The Falklands War, which took place in 1982 between the United Kingdom and Argentina, not only had a profound impact on the political landscape of both countries but also left a significant mark on world history. It began when the Argentine government, led by Leopoldo Galtieri, occupied the strategically important Falkland and South Georgia Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean in the spring of 1982.
Location of the Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands, known as Malvinas in Argentina, had been a longstanding point of contention. The question of who first discovered the Falkland region, which was explored in the 16th century, was also debated. While the Spanish claimed to have discovered the Falkland Islands, which served as an important port for their ships, the British asserted that they had taken possession of them earlier, laying claim to the islands. These islands were crucial for both countries to reach their colonies, situated between Cape Horn and the Strait of Magellan. The Latin population living on the islands was largely removed by the British in 1833, and the island was now under British control with a dense population. In 1964, the issue of the ownership of the Falkland Islands was raised in the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization, and from that point on, Argentina argued that the islands belonged to them due to their proximity to the South American continent. However, Britain was not willing to give up these valuable distant islands. The British government contended that if the Falkland Islands were to be handed over to Argentina, they would become colonies at that very moment. Therefore, they advocated for self-determination regarding the political future of the islands. The realization that the Falkland Islands were a region rich in oil in later years further heightened Britain's sensitivity towards the Falklands issue.
Preceding the Falklands War
Tensions had escalated regularly over the years. By 1982, Argentina was under the military dictatorship of Leopoldo Galtieri. Galtieri's election as the leader of the junta, known as the "Dirty War" regime at the time, was influenced by his anti-communist stance during his visit to the United States in 1981, which garnered the support of President Reagan. Galtieri, who became the President of Argentina in 1981, was not much different from the classic South American dictators of his time. However, the country was effectively governed by a repressive military junta behind the scenes. There was significant public resentment against the junta regime, which had seized power with the coup in 1976, within the population. This internal tension was escalating on both sides, and anger was increasing in Argentina. Naturally, this internal situation led to a further escalation of the economic crisis in Argentina.
In this critical situation, Galtieri came up with a brilliant idea in early 1982 to both alleviate the effects of the economic crisis and promote nationalism within the country by emphasizing Argentine sovereignty over the Falkland Islands. Galtieri estimated that Britain, located approximately 12,000 kilometers away, would not take action for these small islands. Therefore, he ordered approximately 12,000 Argentine troops to land on the Falkland Islands on April 2, 1982. However, there was something Galtieri, the coup leader, did not take into account. In Britain, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, known as the "Iron Lady," who was trying to recover from the economic downturn through her implemented neoliberal policies and needed time and trust to gain popular support, also needed a similar event to rally nationalist votes and distract the public.
As the Argentine troops landed on the Falkland Islands on April 2, 1982, it marked the beginning of the war. The war lasted for six weeks, concluding on June 14, 1982, when Argentine soldiers withdrew.
England, despite being geographically distant, won the war thanks to its technological superiority. Furthermore, the fact that the Argentine army was not in a superior position in terms of technology and ammunition from the beginning signaled that the war would likely be lost. The missile systems possessed by Argentina were acquired from France. However, as the French provided the missile codes to the British at the beginning of the Falklands War, the Argentineans were unable to use the missile systems effectively. The British were jamming the missile guidance system's frequency. In the early stages of the war, the Argentine missiles (Exocet missiles) that hit enemy targets with great success began to stray off course and hit mountains and rocks. The possession of the Exocet missile source codes by the British is seen as an important factor that changed the course of the war. The first Exocet missile fired, hit and sank one of the most important British destroyers, the H.M.S. Sheffield.
Current Prime Minister of Britain, Margaret Thatcher
British Soldiers Celebrating Victory in the Falklands War
In addition, due to the escalating tension during the process leading up to the war, the supply of spare parts for other munitions acquired by the Argentine army from France was disrupted when European and U.S. countries stopped arms sales to Argentina. As a result, the Argentine army, with an incomplete inventory, occupied the Falkland Islands. Despite all this, it is argued that Britain won this war somewhat by chance. If the Argentine army had held out for about three days, it is suggested that Britain would have withdrawn.
Unknown Aspects of the Falklands War
The number of Argentine veteran soldiers who committed suicide after the Falklands war is higher than the number of British soldiers who died in the war. (Source: BBC) The reason for this is that the defeated Argentine soldiers, upon their return from the Malvinas, which they call the Falkland Islands, began to symbolize the shame of losing the war and being pawns of the junta regime for the Argentine people. As a result, Falklands veterans in Argentina began to be ostracized. This situation began to manifest itself with increasing suicides over the years.
The war, which was not officially declared, resulted in the deaths of about 1,000 people from both sides (649 from the Argentine side and 258 from the British side).
The Falklands War was the first war in which modern weapons and warfare tactics were used. Prince Andrew, the third child of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip of the British royal family, was actively involved in the war as a Seaking helicopter pilot.
The impact of the Falklands War on the Argentine people continues to this day. As a result of the war for the region they call Malvinas (in the original language: La guerra de las Malvinas), the regime of Leopoldo Galtieri was overthrown. Subsequently, in Britain, Margaret Thatcher, who became Prime Minister during the Falklands War, won the 1983 elections with a landslide victory. After the overthrow of the regime in Argentina, Leopoldo Galtieri was tried by a Military Court in 1986, citing mismanagement of the Falklands War as the reason, and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
After the end of the war, in 1986, during the World Cup Quarterfinals held in Mexico, fate seemed to have a hand in it when England was drawn against Argentina. While the match between the two sides was tied at 1-1, the world-famous Argentine footballer who also scored the first goal of the match, Diego Armando
Maradona, blatantly used his left hand to hit the ball over England's goalkeeper Shilton and scored a goal. The referee awarded the goal. With this unforgettable goal in football history, Argentina eliminated England, and after the match, Maradona said, "Although I said before the match that this encounter had nothing to do with the war, we didn't forget that they hunted down our soldiers like little birds. We got our revenge." Years later, Maradona confessed, "The hand that touched the ball wasn't mine, it was the hand of God."
Maradona's Hand of God Goal Against England
Today, the economy of the Falkland Islands is based on agriculture, livestock, and fishing. The people living in the Falkland Islands are considered British citizens, and in recent years, the UK's exploration activities for oil in the region have brought the islands back into the spotlight.
Although England won the war and Argentine troops withdrew, there is no official winner. The Argentine government continues to assert its claims of sovereignty over South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. Meanwhile, Britain insists that it unequivocally belongs to them, rejecting calls for dialogue on the matter.
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