[Politics] A day that will live in infamy

[shingle]

On this day, 43 years ago, Argentina invaded the Falklands.

saying.... The Islanders have a choice ,they can return to Britain (some of the people had been there for 8 or 9 generations) or become Argentine. Bearing in mind at the time, the Facist Argentine Junta had disappeared 30,000 of their own people, you could hardly blame the islanders for dismissing the second suggestion. Anyhow, our military forces liberated the islands some weeks later and restored the Islanders right to self determination.

 

[Change at Barnham]

I opened this thread thinking it would be about it being the day Trump managed to crash the world economy.

 

[Peteinblack]

Although immediately prior to the Argentine invasion, British Ministers had been discussing ways of offloading the Falkland Islands, via shared sovereignty or a lease-back scheme with Buenos Aires.

 

[Peteinblack]

I opened this thread thinking it would be about it being the day Trump managed to crash the world economy.

Infamy. Infamy. They've got it in for me!

 

[Javeaseagull]

Margaret Thatcher went from being the most hated Prime Minister in history to the most popular. Funny that.

 

[Peteinblack]

"Be it thy course to busy giddy minds with foreign quarrels,
that action, hence borne out,
May waste the memory of the former days."

Henry IV. Part 2

 

[Guinness Boy]

It may live in history but, even then, it only does so here and in Argentina. I very much doubt your average Dutchman or American could even tell you where the Falklands are, let alone that there was a war there and what the start date was.

 

[happypig]

It may live in history but, even then, it only does so here and in Argentina. I very much doubt your average Dutchman or American could even tell you where the Falklands are, let alone that there was a war there and what the start date was.

To be fair, the average American probably couldn't tell you where Argentina or Britain are. Or America.

 

[Tubby Mondays]

Margaret Thatcher went from being the most hated Prime Minister in history to the most popular. Funny that.

The mothers of the soldiers that died must be so proud that their sons didn’t die in vain.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

It may live in history but, even then, it only does so here and in Argentina. I very much doubt your average Dutchman or American could even tell you where the Falklands are, let alone that there was a war there and what the start date was.

Indeed, and even it was noticed, it would be seen as little more than a meaninglaess spat to most of the world.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

To be fair, the average American probably couldn't tell you where Argentina or Britain are. Or America.

A few years ago my wife's cousin's husband, an American, over here on holiday, took part in a quiz at my local pub. To the question name the capital of Hungary, he gave his answer as Belgium.

 

[Cheggers]

Seems perfectly reaonable and logical to maintain sovereignty over an island an ocean away. This is the response you really wanted.

 

[shingle]

Just to add I've just returned from 7 weeks in Argentina. I really like the people, but The Falklands issue is always under the surface, particularly with the older generation, but, they don't mention it and i don't mention it.

Signs are everywhere, on T shirts, Clothing, on Buses and Trains proclaiming Argentinas right to the islands. This one I took just behind the presidential palace

 

[shingle]

I took some pics in the old naval building where many people were tortured but is now a museum to the 'dirty war' years. My daughter in laws sister who's argentine by birth and who travelled with us for a couple of weeks was so upset by the exhibits that we had to leave after 20 mins. A very dark chapter in Argentine history, only ended (ironically) by their defeat in the Falklands and the subsequent fall of the military regime and return of a civilian democratic government.

 

[Peteinblack]

I took some pics in the old naval building where many people were tortured but is now a museum to the 'dirty war' years. My daughter in laws sister who's argentine by birth and who travelled with us for a couple of weeks was so upset by the exhibits that we had to leave after 20 mins. A very dark chapter in Argentine history, only ended (ironically) by their defeat in the Falklands and the subsequent fall of the military regime and return of a civilian democratic government.

When we were in Buenos Aires for a holiday a few years ago, it was our tour guide who mentioned the war! She said that most Argentinians didn't care about the Falklands.

When I nervously asked "So why the invasion?", she replied "That was the politicians. An authoritarian Right-wing leader facing growing unpopularity, a weak economy, and the threat of civil unrest, and deciding to divert people's attention, and rally them to the flag, by embarking on an overseas military adventure."

She was talking about Galtieri, but I couldn't help smirking while I thought "Just like the UK, then."

Apparently, a Times journalist described the Falklands War as "like two bald men fighting over a comb"!

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

On this day, 43 years ago, Argentina invaded the Falklands.

saying.... The Islanders have a choice ,they can return to Britain (some of the people had been there for 8 or 9 generations) or become Argentine. Bearing in mind at the time, the Facist Argentine Junta had disappeared 30,000 of their own people, you could hardly blame the islanders for dismissing the second suggestion. Anyhow, our military forces liberated the islands some weeks later and restored the Islanders right to self determination.

And all this happened because Thatcher refused to take the advice of the military that 'her friends' in Argentina were about to invade.
They had tried it before when Callaghan was PM and he sent in the fleet and the Argies buggered off. Didn't even make the news.
Thatcher was a disgrace.

 

[Chicken Run]

The mothers of the soldiers that died must be so proud that their sons didn’t die in vain.

And Sailors

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Infamy?

I don't think we'll lose by that many

 

[Nottseagull]

Seems perfectly reaonable and logical to maintain sovereignty over an island an ocean away. This is the response you really wanted.

That's exactly what the Spanish did in South America. The Argentines wanted independence and the Falkland Islanders didn't; that's the perfectly legitimate reason we maintain the dependency.

 

[Eeyore]

Although immediately prior to the Argentine invasion, British Ministers had been discussing ways of offloading the Falkland Islands, via shared sovereignty or a lease-back scheme with Buenos Aires.

Indeed. The Argentines were left an open goal. Especially by the withdrawal of a battle ship.

It was also a war that the UK came within hours of losing when the Argentines located the aircraft carriers. Had they been sunk that was it.

Watching documentaries was an eye opener. How poorly prepared the UK was. It may have been a highly trained and committed Western army against what was a lot of ill trained troops and conscripts, but it was 12,000 miles away. And there were a lot of them. The general feeling was their pilots were pretty good too.

The government caused the situation and then took a huge gamble when the odds were against them. It was a lot of luck and the commitment of our forces that won it. The government had more questions to answer than glory to take.