Californian Reacts | The Falklands War - Britain vs Argentina

The Falklands War (Spanish: Guerra de las Malvinas) was a 10-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial dependency, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

The conflict began on 2 April, when Argentina invaded and occupied the Falkland Islands, followed by the invasion of South Georgia the next day. On 5 April, the British government dispatched a naval task force to engage the Argentine Navy and Air Force before making an amphibious assault on the islands. The conflict lasted 74 days and ended with an Argentine surrender on 14 June, returning the islands to British control. In total, 649 Argentine military personnel, 255 British military personnel, and three Falkland Islanders died during the hostilities.

The conflict was a major episode in the protracted dispute over the territories' sovereignty. Argentina asserted (and maintains) that the islands are Argentine territory, and the Argentine government thus characterised its military action as the reclamation of its own territory. The British government regarded the action as an invasion of a territory that had been a Crown colony since 1841. Falkland Islanders, who have inhabited the islands since the early 19th century, are predominantly descendants of British settlers, and strongly favour British sovereignty. Neither state officially declared war, although both governments declared the Islands a war zone.

The conflict has had a strong effect in both countries and has been the subject of various books, articles, films, and songs. Patriotic sentiment ran high in Argentina, but the unfavourable outcome prompted large protests against the ruling military government, hastening its downfall and the democratisation of the country. In the United Kingdom, the Conservative government, bolstered by the successful outcome, was re-elected with an increased majority the following year. The cultural and political effect of the conflict has been less in the UK than in Argentina, where it has remained a common topic for discussion.

Diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Argentina were restored in 1989 following a meeting in Madrid, at which the two governments issued a joint statement. No change in either country's position regarding the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands was made explicit. In 1994, Argentina adopted a new Constitution, which declared the Falkland Islands as part of one of its provinces by law. However, the islands continue to operate as a self-governing British Overseas Territory.

Video Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction
1:05 - Reaction
11:12 - Questions and Thoughts

#GreatBritain #Argentina #Falklands

[turtle-gfwv]

Lets get one thing straight Britain did not invade the Falklands it was Argentina who invaded the Falklands and the British kicked them out.

[martynclarke]

Weird, no mention of the Vulcan bombing the airfield. One of the most impressive air raids going. Look up Operation Black Buck.

[ems]

As a Falkland islander, it's always interesting to watch people's reaction to the war and out history.

There is still a lot of pressure today, 40 years on, from Argentina for the Falklands to become Argentinian. Despite the referendum that happened in 2013 they still claim the islands are theirs. They make life difficult for us, they refuse to let flights through their airspace if flying here, try to impose fishing restrictions in our own waters and generally harass the islands and our people. They are convinced that we are here against our will and we need liberating from the british. They are determined, I'll give them that, but it's no match for the will and determination of us islanders. We are a strong community that is proud of our history and put nationality.

[richclasper]

Jean Kirkpatrick the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. dined at the Argentinian embassy when news of the invasion broke, and during a key Security Council resolution, failed to vote on the side of the U.K. as the U.S.A. were trying to preserve good relationships with Latin American countries. This was shocking to us Brits, that the U.S.A. would not support their staunchest ally and fellow Democracy against Argentina, which was at the time a despotic militarily led country! This was brushed over in the video. President Reagan was due to visit the U.K. on a State visit as a guest of H.M. Queen Elizabeth, so this put him in somewhat of an embarrassing position. He did relent and eventually helped us militarily, particularly thanks to the British Ambassador in Washington talking directly to the U.S. public via the media. This of course wrecked his policy of aligning the U.S. with Latin America during this crucial Cold War period. Britain has always maintained the Falkland Islanders right to self determination which is written into U.N. Law, hence the reason for the 2013 Referendum to check on the Islanders views. Most Islanders can trace their ancestry back to the early 1800’s before Argentina was even a Country, so I cannot see how their claim to them is valid.

[baylessnow]

The last mine field was finally cleared in November last year, 38 years after the conflict, on the 10/11/2020. Thats dd/mm/yyyy for Americans.
The 3 penguines who voted for Argentine rule were later taken outside and shot! But we don't talk about that.

[rusrus]

The Soviets watched on very closely, totally shocked at how the British pulled off such a feat that was so so far away with limited re-sources. That tough British military experience and detailed intelligence gathering all part of the mix. Such brutality in fighting, British Para troopers and Royal marine commandos fighting up hill into the cold wet mountains at night, being shelled upon, mortar's raining down, hardly any British firing positions stationed for support, ... taking loses, but still pushing forward and taking there objective's. Some horrific battles, for both sides in that campaign. RIP those...
If you get the chance look up the SAS raids and the raid that was pulled at the last minute to invade the Argentina homeland " An air force base " which was to wipe of their Skyhawks etc "

[davebrown]

Chile played a major part in helping the British with (very) long range bombing by providing a land base for some surveillance aircraft (nimrods) to land and spy on the Argentine aircraft. It came back to bite thatcher later when she gave the ex Chilean dictator (General Pinochet) political sanctuary in the UK but due to secrecy around the 'agreement' could not explain to the public how and why he had earned it.

[nigelgordon]

Politically I opposed Thatcher and most of my friends did. Having said that, something which must be said about her was she was a good leader. Her politics might have sucked but she certainly knew how to lead a country, which is more than can be said about those who followed her.

[DJhinckley]

One of the greatest stories to come out of the Falklands War was that of Rick Jolly, Officer Commanding Medical Squadron Royal Marines. After the war he wrote a book called 'The Red and Green Life Machine', about the joint Medical Field Station set up in a small warehouse in Ajax Bay following the San Carlos landings. Green for Royal Marines and Red for the Paras as they pooled resources available. It was situated right next to an ammo dump and therefore did not have Red Cross markings, meaning that hospital work went on under threat of air strikes at all times. The field hospital served British and Argentine casualties equally showing no favouritsm, and it's testament that almost all casualties evacuated there survived their wounds. Jolly was awarded an 'OBE' for his services. In 1988 Jolly visited Argentina and enquired after many of the Argentine servicemen he had tended to, and because of this it was discovered by the Argentine authorities the work he had done and Jolly was also awarded the 'Officer in the Order of May'. The only person to be decorated by both sides for his work in the war.

[tonysheerness]

The supply chain was 8, 000 miles. No war has ever been fought with an 8, 000 mile supply chain. They did not think the UK could retake the Islands as Argentina was only 200 miles away.

[Maya_Ruinz]

I find it hilarious that the Pope actually thought that people were going to honor his whole "line down the middle" thing. The British being protestants probably would have loved to thumb their nose at anything the Pope claimed.

[arfurdaley]

British OMG !!! The best and hardest fighting nation on the planet !!! I wouldn’t want to invade them !!!

[wezab]

The other comment I would note is the mention of South Georgia. The Squad of marines on the island cause far more damage than they should have. They seriously damaged a Corvette with 84mm & 66mm LAW's, plus hundreds of hits on the bridge by their section machine gun. They shot down a helicopter and inflicted casualties on the forces that landed. You should watch the show Tea & Medals in which they talk to the officer commanding about the action. He got his medal as much for keeping his men alive and then minimising loss of life for the Argentines by letting them know about the booby traps. It's amazing the Argies didn't take note of how hard it was to suppress about 12 men.

[justice]

With a more military reaction you should look at the Iranian Embassy siege where terrorists took hostages in the embassy in London and the SAS went in and won easily, there is a video about it on The Operation Room's channel and there is even a movie on it called 6 days on netflix that worth a watch. Keep up the great content.

[williamoates]

It always amazes me how quickly the Argentine people forgot how many people went missing under the brutal regime of General Galtieri.

[johnfrancis]

As a Brit I must admit the determination of the Argentinian air force pilots was excellent, we payed a heavy price in ships and men

[timmo]

The British Royal Marines although hugely outnumbered, stopped the Argentine invasion force in its tracks but were ordered to surrender by the Governor of the Falklands to stop further bloodshed. They had already inflicted severe damage to the invading force and would have carried on fighting otherwise.

[tmac]

I remember it well from first hand experience. The French had supplied the Dassault Super Etendards and Exocets to the Argentine air force. One of the many reasons that we and the French still don't get along, apart from 400 years of almost constant war. 😉

[RK-zfjm]

We didnt invade we liberated our people and our island from a Argentine invasion

[oldgreggscreamybaileys]

The Vulcan bomber also played a part in this war, carrying out the longest bombing raid of the time, I think it may have been surpassed recently but the story behind that is a good one. Finding spare parts for the old plane that they needed being used as ashtrays in a airforce base and so on.