade General Mario Menéndez surrender to Major General Jeremy Moore the same day.
June 18, 1982 : South America – Falklands War- Argentine military dictator Leopoldo Galtieri resigns, in the wake of his country's defeat in the Falklands War.
June 20, 1982 : South America – Falklands War- The British retake the South Sandwich Islands, (which involve accepting the surrender of the Southern Thule Garrison at the Corbeta Uruguay base) and declare hostilities to be over. Argentina had established Corbeta Uruguay in 1976, but prior to 1982 the United Kingdom has contested the existence of the Argentine base only through diplomatic channels.
July 21, 1982: South America-HMS Hermes, the Royal Navy flagship during the Falklands War, returns home to Portsmouth to a hero's welcome.
Southern Africa
January-April, 1982: Southern Africa- SAAF participate in operations by UNITA, which gains more and more control of south-eastern Angola. The attacks by far exceed the previous hit and -run operations and are aimed primarily at the Benguela Railway.
March 1982: Southern Africa- South African aircraft maker Atlas, starts building the Cheetah, a slightly modified version of the IAI Kfir, with Israeli support.
June-September, 1982: Southern Africa- Cubans get Increasingly involved in the fighting, either because they had garrisons in the embattled area or because they come to the rescue of FAPLA units under attack. The UNITA insurgency and South African attacks have a crippling effect on the Angolan economy, especially agriculture and infrastructure, and the hostilities create hundreds of thousands of refugees.
Afghanistan
January-February, 1982: Afghanistan-Urban fightings in Herat and Kandahar.
May, 1982: Afghanistan- Panjseher V- The first major offensive is carried out by a force of 12,000 soldiers supported by more than one hunderd helicopters and twentysix airplanes. The main assault begin on the night of May 16. While motorized rifle battalions, preceded by reconnaissance units, attack the dominating features at the entrance of the valley, airborne units are airlifted by helicopter behind the main Mujahideen defenses. In all, 4,200 troops are airlifted into the valley to capture strategic points, right up to the Pakistani border, in an effort to cut the Mujahideen supply lines.
June, 1982: Afghanistan- Panjseher V- Massoud, who expected an attack similar to the previous ones, has disposed his defenses close to the entrance of the valley, and is thus unable to prevent the Soviets from gaining footholds in the Panjshir. They establish three main bases at Rukha, Bazarak and Anava. Most of the Mujahideen have survived the attack and Massoud divides them into small, mobile groups that fight the Soviets all down the valley.
July, 1982: Afghanistan- Panjseher V- During this offensive, the Soviets manage to occupy a large part of the Panjshir and scored some successes however, most of the rebels have escaped capture, and this was not the decisive victory the Soviets have been hoping for. Also, their heavily fortified bases only give them control over the valley floor, while the surrounding heights are still held by the Mujahideen. For this reason they decide to launch a sixth offensive.
August, 1982: Afghanistan- Panjseher VI- The sixth offensive consists of a series of sweeps conducted by motorised units and by airborne Spetsnaz units, launched from their bases in the Panjshir, to find and destroy the Mujahideen hideouts. It is accompanied by a heavy aerial bombardment of villages suspected of harbouring rebel groups, notably carried out by Tu-16 bombers flying from inside the Soviet Union. Heliborne troops carry out search and destroy missions, encircling Massoud's mobile units and destroying some of them. However, as a rule attrition among the Mujahideen is low, and the brunt of the attacks fell on the civilian population, who suffers heavily, many of them preferring to flee the valley.
September, 1982: Afghanistan- Panjseher VI- Once the height of the offensive has passed, many areas captured by the Soviet forces are handed over to Afghan army units, who suffer from low morale and high desertion rates. They are the targets for Massoud's counterattacks.
October, 1982: Afghanistan- Panjseher VI- In a series of surprise attacks, several government outposts fall to the rebels. The government post at Birjaman fall soon after, and the Mujahideen are able to recapture some areas in this way. These operations, along with the continued harassment of Soviet garrisons and resupply convoys, prove that the Mujahideen are far from defeated, and convince the Soviets that they must negotiate a truce with Massoud. Despite bitter fighting, the Soviets are unable to eradicate the Mujahideen, and the battle soon develop into a stalemate. During the 5th and 6th offensives the Soviets suffer up to 3,000 casualties, and 1,000 Afghan Army soldiers defect to the Mujahideen
Iran-Iraq
March, 1982 : Iran-Iraq- Iran take the offensive and the Iraqi military is forced to retreat.
May 18, 1982: Iran-Iraq- Iranian Army finalizes the Liberation of Khorramshahr from the Iraqis. The Iranians attack, with some seventy thousand fighters in the Ahvaz-Susangerd area. The Iraqi forces in the area withdrew, and planned to mount a defence at Khorramshahr.
May 20, 1982: Iran-Iraq- The Iraqis launch a counter-offensive. However, despite its scale, the Iranians are able to repulse the attack.
May 22, 1982: Iran-Iraq- The Iranians Liberated Khorramshahr; the vitally strategically important Iranian city whose capture by Iraq have been the low-point of Iranian fortunes in the early days of the war. The Iraqis are ordered to retreat, although many have done when Khorramshar has fallen, back into Iraq. The Iranians capture 12,000 Iraqi troops and a substantial amount of Iraqi military hardware.
June, 1982: Iran-Iraq- an Iranian counter-offensive has recovered the areas lost to Iraq earlier in the war.
June 20-21, 1982: Iran-Iraq- Saddam announces that he was prepared to accept a ceasefire on the basis of the pre-war status quo, the day after Khomeini rejected the Iraqi peace offer in a speech and proclaimed that Iran would invade Iraq and would not stop until the Ba'ath regime is replaced by an Islamic Shia republic.
July 13, 1982: Iran-Iraq- Iranian units crossed the border in force, aiming towards the city of Basra, the second most important city in Iraq. However, the enemy they encounter have entrenched itself in formidable defenses.
October 1, 1982: Iran-Iraq- Iran launches the The Muslim-ibn-aqil offensive, with small IRGC units in high spirits attacking Iraqi positions high on the hills, followed by mechanised Army units in the morning. Due to a lack of co-ordination between the IRIAS and the IRGC units and so the battle soon developed into a bloody struggle for every hill.
October 7, 1982 : Iran-Iraq- the Iranians have lost their positions overlooking Mandali; but, they hold off the other Iraqi counterattacks and also claim seven Iraqi fighter-bombers as shot down, in addition liberating 150km2 of their own soil.
November 2, 1982 : Iran-Iraq- Iran launches the The MOHARRAM offensive. By the dawn of 2 November, the IrAF, the IrAAC, the IRIAF and the IRIAA has thrown everything they have into the battle, with the Iraqis trying to block a further Iranian advance towards the west, and the Iranians trying to suppress Iraqi armour, which is constantly inflicting losses on their infantry. The IRIAF Tomcats intercept numerous Iraqi formations, claiming seven MiGs, Sukhois, and helicopters as shot down. The Iraqis have fiercely denied suffering such losses, but in event the IRIAF establishes local air superiority, enabling TFB.3 Phantoms to bomb Iraqis with BL.755 CBUs, destroying scores of tanks and other vehicles. Then the IRIAA Cobras and the Gendarmerie O-2As appears over the battlefield and start rolling the Iraqi tanks back.
November 6-7, 1982 : Iran-Iraq- the Iranian forces have reached the strategic Sharahani-Zobeidat road, cutting the most important Iraqi logistical route in the area. The town is captured, but hold only very briefly, as the Iraqis are swift to react with a major counteroffensive of their elite Republican Guards units, which deploys their brand-new T-72 tanks, recently delivered from the USSR, driving them directly from Baghdad. By the 7 November, both sides suffer extensive losses, and are very tired of constant battles, so they settle to stabilise their new positions, or to improve them through local counterattacks.
November 20, 1982 : Iran-Iraq- the Iraqi troops in the Moharram, on the front between Eyn-e Khosh and Musiyan, are in a critical condition. The Iranians have managed to capture several important oilfields, and cut the main communication lines into the area; the IrAF is prevented from intervening by the IRIAF interceptors and SAMs; and the intervention efforts of the IrAAC ends with its helicopters either being shot down by Iranian fighters and Cobras, or being hampered in their operations by strong winds and bad weather.
Far East/Oceania
April- May 22, 1982: Far East- A company-size clash between PLA and PAVN units occur in the Luojiaping Mountain in Yunnan Province and last for fiftyseven days.
September 20, 1982: Far East- China- For the first time, China launches three satellites into orbit, on a rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The feat lead some observers to speculate that China has gained the ability to launch multiple nuclear warheads or that it has set up an early warning system against missile attacks.
November 27, 1982: Far East- Yasuhiro Nakasone of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan is elected to the rank of Prime Minister
December 4, 1982 : Far East- China- The People's Republic of China adopts its current constitution.
Mediterrean / North Africa
January, 1982: Mediterrean / North Africa- In Chad Oum Hadjer fall, at only one hundred miles from Ati, the last relevant town before the capital. The GUNT is saved for the moment by Armee de l’Aire, the only credible military force confronting Habré, that prevented the FAN from taking Ati.
January, 1982: Mediterrean / North Africa - Over one hundred thirty United States military advisors work with the FAR, several of them seen in Western Sahara, Moroccan Forces Armees Royales (FAR) begin to go on the offensive.
March 10, 1982: Mediterrean / North Africa - The United States places an embargo on Libyan oil imports, alleging Libyan support for terrorist groups.
June 5-7, 1982: Mediterrean / North Africa-The GUNT forces attempt to make a last stand at Massaguet, fifty miles north of capital on the Abéché-N'Djamena road, but are defeated by the FAN after a hard battle. Two days later Habré enters unopposed in N'Djamena, making him the de facto source of national government in Chad, while Goukouni flee the country seeking sanctuary in Cameroon.
December, 1982: Mediterrean / North Africa-Before Gaddafi could throw his full weight behind Goukouni, Habré attack the GUNT in the Tibesti, but is repelled.
Sub Saharian Africa
April, 1982 : Sub-Saharian Africa- In Ethiopia, the Operation "Red Star" hit the EPLF (Eritrean People Liberation Front) strongholds at Naqfa and Helhal, where the rebels are subjected to unprecedented bombing raids, in which phosphorous and napalm bombs are used extensively. Nevertheless, supported by the attacks of Ethiopian rebels against government supply bases, the Eritreans hold out and hit back, in turn flaring-up also another uprising in the Ogaden, which distract and stretch Ethiopian resources. In the end, "Red Star" fails, with the Ethiopian Army and the Cubans suffering as many as one hundred thousand casualties.
August 1, 1982 : Sub-Saharian Africa- An attempted coup against government of Daniel Arap Moi in Kenya organized by Air Force officers fails.
Northern Ireland
July 20, 1982: Northern Ireland - Hyde Park and Regent's Park bombings – eleven British soldiers and seven military horses die in PIRA bomb attacks during military ceremonies in Regent's Park and Hyde Park, London. Many spectators are badly injured.
December 6, 1982: Northern Ireland - Droppin Well bombing – eleven British soldiers and six civilians are killed by an INLA time bomb at the Droppin’ Well Bar in Ballykelly, County Londonderry.
Glanini:
1983
Central Front/Europe
February 1, 1983: Central Front/Europe- The new Soviet fighter, the Sukhoi Su27 enters in servive with Soviet VVS his NATO codename is “Flanker”. It is far more advanced than its western counterpart the F15 “Eagle”
March 4, 1983 : Central Front/Europe- The Socialist Bettino Craxi is elected PM of Italy. He will lead a five party coalition Socialist, Social-Democrat, Republican, Liberal, Democratic-Christian and external support of the Communist Party.
March 8, 1983: Central Front/Europe- In the West German federal elections of March 1983, Kohl win a smashing victory. The CDU/CSU win 48.8%, while the FDP win 7.0%.
March 15, 1983: Central Front/Europe- In USA the new AWACS, the Boeing E4 “Sentinel”, based on the Boeing 757 passenger airplane enters in service with USAF.
March 23, 1983: Central Front/Europe- Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI): United States President Ronald Reagan makes his initial public proposal to develop technology to intercept enemy missiles. The media dub this plan "Star Wars".
March 31, 1983 : Central Front/Europe- Korean Air Flight 007 takes off from Anchorage, Alaska, heading for Seoul, South Korea. It veers slightly off course, flies over the southern tips of Kamchatka Peninsula and Sakhalin Island, Soviet territory, and is shot down by a Soviet Sukhoi Su15 aircraft. All 269 on board are killed.
April 1, 1983 : Central Front/Europe- NATO Intelligence Report start to notify massive troops movement in all Warsaw Pact countries. All the Units of Soviet Group of Forces in Germany are at maximum strength and are deployed in this order: In Northern East Germany is the 2nd Guards Tank Army, in the Central Area are stationed the 3rd Shock Army and 8th Guards Army, facing Bavaria there is 1st Guards Tank Army with 20th Guards Army in the rearguard while Czechoslovakia is given to the responsibility of Soviet Central Group of Forces.
April 4, 1983 : Central Front/Europe- Warsaw Pact announces that a major exercise, involving all members of the Pact, will be going on in East Germany for more than a month.
April 7-14, 1983: Central Front/Europe- NATO troops are alerted, the front is divided as follows: The Northern Front is assigned to the 8th West Germany Mechanized Division, Northern Army Group is composed by the 1st West German Corp , 1st Netherland Corp, 1st British Corp, 1st Belgian Corp, with UK Mobile force and US III Corps as reinforcement, Central Army Group is composed by West Germany II Corp, US VII Corp, the West Germany II Corp with France II Corp, Canadian Brigade and France 1st Army as reinforcement.
April 21, 1983: Central Front/Europe- NATO Secret Services are providing conflicting reports about the Warsaw Pact troops movements, with the majority of them, in particular the ones coming from West Germany Intelligence, are conferming that Warsaw Pact is just doing an Exercise.
April 30, 1983: Central Front/Europe- NATO publishes an update of its the Order of Battles and Warsaw Pact and other Communist states as well.
May 1, 1983: Central Front/Europe- At midnight GDR Luftstreitkräfte and USSR VVS start striking in West Germany with the air cover of MiG 29 Fulcrums. At the same time Soviet T80s Tanks formation cross the IGB (Inner German Border) and pushes towards the Fulda Gap. At the same time Rote Armee Fraktion terrorists detonates bombs on major roads in order to delay the movement of NATO troops and vehicles.
May 1, 1983: Central Front/Europe- At 12:20 in the afternoon on the east of the West German town of Kielbach a platoon of four M1A2 Abrams Tanks is moved to stop an anticipated Soviet lunge for the junction to the Fulda Gap. By 13:40 the 2nd Battallion of 178th GITR had been destroyed with just two BMP-2s surviving, of the four NATOs M1A2s, two are immediately repaired while a third one suffers major damage. At 14:05 2 flights of RAF 2 (AC) Squadron Tornados flying at extremely low level destroyes other twentyfour Tanks of the 178th.
May 1, 1983: Central Front/Europe- Soviet tanks division push into central West Germany aiming at Frankfurt with an attack from the Thuringian Bulge through the Fulda Gap. The distance from the Inner German Border to Frankfurt is a mere 100 km. Capturing Frankfurt would effectively cut West Germany in half, and given the importance of north-south lines of communication, would leave NATO’s forces in southern Germany isolated. The main attack is performed by the Soviet 8th Guard Army against the V US Corps. West Berlin is attacked by the 20th Guards of Soviet Army and by GDR units.
May 2, 1983: Central Front/Europe- All NATO members declares war to Warsaw Pact following article 5 of the NATO statute. Australia and New Zealand joins NATO declarations.
May 2,1983: Central Front/Europe-British Government declares Mandatory Draft for all Citizens with age between 18 and 35.
May 2, 1983: Central Front/Europe- GDR special troops of the 1st Army and part of Soviet 2nd Army Tank Guards pushes into northern West Germany in order to get to Denmark.
May 2, 1983: Central Front/Europe- POMCUS Tank crews are flown from the United States to West Germany to be th crew of tanks divisions already placed in West Germany. At the same time Mission Reforger is activate with additional Army and Marines units deployed to Europe through Lockheed C141 Cargos.
May 2, 1983: Central Front/Europe- Vicious fights are happening in West Berlin with RAF Harriers providing ground support amongst the buildings on fire. West German Polizei, already trained in the use of small arms and mortars joins the fight with the Berlin Brigade of US Army and and Berlin Infantry Brigade of British Army as well against East German 1st Motorized Rifle Division, that has been trained for that specific target for three years.
May 2, 1983: Central Front/Europe- China release an official statement that say “Though PRC understands the actions put in place by the Warsaw Pact to free West Germany, the People of China will remain neutral and will act in order to help peace to be succesful”.
May 3, 1983: Central Front/Europe- All major European Leaders, Helmuth Kohl, Francois Mitterand, Bettino Craxi and Margaret Tatcher fly to Washington for a summit with Reagan where they evaluate all alternatives to counter the Communist attack, including the utilization of the remaining nuclear arsenal. This one is discarded for the fear of a Soviet reprisal on London and Paris. it is decided to hold the positions and not retreat in Middle East and Central America but to suspend any offensive plan. United Kingdom will support South Africa and Rhodesia in Southern Africa to drain resources to USSR in the support of Angola.
May 3, 1983: Central Front/Europe- Warsaw Pact, Soviet 120th Guards MRR and 39th Guards Motorized Division are at 30 Kilometers from Hamburg that is evacuated by civilians.
May 3, 1983: Central Front/Europe- In Rome Pope John Paul II call for an immediate stop to all offensive operation and for a return to Peace.
May 4, 1983: Central Front/Europe- In a frantic meeting President Reagan asks Japanese and South Korean PM, that have flown to Washington to show their support, to reinforce their borders but to avoid any attack. The opening of another front might not be sustainable by United States.
May 4, 1983: Central Front/Europe- Soviet Spetsnaz and Yugoslavian Army attack north-eastern Italy. The move is a surprise since Italian Intelligence was reporting a strike of the Hungarian Army through Austria and Italian Army units were deployed on that front. The attack is supported by Soviet and Yugoslav MiG29s and Mil Mi24 Hinds. The city of Gorizia is occupied.
May 4-5, 1983: Central Front/Europe-Soviet 2nd Army Tank Guards conquer Kiel and Lubbeck in northern Germany in their push to isolate Denmark.
May 5, 1983: Central Front/Europe- Soviet troops attacks on the Northern Europe front and occupy the town of Vardo in Norway.
May 5, 1983: Central Front/Europe-Italian Communist Party leader (that has more than 30% of seat in the parliament) in a public speech severs all ties with USSR and East Bloc Communist Parties. It confirms thay even if will not enter in the government it will provide external support. This is a major blow to the communist strategy that was hoping in a Communist insurrection in Italy togheter with terrorists actions by the Red Brigades.
May 6, 1983: Central Front/Europe- GDR forces enters Copenhagen and conquer the whole Denmark that is placed under Soviet Military Government.
May 7, 1983: Central Front/Europe- Soviet Spetsnaz units are infiltrated in West Germany with the task to eliminate RAF and Luftwaffe Harriers that are proving very effective against Warpact armoured divisions.
May 7, 1983: Central Front/Europe- Italian Government has activated the “Gladio” plan. It was a plan set-up in the early fifties in case of a Communist insurgence that foresaw a “Stay Behind” structure with depots hidden in northern Italy as long as former soldiers trained to use them in emergency. At the same time Hungarian Army joins Soviet and Yugoslav Armies on the Italian Front.
May 9-24, 1983: Central Front/Europe- Major tank battle outside of Hamburg, Soviet forces are stopped by massive low level attack by Tornado units from RAF, USAF and Luftwaffe. In detail they apply the FOFA NATO doctrine that foresee to destroy the enemy forces that are coming to the front in a way to stop supplies to the first line troops.
May 10, 1983 : Central Front/Europe- Sweden decide to renounce to its neutrality and support Norway in his fight against USSR. This was a serious and unexepected blow to Soviet strategy in that area. Finland see herself too endangered and would remain neutral.
May 10-31, 1983: Central Front/Europe- Soviet troops continue to advance in Scandinavia and arrive (32Km- 20 Mi) to Hammerfest in Norway.
May 12, 1983: Central Front/Europe- In the Caucasus fighting starts between Turkish and Soviet armies. In the area Soviets have reserve units coming from eastern regions not equipped with the latest vehicles but with old T62 tanks instead.
May 14, 1983: Central Front/Europe- After nine days of vicious fightings the city of Trieste falls in Yugoslav hands, civilians scared by the memories of the 1945 event during Yugoslav occupation leave the town.
May 15, 1983: Central Front/Europe-Warsaw Pact forces complete the occupation of West Berlin. The City is under control of GDR 1st Motorized Rifle Division.
May 16, 1983: Central Front/Europe-French President Mitterand places all French forces under NATO command, the forces are assigned to the Central Front. At the same time ANZACs forces are deployed in Italy, to support Italian Army.
May 18, 1983: Central Front/Europe-United Nations Security Council activities in New York are suspended since the Soviet Union Ambassador is absent. UN General Secretary Javier Perez de Cuellar asks all Nations to stop fightings and start Peace talks.
May 21, 1983: Central Front/Europe- Under American request, Israeli Air Force pilots are sent to Turkey to supplement Turkish Air Force Pilots.
May 24, 1983: Central Front/Europe- Soviet and Yugoslav forces are stopped in Italy in the Friuli region, along the Tagliamento River, before they would be able to get to the Padania plain. Massive low level attacks from Italian Air Force Tornados have helped by stopping supplies arriving on the front.
May 28, 1983: Central Front/Europe-Using Denmark as a base Soviet units start to attack Sweden, with fighters leaving from bases in Estonia and Lithuania try to gain Air Superiority.
June, 1983: Central Front/Europe- Soviet forces launch a second major attack in Bavaria, the attack is countered by Canadian Forces but Czech and Soviet units are able to go to the outside of Munich.
June 1, 1983: Central Front/Europe- Skirmishes starts along the Bulgarian – Greek border. Bulgarian and Romanian Army armies are weak, though the lack of co-operation between Greek and Turkish armies does not allow NATO to push forward in the Thrace Region and the front will remain stable through the end of the year.
June 2, 1983: Central Front/Europe- USSR deploys two Divisions in Chukotsky Area and stage an attack along the Bering Strait towards Alaska. The attack is just to probe the US defences in the area, but will keep occupied 3 US divisions and 100 USAF planes until the end of the war.
June 7, 1983: Central Front/Europe- The training and skill of Swedish Army is too high for the medium level Soviet units sent to attack Sweden and suffer a major defeat in the Malmo area.
June 9, 1983: Central Front/Europe- United Kingdom general election: Conservative Margaret Thatcher wins in a landslide victory over Michael Foot (72% of the popular vote), the most decisive election victory since 1945.
June 12, 1983: Central Front/Europe- Soviet army suffers a defeat in the Scandinavian Mountains from Swedish and Norwegian Armies and starts retreating.
June 18-24, 1983: Central Front/Europe- Soviet troops starts a push in the Taurus Region of Turkey from Georgia and Armenia the scope of the Operation is to reach the Euphrates River.
June 20-26, 1983: Central Front/Europe- Yugoslav and Soviet units attempt a joint Heliborne and Sea Landing along the Po river delta. After a week of dramatic fightings the communist forces retreats. In particular Australian SAS have disrupted the Warpact communication lines together with Italian “Stay Behind” commandos.
July 1, 1983: Central Front/Europe- French forces, that were used as reserve units, enters in the fray in Bavaria. They are equipped with AMX30B Tanks.
July 5-20, 1983: Central Front/Europe-Major air battle take place over the Baltic Sea, Flygvapnet units equipped with Viggen fighters are able to keep Soviet bombers far from the main land.
July 15, 1983: Central Front/Europe- Turkish Army stops Soviet advance in the Lake Van Area, but the city of Kars is occupied.
July 20, 1983: Central Front/Europe- To gain popular support during the war the government of Poland announces the end of martial law and amnesty for political prisoners.
July 26, 1983: Central Front/Europe- French 2nd Army Corps equipped with AMX30B Tanks wins the battle of Freising, in Bavaria and stops the advance of Czechoslovak and Soviet infantry.
August 10, 1983: Central Front/Europe- In a summit of Warsaw Pact leaders the analysis of the first three months of war is that The Warsaw Pact has a numerical advantage in terms of tanks and manpower, the technological advantage of the NATO forces have helped the stop the attack. In particular Anti-Tank weapons and low-attack airplanes. MiG29s have showed to be superior to NATO counterparts in close combat, but they are detached to few units and have maintenance issues that keep them frequently grounded. A third wave of attack is necessary in September in order to break the front in Germany before the winter.
August 14, 1983: Central Front/Europe- Soviet Tu22 bombs Turkey Capital Ankara, USAF decides to accelerate deliveries of the Northrop F20 Tigershark to Turkish Air Force.
August 22, 1983: Central Front/Europe- USSR leader Yury Andropov suffers a renal failure and enters the Central Clinical Hospital in western Moscow on a permanent basis, where he will spend the remainder of his life. His aides will take turns visiting him in the hospital with important matters and paperwork.
August 28, 1983: Central Front/Europe- Royal Australian Air Force bomber units equipped with BAC TSR2 arrives in Italy at Naples Capodichino Airport.
September, 1983: Central Front/Europe- All VVS MiG29 are re-deployed on the Inner German Border area from the Italian and Balkan front.
September-October, 1983: Central Front/Europe- On the Scandinavian theatre there is a Soviet push on the Norway-Soviet border stopped by Swedish and Norway Army.
September 10-15, 1983: Central Front/Europe- 3rd wave of Soviet attacks in West Germany. MiG29 tries to gain Air Superiority, fierce air battles take place with initial advantage for VVS units.
September 18, 1983: Central Front/Europe- USAF F15 and RAF/Luftwaffe Tornados got severely beaten by VVS MiG 29s that conquer air supremacy, at the same time US VII Corp and West Germany II Corp tanks lacking air cover suffer massive losses from T80s of Soviet 8th Guards Army.
September 20, 1983 : Central Front/Europe- The new French fighter, the Dassault Mirage 2000 is pushed in to the battle with AdlA and Luftwaffe.
September 25, 1983 : Central Front/Europe- SAS and US Navy Seals conquer the Soviet Navy Base in Kunda, Estonia, the purpose of the mission, launched from Sweden is to start an insurrection from the Estonian Population against the Russians.
September 26-30, 1983 : Central Front/Europe- Estonian population starts to support SAS and USMC against Soviet forces but of course they are neutralized by KGB border guards.
October 1, 1983 : Central Front/Europe- Soviet 3rd Shock Army enters Hamburg, they found the docks destroyed so they cannot be used in the near term for re-supply the Warsaw Pact armies.
October 3, 1983 : Central Front/Europe- SAS and USMC are extracted from Kunda and return to Sweden, anyway as rumours of the insurrection spread there are many defections from Lithuania, Latvian and Estonian components of the Soviet Army.
October 8, 1983: Central Front/Europe- VVS is forced to deploy Su15 and MiG23 in Combat Air Patrol due to the unavailability of MiG29 plagued by maintenaince issues.
October 13, 1983: Central Front/Europe- USAF, RAF and Luftwaffe re-gain air superiority, on the same day VVS and other Warsaw Pact Air Forces loose more than two hundred airplanes, NATO just twentyeight.
October 15-23, 1983 : Central Front/Europe- Massive raids from RAF and Luftwaffe Tornados and USAF F111 and A9s annihilate Warsaw Pact forces around Hamburg, West Germany II Corp siege the city.
November 1-7, 1983: Central Front/Europe- In order to avoid a battle inside Hamburg, NATO forces leave a road open in order to let Soviet 3rd Shock Army get out of Hamburg.
November 12, 1983 : Central Front/Europe- The first winter storm hits Germany, with snow up to two metres covering all North and Central Germany.
November 18, 1983 : Central Front/Europe- An attack in the Jutland from 1st Netherland Corp and 1st British Corp is stopped by GDR Army.
December, 1983: Central Front/Europe- Major attacks are stopped on the German front due to the weather conditions. Special forces from both sides make small scale attacks to probe the enemy defences and for intelligence purposes.
December 8, 1983 : Central Front/Europe- A second winter storm hits northern Europe, with strong winds and snow storms, halting most of the Air Operation on the front through the rest of the year. The only airplane capable of still performing mission was the Tornado with its capability of flying at low level.
Middle East
January-June, 1983: Middle East- Lebanon Army receive equipment and training from US and France among them also former IAF Mirage F1.
February 14, 1983: Middle East-The Israeli government decides to transfer Ariel Sharon from his post as Defense Minister, in light of the recommendations of the Kahan Commission report published on 7 February and appoints Moshe Arens as the new Defense Minister.
March 17, 1983: Middle East- Lebanon, Israel, and the United States sign an agreement on Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon.
April 18, 1983: Middle East- U.S. Embassy bombing in Beirut kills 63 people.
April 28, 1983 Middle East- Israel, Lebanon and US signs a new Peace Accord, Syria refused to comply with the withdrawal and increase pressure on Amin Gemayel through its Druze and Shi’ite proxies.
May 2, 1983 Middle East- As the war is started in Europe, American and French units are ordered to keep their position in Lebanon.
June, 1983: Middle East- With Syrian support a radical PLO faction lead by Abu Mussa surrounds Arafat and his supporters in their stronghold of Tripoly.
August, 1983: Middle East- IDF withdraw from the Shouf Mountains , their place is taken by the new Lebanese army with American Equipment.
August 7, 1983: Middle East- Begin himself retires from politics and hands over the reins of the office of Prime Minister to his old friend-in-arms Yitzhak Shamir.
October 23, 1983: Middle East- Simultaneous suicide truck-bombings destroy both the French and the United States Marine Corps barracks in Beirut, killing 241 U.S. servicemen, 58 French paratroopers and 6 Lebanese civilians. The explosives for the attacks was provided by KGB.
November 4, 1983: Middle East- The Israeli Army Headquarters in Tyre, Lebanon is destroyed by a suicide truck bombing.
December, 1983: Middle East- Arafat goes into exile in Tunisia.
December 1, 1983: Middle East- Syrian forces fire on US reconnaissance airplane over the Beka’a Valley
December 4, 1983: Middle East- Lt. Bobby Goodman of the United States Navy is shot down over Lebanon and captured by the Syrians as the US responds to the attack of December 1.
Central America
January-March, 1983: Central America- Fueled by covered US Money Contras operations in Nicaragua increase, Cuba sends 500 “advisors” .
March, 1983: Central America- In Haiti widespread discontent begin, when Pope John Paul II visit the Island. The pontiff declares that "Something must change here." He went on to call for a more equitable distribution of income, a more egalitarian social structure, more concern among the elite for the well-being of the masses, and increased popular participation in public life. This message revitalizes both laymen and clergy, and it contributes to increased popular mobilization and to expand political and social activism.
June, 1983: Central America- The war in Europe has shifted all the attention, Central American strategy for the United States s now stop Communist advance, but reduce offensive actions unless required.
August 8, 1983: Central America- Cuban Government issues an ultimatum to the United States Government to leave the base of Guantanamo Bay in one week. USAF starts a major airlift.
August 15, 1983: Central America- Water supply to Guantanamo Bay are closed by the Cuban Government.
August 20, 1983: Central America- Cuban Army attacks Guantanamo Bay, but founds the base defended by no more than a hundred troops garrison. Since the airlift was used to move the troops back in the United States.
August 21, 1983: Central America- US Government releases a statement that condemn the occupation of Guantanamo Bay from Cuban troops and consider it to be not legal.
October 7, 1983: Central America- On the island of Grenada, the Deputy Prime Minister, Bernard Coard, sees Maurice Bishop as too moderate. He has military officers on his side who have been criticized lately. They overthrow Bishop and place Bishop under house arrest
October 19, 1983: Central America- Maurice Bishop, Prime Minister of Grenada, and forty others are assassinated in a military coup.
October 25, 1983 : Central America- After Presiden Reagan decides that US cannot loose another country to Cuban influence in the Caribbean, United States troops invade Grenada at the behest of Eugenia Charles of Dominica, a member of the Organization of American States.
November 21, 1983: Central America- Fighting in Grenada continues for several days and the total number of U.S. troops reached some 7,000 along with 300 troops from the OECS. The invading forces encountered about 3,500 Grenadian soldiers and about 1,700 Cubans. Also present were 300 advisors from the Soviet Union, North Korea, East Germany, Bulgaria, and Libya.
November 17, 1983: Central America- The Zapatista Army of National Liberation is founded in Mexico.
December 15, 1983: Central America- After more than a month of fighting, US forces are extracted from Grenada with a major helicopter airlift. The support from Cubans, Russians, North Koreans, Libyans, East Germans, Bulgarians advisors has turned the battle in favour of the Marxists government.
South America
April 15, 1983: South America- In Argentina the military government takes a step toward the return of civilian rule. It restores the rights of ninenteen political and labor leaders to take part in political activity.
October 30, 1983: South America-The first democratic elections in Argentina after seven years of military rule are held.
December 10, 1983: South America-Military rule ends and democracy is restored in Argentina, with the beginning of Raúl Alfonsín first term as President of Argentina.
Southern Africa
February-June, 1983: Southern Africa- SAAF receives his first batch of Harriers and Jaguars from the United Kingdom.
May 23, 1983: Southern Africa- A flight of SAAF Harriers bomb Mozambique Army headquarters in Maputo in their effort to support Renamo against the Communits Regime.
December 6, 1983: Southern Africa-South Africa launches its twelfth incursion, Operation Askari, in pursuit of SWAPO units which is also designed to inflict as much damage as possible on FAPLA's increasing military presence in southern Angola.
Afghanistan
January, 1983: Afghanistan- KGB reports that the Soviets incurr high costs for their own foreign interventions. Although Brezhnev was convinced in 1979 that the Soviet war in Afghanistan would be brief, Muslim guerrillas, aided by the US and other countries, waged a fierce resistance against the invasion. The Kremlin sent nearly 100,000 troops to support its puppet regime in Afghanistan, leading many outside observers to dub the war "the Soviets' Vietnam". However, Moscow's quagmire in Afghanistan is far more disastrous for the Soviets than Vietnam has been for the Americans because the conflict coincided with a period of internal decay and domestic crisis in the Soviet system.
January-March, 1983: Afghanistan- A de-facto truce is in place within DRA/Soviet forces and Mujaideen Guerrila in the Panjsher Valley. For the first time a ceasefire is concluded between the Soviets and the Mujahideen, lasting six months, and later extended. Negotiated by Massoud in person with a colonel of the GRU, Anatoly Tkachev, the agreement stipulates that Soviet troops should evacuate the Panjshir, except for a small garrison at Anava, whose access is controlled by the Mujahideen. The area covered by the ceasefire includes the Panjshir valley, but not the Salang pass, where fighting continues. This truce allows Soviet Army to relocate troops to East Germany.
April-June, 1983: Afghanistan- Massoud took advantage of the truce to extend his influence over areas that hav until then been held by hostile factions loyal to Gulbuddin Hekmatyar's Hezb-i-islami party, like in Andarab. More peacefully, he take control of the Khost-Fereng sector, and some areas in southern Takhar, while establishing contacts with other guerilla groups in Baghlan Province, and persuading them to adopt his military organisation. He also orders the strengthening of defenses in five subsidiary valleys as well as in the Panjshir, permitting a defense in depth, and withdraw his headquarters to Shira Mandara, in Takhar province, in anticipation of a renewed assault.
April 10-30, 1983: Afghanistan- Rebels conquer most of the city of Herat, Soviets use heavy bombers to drive them out.
May, 1983: Afghanistan- Soviet units are re-deployed from Afghanistan to the European Central front leaving the main role in counter the Mujiadheen to DRA.
June-September, 1983: Afghanistan- As the war is firing up in Europe, USSR pushes the Afghan government to use DRA units in combat, but those get defeated in the summer in the Patkia and Paktika valleys.
November, 1983: Afghanistan- Soviet offensive in Shomali valley.
December, 1983: Afghanistan- DRA units are sieged in Urgun
Iran-Iraq
January, 1983: Iran-Iraq- An Iraqi-Soviet arms deal was signed in Moscow, which lead to the Soviet Union supplying Iraq with additional T-62 and T-72 tanks; Mig-23 and Mig-25 jets; and SS-21 and Scud-B missiles
February 6, 1983: Iran-Iraq- Iran attack a 40-kilometer stretch near Al Amarah, via marshes and hill ridges. Iran's six-division attack manage to break through with the help of air, artillery, and armor support from the Regular Army. The Iraqis, though outnumbered, respond with two hunderd helicopter sorties per day to support the defenders. The sorties prove so effective that Iraqi tanks are reduced to effective defense roles. Not surprisingly, well over six thousand Iranian troops perishe on the first day of the operation.
February 13, 1983: Iran-Iraq- Iran manage to regain 100 square miles (260 km2) of its own territory. But after a week of stalemate, Iran abandones the operation after making only minimal gains against the Iraqis. Rafsanjani later retractes his earlier boast, saying that the offensive is not the last as expected. As for the Iraqis, this victory helped the poorly trained and shaken ground forces to boost their morale.
April 10, 1983: Iran-Iraq- Iran- Operation Dawn-1 (also known as Operation Valfajr-1) is an Iranian offensive in the Iran–Iraq War. Iran struck Ein Kosh with the immediate objective of Fuka (east of al-Amarah) to capture the Baghdad-Basra Highway. The operation is fought mostly by Pasdaran forces and is one of the three costly human wave offensives of 1983, although despite heavy losses on both sides the operation fails to defeat the Iraqis
June 22, 1983: Iran-Iraq- Iraq foreign minister Tariq Aziz menace to attack Iranian oil installation.
July 22-30, 1983: Iran-Iraq- With Operation Dawn 2, Iran advances nine miles inside Iraq, in Kurdistan. Iranian forces advance from Piranshahr and are highly successful against the Iraqis, effectively seizing Haj Omran in the process. The Iranians and Kurdish guerrillas make use of elevated ridges to launch ambushes on Iraqi positions and convoys. In all, they seized roughly 150 square miles (390 km2) of Iraqi territory. Iraq respond with counteroffensive, launching an airborne assault and employing the use of poison gas for the first time in the entire war. The Iraqis hit Iranian troops on mountain tops near Haj Omran with mustard gas while their troops advance in the slopes. Unfortunately, the Iraqis are unfamiliar with the properties of poison gas and the agent descend back down to the exposed Iraqi troops. At the same time, the rugged terrain hold up Iraqi tanks. The use of helicopter gunships is also hampered, since the Iranian and Kurdish fighters have better cover.
July 30, 1983: Iran-Iraq- Operation Dawn 3 or Operation Valfajr-3 is Iran's worst defeat out of all the Dawn operations. 180,000 Iranian troops participated in this attack but withering Iraqi firepower in support of deeply entrenched troops slaughter the advancing Iranians. The Iraqis struck back by emerging from their trenches to counterattack into Iran and capture Mehran. Although Iranian troops are highly motivated, they are poorly trained and equipped for this battle. For Iran the operation is a disaster
October19-November 15, 1983: Iran-Iraq- Operation Dawn 4 or Operation Valfajr-4 Units of Iraq's First Army Corps spend two months in their trenches waiting for the Iranians to attack. The Iranians and guerillas of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan take 250 square miles of territory. This included a number of Kurdish villages and exert a significant amount of pressure on Penjwin. Saddam Hussein respond with a counterattack, using the Iraqi Republican Guard and poison gas. However, they fail to dislodge the Iranians, who are dug-in and reinforced by Kurdish fighters.
November 2, 1983: Iran-Iraq- Iraq warns merchant vessel to avoid the “War Zone” in the northern area of the Gulf.
Far East/Oceania
May 2, 1983: Far East- North Korea re-deployes almost all of its armed forces units down to the 38th Parallel, awaiting to attack South Korea.
May 3, 1983: Far East- Australia and New Zealand declare war to Soviet Union and all Warsaw Pact nations.
May 4, 1983: Far East- NATO coordinates with Australia and New Zealand to take a containment position with the Communist nation in the Far East (Viet Nam, North Korea) but to avoid any attack. In detail they do not have to escalate with China. They are requested to support only in case Japan or South Korea are attacked. Some ANZACs units will be sent to Europe.
May-August 1983: Far East- USSR makes pressure with North Korea and China to attack South Korea and have US enegaged also in Far East Asia. China refuses to proceed and force Kim Il Sung, that was willing to attack, to hold the position.
June, 1983: Far East- Japan start a massive plan to increase its military both in terms of number and technology, with the Japanese industry building an US license several hardware. It is also changed the name of the services. JASDF will be called Imperial Japanese Air Force, JNSDF will be back to the old World Wa II name of Imperial Japanese Navy and the same for the Army that will be now Imperial Japanese Army. The major projects includes a new Aircraft Carrier equipped with Mitsubishi built F18 and also the McDonnell P4A Pegasus built by Kawasaki.
August 21 1983: Far East- Benigno Aquino, Jr., Philippines opposition leader, is assassinated in Manila just as he returns from exile.
Mediterrean /North Africa
January-March, 1983 : Mediterrean / North Africa- In Chad the clashes intensify in the North, while talks, with even an exchange in March of visits between Tripoli and N'Djamena, break down.
March 17, 1983: Mediterrean / North Africa- Habré bring the Chad-Libya quarrel before the United Nations, asking for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council to consider Libya's "aggression and occupation" of Chadian territory.
May , 1983: Mediterrean / North Africa- French Government decides to continue missions in North Africa and Middle East, despite the War in Europe. The Foreign Legion will take care of this two areas, while all regular Army units will be deployed in Europe.
June, 1983: Mediterrean / North Africa-The final offensive begin in June, when a three thousand strong GUNT force invested Faya-Largeau, the main government stronghold in the North, that fell on June 25, and then rapidly proceeded towards Koro Toro, Oum Chalouba and Abéché, assuming control of the main routes towards N'Djamena. Libya, while helping with recruiting and training and providing the GUNT with heavy artillery, only committ a few thousand regular troops to the offensive, and most of these are artillery and logistic units. This may have been due to Gaddafi's desire that the conflict should be read as a Chadian internal affair.
June 27, 1983: Mediterrean / North Africa- French arms shipments are resumed in Chad and asks support to Zairian dictator Mobutu in the area.
July 3, 1983 : Mediterrean / North Africa- a first contingent of three hundred Zairians arrived to strengthen Habré.
July 11-27, 1983: Mediterrean / North Africa- The French government accuses again Libya of direct military support to the rebels.
July 30, 1983: Mediterrean / North Africa-Faya –Largeau is taken by government forces in Chad, threatening to attack the Tibesti and the Aouzou Strip.
August 10, 1983: Mediterrean / North Africa-The GUNT-Libyan alliance invests the Faya-Largeau oasis, where Habré has entrenched himself with about five thousand troops. Battered by multiple rocket launcher (MRL), artillery and tank fire and continuous airstrikes, the FANT's defensive line disintegrates when the GUNT launches the final assault, leaving seven hundred FANT troops on the ground. Habré escapes with the remnants of his army to the capital, without being pursued by the Libyans.
August 16, 1983: Mediterrean / North Africa- Mobutu, also due to French and African pressures, announces the involvement of Zairian troops in Chad as part of Opération Manta, meant to stop the GUNT-Libyan advance and more generally weaken Gaddafi's influence in the internal affairs of Chad. Three days later several hundred Zairian troops are dispatched to N'Djamena, that are later brought to 2,700, with several squadron of Jaguar fighter-bombers and Gazelle attack helicopter.
September, 1983: Mediterrean / North Africa- The French government then defines a limit (the so-called Red Line), along the 15th parallel, extending from Mao to Abéché, and warns that they will not tolerate any incursion south of this line by Libyan or GUNT forces. Both the Libyans and the Zairians remain on their side of the line, with France showing itself unwilling to help Habré retake the north with Zairian troops, while the Libyans avoids starting a conflict with France by attacking the line. This lead to a de facto division of the country, with Libya maintaining control of all the territory north of the Red Line.
Sub-Saharian Africa
March- September 1983: Sub-Saharian Africa- In early 1983, to eliminate rural support for Museveni's guerrillas, the area of Luwero District is targeted for a massive population removal affecting almost 750,000 people. The resultant refugee camps are subject to military control, and in many cases human rights abuses. Many civilians outside the camps, in what came to be known as the "Luwero triangle," are blamed for being guerrilla sympathizers and are treated accordingly. NRA, likewise, committs atrocities, including the use of land mines specifically against civilians. Child soldiers are widely used by the NRA as guerrillas, and also subsequently when NRA become the regular army.
April 15, 1983 : Sub-Saharian Africa- President Nimeiry declares all Sudan an Islamic state, terminating the Southern Sudan Autonomous Region
September 12, 1983 : Sub-Saharian Africa- The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) is founded as a rebel group, to reestablish an autonomous Southern Sudan by fighting against the central government. While based in Southern Sudan, it identified itself as a movement for all oppressed Sudanese citizens, and is led by John Garang.
Northern Ireland
January 6, 1983: Northern Ireland - Two RUC officers are shot dead by the IRA while on patrol in Rostrevor, County Down
May 24, 1983: Northern Ireland - Andersonstown British Army barracks is devastated when the IRA detonated a massive van-bomb outside the front gate.
September 25, 1983: Northern Ireland - Maze Prison escape: thirtyeight Irish republican prisoners, armed with six handguns, hijack a prison meals lorry and smash their way out of HMP Maze, in the largest prison escape since World War II and in British history.
December 17, 1983: Northern Ireland -Harrods bombing – a Provisional IRA car bomb kill six and injured ninety outside Harrdos a major department store in London. The Provisonal IRA Army Council claim that it had not authorised the attack.
Glanini:
1984
News
January 14, 1984: News - The 1984 Summer Olympics to be held in Los Angeles, California are cancelled by Internationl Olympic Commitee, respecting the tradition that the games cannot be held during war unless those are suspended.
June-December, 1984: News– Major famine hits Ethiopia due to the extremely low rainfalls in the two previous years, in the meanwhile Ethiopian dictator Menghistu raised military expenses to 46% of GDP.
June 4, 1984: News– Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” album is released, though the song may look a patriotic hyms, especially during a war, it was actually a song about a jobless Vietnam War veteran.
July 12, 1984: News - In San Francisco, the Democratic National Convention has nominated Walter Mondale for U.S. President.
July 25, 1984 : News - Salyut 7: Soviet Cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya becomes the first woman to perform a space walk.
November 6, 1984: News - United States presidential election, 1984: Ronald Reagan defeats Walter F. Mondale with 59% of the popular vote, the highest since Richard Nixon's 61% victory in 1972. Reagan carries 49 states in the electoral college; Mondale wins only his home state of Minnesota by a mere 3,761 vote margin and the District of Columbia.
November 25, 1984 : News - Band Aid, featuring U2, Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Wham, Phil Collins , Sting and Paul McCartney records the charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" to raise money to help the populations of West Germany, Italy, Austria and Denmark. It is released December 3, 1984
Central Front/ Europe
January –March, 1984: Central Front/Europe- Both sides went through a major re-armament process. United States production lines work around the clock and some production are also transferred to Europe. F16s are delivered to RAF, Luftwaffe and AMI, F18 to Royal Navy, Italian Navy and Aeronavale. On the Warsaw Pact side Sukhoi Su27 Flankers are delivered to frontline VVS units.
January, 1984: Central Front/Europe- A Red Cross reports details the condition of the areas occupied by Warsaw pact and Prisoners as well, while the situation in West Germany and Denmark is fair, the condition in Nortern Italy are dramatic as long as for Italian and Australian soldiers captured by Yugoslav Army that are sent in “Concentration Camps”.
February, 1984: Central Front/Europe- Soviet Army reserve units equipped with T72 tanks are moved from Central Russia to Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Hungary.
February 9, 1984: Central Front/Europe- After a long illness Soviet Leader Yuri Andropov dies, while sleeping, in his hospital room.
February 14, 1984: Central Front/Europe- Konstantin Chernenko is named General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The nomination is seen by western analysts as a temporary solution due to Chernenko’s age and health condition.
March, 1984: Central Front/Europe-Italian Air Force F16s and F20s get air superiority in Norht-East Italy against Yugoslav MiG23 and MiG21.
March 6, 1984: Central Front/Europe-Ronald Reagan provides to West Germany Government a report by CIA. The report describes how West Germany intelligence has been widely infiltrated by STASI agents. The CIA investigation started after the Humint failure in anticipating the attack on Western Europe.
March 6, 1984: Central Front/Europe-West German Bundesnachrichtendienst (Federal Intelligence Service) is shaken up by several arrests and is completely re-organized.
March 15-30, 1984: Central Front/Europe-As the weather starts to improve USAF F111, RAF and Luftwaffe Tornados starts pounding Warsaw Pact supply line in East Germany. Sukhoi Su27 tries to contrast them but suffer availability and maintenaince issues.
March 18, 1984: Central Front/Europe-Anti-Russian demonstration in Tiblisi are suppressed by KGB special units, but the demonstation will continue and spread in Armenia and in the Caucasus in the following weeks.
April 3, 1984: Central Front/Europe- In order to ease the pressure on the eastern front Italian and Australian units attack Albania and Yugoslavia (Montenegro) with a landing in the Petrovac area.
April 10, 1984: Central Front/Europe- Italian Marine Division “San Marco” crosses the Tagliamento River and push toward the Italian-Yugoslavian Border.
April 14, 1984: Central Front/Europe- 1st wave of Warsaw Pact attack on Austria from Czechoslovakian Army and Soviet 20th Guards Army. The attack is supported by the new attack helicopter of the Soviet Army Aviation, the Mil Mi28 Havoc.
April 20, 1984: Central Front/Europe- Vienna is occupied by Soviet forces. Thousand of Austrian citizens leave the country in Italy’s direction.
April 20, 1984: Central Front/Europe- Austrian Government, now in Innsbruck asks support to Switzerland that refuse the request.
April 30, 1984: Central Front/Europe-Soviet Troops are pulled out from the Taurus region in Turkey to suppress the revolt in the Caucusus.
May 5, 1984: Central Front/Europe- While the front is on a stalemate in North and Central Germany, Soviet forces occupy Salzburg and cross the Austria-Germany border in Munich direction.
May 10, 1984: Central Front/Europe- Italian Alpini enters in Austria and stops Soviet Invasion on the Kithzbuel-Lienz front.
May 15, 1984: Central Front/Europe- Soviet 20th Guards Army is 15 Kilometres south of Munich while 1st Guards Tank Army is 20 Kilometres East.
May 22, 1984: Central Front/Europe- Italian army enters Tirana and the population welcome them, the Albanian army faces huge defection and surrenders.
May 24, 1984 : Central Front/Europe- France II Army Corp, Canadian Brigade and France I Army with huge losses stop the Soviets in the periphery of Munich after a very cruel fight building by building.
May 30, 1984 : Central Front/Europe-Australian and Italian Army units enter in Trieste.
June 6, 1984 : Central Front/Europe- Turkish Army crosses the Dardanelles Strait and the Bulgarian border after a serious of dramatic attacks from Northrop A9 Warthogs on Soviet and Bulgarian T72 tanks and BMPDs.
June 20, 1984 : Central Front/Europe- Italian and Australian Army units enters Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro. While Greek and New Zealand army units occupies Macedonia.
July, 1984 : Central Front/Europe- While French and Canadian forces are held in South Germany to defend Munich the Soviet 8th Guards Army moves west to Stuttgart.
July 5, 1984 : Central Front/Europe- Nurnberg is occupied after heavy fightings by Soviet 20th Guards Army on his way to Stuttgart.
July 15-30, 1984: Central Front/Europe- Major battle between US VII Corp and Soviet 8th Guards Army around Augusta in the direction of Stuttgart. Soviet Command and Control centers are bombed at night by a mysterious NATO bomber that Soviet radars are unabe to detect. In reality the US have deployed their stealth bomber F117 to the western Europe theatre.
July 15-30, 1984: Central Front/Europe- Turkish Army enters Plovdiv, in Southern Bulgaria, while the Greek Army is stopped on the Rodopi Mountains.
August, 1984 : Central Front/Europe- In the Julian Alps Croatian and Slovenian units of the Yugoslavian Army show sign of weaknesses and starts to retreat or surrender in front of advancing Italian and Australian Units without major signs of resistance.
August 15, 1984 : Central Front/Europe- On a meeting of Warsaw Pact leadership Constantin Chernenko states that Hamburg and Munich must be occupied before the winter. At the same meeting Yugoslavian, Bulgarian and Romanian leadership admit that the population and the army are not engaged as they would have hoped and they fear an uprising.
August 22-29, 1984 : Central Front/Europe- All reserve VVS units are deployed to Germany, major fightings with NATO air forces to gain air superiority. The technological advantage of NATO with the use of AWACs allows USAF, RAF, Luftwaffe and AdlA fighters to counter Soviet attacks.
September 1-30, 1984 : Central Front/Europe- Even without air superiority Warsaw Pact forces attack in mass in Munich and Hamburg direction but the T80s and T72 tanks units are piecemealed by USAF F111 and A9s. US Army M1A1 Abrahams and German Heer Leopard II pushes Soviet back to the East German border.
September 15, 1984 : Central Front/Europe- The new generation of Command and Control Airplane, Boeing E4 Sentinel enters service with Royal Air Force.
October 5, 1984 : Central Front/Europe- Constantin Chernenko is hospitalized in the Central Clinical Hospital, a heavily guarded facility in west Moscow.
October 10, 1984: Central Front/Europe- In a NATO summit, United Kingdom Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher pushes for an offensive to free Denmark before winter.
October 12, 1984 : Central Front/Europe- A Warsaw Pact leadership summit is held in Moscow without Chernenko presence. It is decided to stop any major attack and hold the positions along the Inner German Border. Some VVS reserve units are to be re-deployed in Bulgaria, Romania, Yugoslavia and Soviet Caucasus to face the possibility of a civil uprising after what has happened in Albania.
October 15, 1984: Central Front/Europe- 1st British Corp and 8th West Germany Mechanized Division attack GDR and Soviet units in North West Germany and free Lubeck.
October 16, 1984: Central Front/Europe- Swedish Army units starts an heliborne attack on Denmark in the Zealand, an area that was mainly occupied by GDR units.
October 18, 1984: Central Front/Europe- 1st British Corp of BAOR (British Army of Rhine) with Centurion tanks reaches Kiel and crosses the West Germany-Denmark border.
October 22, 1984: Central Front/Europe- 31. Luftburna bataljonen of Swedish Army enters Copenaghen, where GDR units have left the day before
October 25, 1984: Central Front/Europe- Soviet 2nd Guards Tank Army and the remaining Warsaw Pact Units leave Denmark’s Jutland through a massive Air and Sea operation with Air cover provided by Polish and VVS Su27 Flankers, anyway at least two hundred T80 Tanks are left there.
November 1, 1984: Central Front/Europe- All Denmark is free, after eighteen months of Soviet occupation, the King and the government return to the country.
November 16, 1984: Central Front/Europe- West Germany Army units complete the advance in Schleswig-Holstein, Warsaw Pact units in Northern Germany are back to the April 1983 borders.
November 20-December 15, 1984 : Central Front/Europe- French and Canadian operations to push Warsaw Pact out of Bavaria are hampered by the weather, Czech and Soviet Units retreat 50 Kilometres from Munich, then the operations are stopped.
Middle East
January, 1984: Middle East- The Lebanese Army is defeated by Druze and Shi’ite Militias that take control over South and West Beirut.
February 7, 1984: Middle East- President Reagan orders U.S. Marines "redeployed" from shore to U.S. Navy ships offshore in Lebanon. He describes the bombing of the Marine barracks that killed 241 Marines "Soviet sponsored."
February 8, 1984: Middle East- In Lebanon, for nine hours U.S. warships shell pro-Syrian militia positions.
February 26, 1984: Middle East- United States Marines pull out of Beirut, Lebanon to be re-deployed in West Germany.
May-June, 1984 : Middle East-After United Nation withdrawal from Beirut the weak Amin Gemayel is forced to go to Damascus to consult with Assad.
August, 1984: Middle East-Gemayel announces its renounce to the American Sponsored April 28 Deal
September 13, 1984: Middle East- Labour Party Leader Shimon Peres presents the Twenty-first government of Israel and begins to serve as the prime minister of Israel.
September-December, 1984: Middle East- The Israeli trained South Lebanese Army of Major Haddad is able to stand the Druze attacks and maintain control over the enclave.
Central America
January-June, 1984: Central America- Nicaraguan and Salvadorean Government troops with Cuban support perform a major clean-up of the areas still occupied by Contras rebels, that flees in Honduras and Costa Rica.
February 2, 1984: Central America- After pressure from Nicaraguan government Costa Rica denies asylum to 3’000 soldiers of Eden Pastora Contras Army.
May 2, 1984: Central America- In El Salvador Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional (FMLN) wins the general elctions against the Christian Democrat party.
June-September, 1984: Central America- In Guatemala the rebels trained in Mexico starts offensive actions in the north of the country.
September 4, 1984: Central America- The Sandinista Front with Daniel Ortega wins again the Nicaraguan general elections.
November 19, 1984: Central America- Through mediation of a Switzerland delegation the soldiers captured at Guantanamo Bay returns to the United States.
South America
January 25, 1984: South America- In Brazil during the celebrations for the anniversary of the city of Sao Paulo there is a strike with the participation of one hundred thousand people and several politicians and artists requesting free election to elect the president of the Republic and the end of the Military regime.
August 3, 1984: South America- In Argentina the first general strike is called against President Raul Alfonsin due to the economic stagnation of the country.
Southern Africa
January, 1984: Southern Africa- The USSR not only increases its aid to Angola but also take over the tactical and strategic leadership of FAPLA deploying advisors right down to the battalion level and begin planning a large-scale offensive against the UNITA-stronghold in southeastern Angola.
March 19, 1984: Southern Africa- In a joint statement Cuba and Angola announce the principles on which a Cuban withdrawal would be negotiated: unilateral withdrawal of the SADF, implementation of Resolution 435 and cessation of support for UNITA and aggression against Angola. Cuban withdrawal would be a matter between Cuba and Angola.
March 25, 1984: Southern Africa- The South African and Mozambican governments sign the Nkomati Accord, in which South Africa agrees to stop sponsoring RENAMO if the Mozambican government expells exiled members of the African National Congress residing there. Mozambique fails to respect agreement and South African support for Renamo proceed.
April- August, 1984: Southern Africa- Soviet command do not include the Cuban forces in Angola. Cuba's strategic opinions differ considerably from those of the Soviets and Angolans and Cuba strongly advised against an offensive in the southeast because it would create the opportunity for a significant South African invasion, which is what transpire. A FAPLA-offensive in February has already brought dismal results.
May-December, 1984: Southern Africa- In Mozambique Renamo, with support of Rhodesian Cheetahs stages several offensive in which government forces are defeated.
September, 1984 : Southern Africa- Angola present a plan to the United Nations calling for the retreat of all Cuban troops to positions north of the 13th parallel and then to the 16th parallel, again on the condition that South Africa pull out of Namibia and respect Resolution 435. Ten thousand Cuban troops around the capital and in Cabinda are to remain.
Afghanistan
January 30, 1984: Afghanistan- After more than two months of siege Soviet units finally relieve the DRA units at Urgun fort.
February, 1984: Afghanistan- Some Soviets, who disagreed with the policy of the massive attack planned for Panjseher VI give Massoud advance warning of the attack. Through this channel, and thanks to his agents in the DRA government Massoud has a precise idea of the Soviet plans, and he is able to counter them. To avoid civilian casualties, all 30,000 inhabitants of the Panjshir (from a population of 100,000 before the war) are evacuated to safe areas.
March, 1984: Afghanistan- Soviet units conduct a successful large scale sweep on the Salang Pass highway.
April 22-24, 1984: Afghanistan- Panjsher VII- 11,000 Soviet and 2,600 Afghan soldiers, participate in the offensive, supported by 200 airplanes and 190 helicopters. After a two-day bombardment of the region by Tu-16, Tu-22M and Su-24 bombers, they advance rapidly into the Panjshir. Several battalion strength forces are placed at key passes leading out of the Panjshir valley while at the same time large helicopter troop landings are made in tributary valleys connected to the Panjshir.
May, 1984: Afghanistan- Panjsher VII - By blocking the mujahideen's withdrawal routes and securing the high ground, the Soviets force them higher into the mountains then they have previously ventured and scatter their strength as they attempted to avoid being trapped by the helicopter landings. Once the strength of Massoud's forces are dealt such a deadly blow, rather than withdrawing from the valley as they have previously done they began setting up a system of forts and posts throughout the main valley while relinquishing control of the side valleys. These tactics prove more effective at rooting out insurgents and breaking up their fighting forces during the offensive but had limited long term success.
June, 1984: Afghanistan- Panjsher VII -The forts and outposts along the Panjshir Valley are unable to protect roads and convoys as well as they have hoped and these installations proves attractive targets for the mujahideen to harass. Much of the valley is occupied, but the Soviets paid a heavy price; many soldiers are killed by mines and in ambushes.
July-August, 1984: Afghanistan- Logar and Shomali valley are swept by DRA and Soviet Army, followed by renewed fightings near Herat.
July-September, 1984: Afghanistan- Panjsher VII - For the Soviets, the operation is partly successful - some of the infrastructure of the Mujahideen, created in the time of the truce in 1982-1983, are destroyed. Babrak Karmal completes a propaganda visit of the Panjshir, which for some time has become a safe zone. However, it quickly become apparent that most of Massoud's forces have escaped the onslaught, and are still able to carry out their harassment tactics. Eventually, in September, the Soviet-DRA forces once again evacuated the Panjshir valley, leaving occupying forces only in the lower Panjshir.
September, 1984: Afghanistan- Panjsher VIII - The 8th offensive is a follow-up to the 7th, involving mostly airborne forces.
October-December, 1984: Afghanistan-Soviet units push to seal the borders with Pakistan, that supplies weapons to the rebels.
Iran-Iraq
February 7-22, 1984: Iran-Iraq- On February 7 Saddam order aerial and missile attacks against eleven strategic Iranian cities that he has selected. The bombardment cease on 22 February. Iran soon retaliates against Iraqi urban centers, and these exchanges become known as the first "war of the cities". There would be five such exchanges throughout the course of the war.
February 14, 1984: Iran-Iraq- Iran fight through Iraqi defenses to the oil-rich Majnoon Island. Iran now is ready to launch the final attack of the battle of the Marshes and if this one would be lost Iraq could easily regain all territory lost in the battle of the Marshes. Iran start their first strategic offensive now, Operation Kheibar. The IRIAF try their best to support the troops but because they lack spare parts they could only provide one hundred combat sorties per day on average, which is simply not enough. But on the other side the Iraqi air-force have their hands full on the southern front. Because of Iran's lack of aircraft, they use helicopters support for their troops. Eventually the Iranians sweep across the marshes and force the Iraqis out of the Majnoon islands which is a major disaster for Iraq.
February 15, 1984: Iran-Iraq- Iran launch Operation Dawn V, also known as Operation Dawn 5 or Operation Valfajr-5 (Persian). The Goal of the offensive is to split the Iraqi 3rd Army Corps and 4th Army Corps near Basra. It is fought between the Pasdaran, Basij and the Iraqi Army. In the early phases,a force of an estimated 500,000 Pasdaran and Basij, using shallow boats or on foot, move to within a few kilometers of the strategic Basra-Baghdad waterway. The Iranians lacked artillery, air support and armored protection, while the Iraqis are well equipped. The armies inflict 25,000 casualties on each other and the Iranians fail to achieve their objective. This operation is the biggest of the Dawn operations.
February 22-24, 1984: Iran-Iraq- Operation Dawn 6 is designed to exploit the Iranians' capture on the previous Operation with a breakthrough towards the highway. However, the operation meet an Iraqi defence which stand up to every attack, and the Iranians call off the attack after only two days.
March, 1984: Iran-Iraq- The Tanker War starts when Iraq attack Iranian tankers and the oil terminal at Kharg island. Iran strike back by attacking tankers carrying Iraqi oil from Kuwait and then any tanker of the Persian Gulf states supporting Iraq. Both nations attack oil tankers and merchant ships, including those of neutral nations, in an effort to deprive the opponent of trade. Iraq declares that all ships going to or from Iranian ports in the northern zone of the Persian Gulf are subject to attack.
March 5, 1984: Iran-Iraq- Iran accuses Iraq of using chemical weapons; the United Nations condemns their use on March 30.
March 19, 1984: Iran-Iraq- The Iraqi defenses, under continuous strain since 15 February, seem close to breaking conclusively. The Iraqis successfully stabilize the front but not before the Iranians capture part of the Majnun Isla.
May 13, 1984: Iran-Iraq- Iran attacka a Kuwaiti tanker near Bahrain.
June 5, 1984: Iran-Iraq- The Iranian attacks against Saudi shipping led to Saudi F-16s shooting down an Iranian aircraft.
October, 1984: Iran-Iraq- Limited Iranian operation “Dawn 7” is repulsed by Iraq.
Far East/ Oceania
January, 1984: Far East- Aggressive Patrol flights over the China Sea are taken by VVS units, one Japanese P4A Sea Patrol Aircraft is shot down by a Sukhoi Su.15.
January, 1984: Far East- Conflict resumes between Vietnam and PRC in a series of actions known as the battles of Lao Shan and Zhenyn Shan.
April 13, 1984: Far East- India-Pakistan-India launches Operation Meghdoot when the Kumaon Regiment of the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force goes into the glacier region. India is soon in control of the area, beating Pakistan to the Saltoro Ridge high ground by about a week. The two northern passes – Sia La and Bilafond La – are quickly secured by India.
April 28, 1984: Far East- PLA’s 40th Div of the 14th Corps attack Lao Mountain while the 49th Division of the 16th Corps heads for theZheyin mountain; the PAVN 313 division and batteries of the 168th Army Brigade conduct a fighting withdrawal.
May-June, 1984: Far East- PLA units have entered in Vietnamene territory for no more than five miles but are able to get the higher ground on all disputed border areas.
June-December, 1984: Far East- As the war progresses in Europe, Australia and New Zealand starts patrolling operation in the Pacific Ocean.
June 6, 1984: Far East- India-Pakistan- Indian troops storm the Golden Temple at Amritsar, the Sikhs' holiest shrine, killing an estimate 2,000 people.
August 21, 1984: Far East- Half a million people in Manila, Philippines demonstrate against the regime of Ferdinand Marcos.
October 31, 1984: Far East- India-Pakistan -Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is assassinated by her two Sikh security guards . Riots soon break out in New Delhi, and some 2,700 Sikhs are killed. Rajiv Gandhi becomes prime minister of India.
December 3, 1984: Far East-India: Bhopal disaster, eight thousand people dies due to a toxic gas leak from the chemical plant of US company Union Carbide.
December 31 1984: Far East- Brunei gains independence from the United Kingdom.
Mediterrean/ North Africa
January, 1984: Mediterrean / North Africa-a GUNT attack, supported by heavy Libyan armor, on the FANT outpost of Ziguey, a move mainly meant to persuade France and the African states to reopen negotiations. France react to this breach of the Red Line by launching the first significant air counter-attack, bringing into Chad more troops from Zaire and unilaterally raising the defensive line to the 16th parallel.
April 30, 1984: Mediterrean / North Africa-Gaddafi proposes a mutual withdrawal of both the French and Libyan forces in Chad. The French President François Mitterrand shows himself receptive to the offer.
September 17, 1984 : Mediterrean / North Africa- Mitterand, Mobutu and Gaddafi publicly announces that the mutual withdrawal will start on September 25, and be completed by November 10.
November 16, 1984: Mediterrean / North Africa- Mitterrand meet with Gaddafi on Crete, under the auspices of the Greek prime minister Papandreou. Despite Gaddafi's declaration that all Libyan forces have been withdrawn, the next day Mitterrand admits that this is not true.
December 22, 1984: Mediterrean / North Africa - In Malta, Prime Minister Dom Mintoff resigns.
Sub-Saharian Africa
May 20-21 1984: Sub-Saharian Africa- No fewer than thirtytwo Ethiopian and Soviet aircraft were claimed destroyed at Asmara AB, including sixteenMiG-21s and MiG-23s, two An-26s, two (Soviet) Il-38s, four other aircraft, and six Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters. Due to such losses, the Junta in Addis Ababa is in 1985 forced to sell remaining intact F-5As and F-5Es to Iran, in order to pay back some of its debts to the USSR.
June-December 1984: Sub-Saharian Africa - In Uganda UNLA begin to split along ethnic lines. Acholi soldiers complain that they are given too much frontline action and too few rewards for their services. Obote further alienates much of the Acholi-dominated officer corps by appointing his fellow ethnic Lango as Chief of Staff, and by giving more prominence to the Lango dominated Special Force Units.
September 1984: Sub-Saharian Africa - In Sudan president Nimeiry announces the end of the state of emergency and dismantles the emergency courts but soon promulgated a new judiciary act, which continues many of the practices of the emergency courts. Despite Nimeiry's public assurances that the rights of non-Muslims will be respected, southerners and other non-Muslims remains deeply suspicious.
November 21 1984: Sub-Saharian Africa- Operation Moses, refers to the covert evacuation of Ethiopian Jews (known as the "Beta Israel" community or "Falashas") from Sudan during a famine in 1984. The operation, named after the biblical figure Moses, is a cooperative effort between the Israel Defense Forces, the Central Intelligence Agency, the United States embassy in Khartoum, mercenaries, and Sudanese state security forces ending January 5, 1985.
Northern Ireland
February 21, 1984 : Northern Ireland - Two IRA volunteers and an SAS member are killed in a gun battle between an undercover British Army unit and the IRA at Dunloy, County Antrim
May 18, 1984 : Northern Ireland - Three British soldiers are killed by a PIRA landmine in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh. Two RUC officers are killed by a PIRA landmine near Camlough, County Armagh.
October 12, 1984 : Northern Ireland - Brighton hotel bombing: a bomb, planted by PIRA, in the Grand Hotel kill five in a failed attempt to assassinate members of the British cabinet. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher narrowly escapes death.
December 6, 1984 : Northern Ireland - Two members of the IRA are shot dead by undercover British soldiers in the grounds of Gransha Hospital, Derry.
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