HMS Conqueror was the focus of a lot of criticism at home and abroad, which the Argentinian Junta made good use of as propaganda at the time. I would like to make two points clear to the readers here.

1. Operating under The Rules Of Engagement and Levels of Force she was well within her right to sink both escorts, but she did not. The Admiralty and her Commanding Officer displayed humanitarian judgement and no reasonable person can dispute that her actions were honourable. The two destroyers did not pose a significant threat by themselves; and indeed, they did not enter the 200 mile exclusion zone. The Argentinian aircraft carrier group retreated back to port and did not pose a significant threat after the sinking of the Belgrano.

2. Had this been a major protracted war, with doubt about the outcome being in favour of the British, both escorts would have been sunk or attacked by aircraft, missiles or ships, during their transit home. They were not attacked, and allowed safe passage home. I seriously doubt that British ships would have been granted such mercy had the situation been reversed.