Page 30 - History of War - Issue 10-14

FALKLANDS: THATCHER’S WAR

many Argentines saw as rightfully theirs, and days before they’d gathered to howl in protest were rowdy scenes in parliament, followed by
to finally boot out the region’s last remaining against rocketing infl ation, unemployment and the hasty resignation of the Foreign Secretary
colonial bullies (the British) was more than just the regime’s brutality. In a moment, all of that Lord Carrington, who Thatcher shoved onto
amatterofnationalpride.Itwasthefulfilment had been forgotten, so intoxicating was the his sword. Britain had been humiliated, so the
of some sort of manifest destiny. promise of Las Malvinas. Even trade unionists question now was what was the country going
Outnumbered ten to one, Argentinian cheered the fascist Junta that morning. to do?
commanders no doubt imagined the lightly Recently declassifi ed documents reveal how,
armedBritswouldsurrenderwithoutafight. Britain’s reaction at the time, Thatcher described the invasion
Intheevent,theyheldoutforthreehours, In London, the mood couldn’t have been more as the worst moment of her life. She was left
inflicting casualties and kills without suffering different. While not everyone could be sure feeling powerless, advised on one side by her
any themselves. It was a lesson nobody in the where the Falkland Islands were (off the coast
Argentinian military seemed to heed. Even in of Scotland was the joke doing the rounds) the The task force was sent off to choruses of Rule Britannia
this microcosm, the difference in quality of Britishestablishmentquicklytalkeditselfintoa by dockside well-wishers and military bands, invoking
the two countries’ armed forces was evident. state of righteous indignation. British sovereign Britain’s glory days of Empire
ItshouldhavebeenawarningtotheGaltieri territory had been invaded, the country’s
regime that while picking the fight in the honour insulted and the lack of respect
first place wasn’t the brightest idea, having shown by an upstart nation like Argentina was
picked it, the worst thing it could now do was indicative of just how far Britain’s national
underestimate the opposition. standinghadfallen.Forsomeitwasproof,yet
Of course, the UK was on the other side again, that the country was going to the dogs
oftheworld.Itwasahas-beensuperpower and that strong leadership was needed.
without the resources, let alone the stomach The popularity of the Thatcher government
tofightforaplacemostofitscitizenshad in the spring of 1982 was at an all-time low.
neverevenheardof.Sowentthethinkingin Spiralling unemployment and inner-city riots,
Buenos Aires where, as news of the invasion coupledwithhergovernment’sapparentlack
rangout,thelocalssweptoutontothestreets of compassion, had rendered Mrs Thatcher
to show their support for the Galtieri-led Junta. an electoral liability. The Argentinian
A 250,000-strong crowd appeared in the heart invasion couldn’t have come
of the capital chanting their approval where just at a worse time. There
“BRITAIN HAD BEEN HUMILIATED,
SO THE QUESTION NOW WAS WHAT

WAS THE COUNTRY GOING TO DO?”

Despite being outnumbered ten to one,
the British Royal Marines stationed
ontheislandheldoutforthreehours
against better-armed opposition

30