The Falklands- a small cluster of islands that lie roughly 300 miles off the south-eastern coast of Argentina- have a complicated history of ownership. They were first discovered by British explorer John Davis in the 16^th century and were named after the Scottish Viscount Falkland in the 17^th century. The islands were then first settled by the French before being taken over by the Spanish, who then later abandoned the settlement in 1811. In 1816, however, Argentina declared its independence from Spain, and subsequently claimed sovereignty over the Falkland Islands in 1820. This Argentinian ownership didn’t last long, however; for in 1832, Britain decided to return to the Falklands and begin a military occupation. By 1890, the Falkland Islands had a self-supporting British community of roughly 1800 people, and was granted full-fledged colony status in 1892.

In early 1982, the military junta then-ruling Argentina grew dissatisfied with the continuous negotiations between themselves and Britain over the ruling of the Falklands, and launched an invasion of the islands on April 2nd. With orders not to inflict any British casualties, the Argentinian forces quickly overpowered the small British garrison stationed at the capital Port Stanley and had seized the island of South Georgia by the next day.

Britain’s then-current Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, responded to the invasion by declaring a war zone around the Falklands, and assembling a naval force consisting of two aircraft carriers, several destroyer ships, submarines, and two cruise ships converted into troop carriers. The naval force was en-route to Argentina by April 5^th and was reinforced along the way, with most European powers voicing their support for Britain while the U.S. offered Britain its full support and allowed them use of American air-to-air missiles, communications equipment, and other military stockpiles.  The Argentinian forces meanwhile received sympathy from most South-American countries, but paled in comparison to the military technology held by Britain. Most of The Argentinian aircraft was outdated and lacked more contemporary electronic countermeasures to radar or finding targets, and was bolstered primarily through the determination and commitment of their soldiers’ resolve.

By the beginning of May, the Argentinian forces were sharply weakening. British submarines had sunk an Argentinian warship and in a single day 20-30% of Argentinian planes were destroyed while the British lost a single destroyer. With their defenses weakened, the British made their amphibious landings on the islands, circumventing the Argentinian forces guarding the capital’s vital airstrip to instead attack the capital along the northern coast unopposed on May 21st. From the beachhead, the British forces fought Argentine ground defenders and quickly advanced southwards, captured Goose Green, Darwin, and the high ground west of the capital of Stanley. With the main port cut-off and surrounded, the Argentinian forces were starved out and forced to surrender on June 14^th, thus ending the conflict.

The Argentinian military junta initiated the military occupation for political purposes and to display its military might, but with the war’s conclusion, ended up having the reverse effect. The British captured (and subsequently released at the war’s end) 11,400 prisoners, and took 650 Argentinian military lives while losing 255 of their own. The war discredited the military junta and led to a new democracy still present in Argentina today, while PM Margaret Thatcher won a landslide victory for her party in the following election due to her patriotic support following British victory.

Sources:

“Falkland Islands War - The Course of the Conflict.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 July 1998, www.britannica.com/event/Falkland-Islands-War/The-course-of-the-conflict...https://www.britannica.com/event/Falkland-Islands-War/The-course-of-the-conflict

History.com Editors. “Falklands War Ends.” HISTORY, 11 June 2021, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/falkland-islands-war-ends. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/falkland-islands-war-ends