Q&A ยท 2:12:48-2:13:06

If Conqueror had sunk Belgrano's escorts

Conqueror could have attacked the escorts, and losing the whole group would have removed a much larger share of Argentina's fleet.

Question

Could HMS Conqueror have sunk both of General Belgrano's escorts, and what would that mean?

Short answer

Yes; it would have destroyed a major portion of the Argentine fleet and made the loss considerably worse.

Notes

HMS Conqueror had the tactical ability to continue attacking General Belgrano's escorts. Destroying the entire group would have removed the cruiser and two more Argentine warships in a single action. That concentration represented a substantial share of Argentina's usable surface fleet. The result would therefore have been much more damaging than the already serious loss of Belgrano alone.