DW 30x12: The Stolen Earth

[Graham Kennedy]

So why did you go to war over a couple of islands thousands of miles away? They don't seem to provide any tactical advantage or at least that's the impression I get from that they were poorly defended.

There has been talk of oil being around there, but if so then it wasn't drilled then and it never has been since.

There are two basic answers to why. As I said, the Argentine government grabbed them because it made thm very popular with the people. Well in 1982 Margaret Thatcher's government was also very unpopular. Winning a war tends to improve a person's image no end, and Maggie did indeed go on to call an election soon afterwards and win it. So you might say that both sides entered into the war for personal political gain.

But there is also a point of principle at stake. There may have been no tactical or strategic importance to the islands - there still isn't, really. But they were British land, with British people living there. The government's job is to protect the country from invasion. It's like if somebody moves into your garden shed; most people don't say "well the shed's not too important to me" and leave him there.

There's also a matter of national pride. If a country can't even defend itself from attack, how can it expect to have any kind of voice in world affairs?

How important each of those factors was relative to the others is anybody's guess, really.

[Captain Seafort]

They counted without Margaret Thatcher.

Slight correction - they counted without Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Leach. John Nott had almost persuaded Thatcher that the Falklands were unrecoverable, and the invasion should be treated as a fait accompli, when Leach barged into her office in full dress uniform and told her not only that the islands could be recovered, but that they must, "because if we don't, in a few months time we will be living in a very different country whose word will count for little." Maggie was convinced, and the task force sailed.

[Graham Kennedy]

They counted without Margaret Thatcher.

Slight correction - they counted without Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Leach. John Nott had almost persuaded Thatcher that the Falklands were unrecoverable, and the invasion should be treated as a fait accompli, when Leach barged into her office in full dress uniform and told her not only that the islands could be recovered, but that they must, "because if we don't, in a few months time we will be living in a very different country whose word will count for little." Maggie was convinced, and the task force sailed.

If we want to be picky, they counted without every single member of the British armed forces, really!

[Mikey]

What is this Falkland war? I never heard about it until I saw people on this site talking about it, and I thought it was just one of the more famous wars that happened a few hundred years ago that the British seemed to get in, since they seemed to fight just about everyone in the past. So what was the war about, and where is Falkland?

As far as I can recall, Blackstar, it was between Argentina and Great Britain, like I said, back in the first half of the 1980's. Beyond that... not sure, sorry.

Where the hell do they spend the money that was supposed to go to education in this friggin' country?! I'm not making fun of the people here; but I'm outraged that someone could be allowed to make it out of high school in 2007 in the US (you were class of '07, right, Blackstar?) without knowing what the Falklands War was. Now, I don't know details of forces and ships involved like, say, Seafort - who is both British and a professional military historian - but dear Lord! Is it because the schools in the US now follow the dogma that if the US wasn't directly involved, it doesn't matter, or is it because our system sucks that much? I mean, it was only a response to an invasion against the greatest world power next to ourselves, and our staunchest ally since the turn of the 20th century!

*counts to ten*

OK, I'm done.

[Blackstar the Chakat]

What is this Falkland war? I never heard about it until I saw people on this site talking about it, and I thought it was just one of the more famous wars that happened a few hundred years ago that the British seemed to get in, since they seemed to fight just about everyone in the past. So what was the war about, and where is Falkland?

As far as I can recall, Blackstar, it was between Argentina and Great Britain, like I said, back in the first half of the 1980's. Beyond that... not sure, sorry.

Where the hell do they spend the money that was supposed to go to education in this friggin' country?! I'm not making fun of the people here; but I'm outraged that someone could be allowed to make it out of high school in 2007 in the US (you were class of '07, right, Blackstar?) without knowing what the Falklands War was. Now, I don't know details of forces and ships involved like, say, Seafort - who is both British and a professional military historian - but dear Lord! Is it because the schools in the US now follow the dogma that if the US wasn't directly involved, it doesn't matter, or is it because our system sucks that much? I mean, it was only a response to an invasion against the greatest world power next to ourselves, and our staunchest ally since the turn of the 20th century!

*counts to ten*

OK, I'm done.

Yes, the class of 07. I took, US history, World history, current events, Ancient history, and the History of laws(they had to add the history part on so that other schools knew it was a history class), and not one of them mentioned the Faukland war.

[Aaron]

Yes, the class of 07. I took, US history, World history, current events, Ancient history, and the History of laws(they had to add the history part on so that other schools knew it was a history class), and not one of them mentioned the Faukland war.

It's the Falklands dude and I'm with Mikey, the US education system is truely shite if they aren't teaching it. Jebus it saw the first sinking of a capital warship by a SSN and the CO of 2 Para get the VC in a stunning act of personal sacrifice, cripes I'm Canadian and they teach this in school now!

As for the reasons for war, the only reason they require is that the UK citizens living on the Falklands wanted to remain part of the UK. As a matter of fact they voted on it a few years back IIRC.

[Blackstar the Chakat]

As for the reasons for war, the only reason they require is that the UK citizens living on the Falklands wanted to remain part of the UK

They couldn't just move back to the UK? I think that would be preferable to risking the lives of your military over an island in the middle of nowhere.

[Aaron]

They couldn't just move back to the UK? I think that would be preferable to risking the lives of your military over an island in the middle of nowhere.

Somehow I doubt the Argies would let them and besides it was their home.

Edit: There's also the bonus that the Argie defeat lead to the downfall of the rather repressive and unpopular regime.

[Blackstar the Chakat]

They couldn't just move back to the UK? I think that would be preferable to risking the lives of your military over an island in the middle of nowhere.

and besides it was their home.

I thought they were british?

[Aaron]

I thought they were british?

The Falklands belong to the UK.

[Graham Kennedy]

As for the reasons for war, the only reason they require is that the UK citizens living on the Falklands wanted to remain part of the UK

They couldn't just move back to the UK?

I suppose they could have. But you see they didn't and don't want to. The Falklands is their home. And in the UK when a foreign army comes and takes land, we tend to take it back rather than just moving out of it. We're a bit funny about things like that here.

I think that would be preferable to risking the lives of your military over an island in the middle of nowhere.

If a country's military doesn't even fight over their home soil being invaded, then what exactly would the country have a military for? Defending against invasions is kinda the number one priority for most millitaries.

[Blackstar the Chakat]

The Falklands is their home

But I thought Britain was their home? Being British and all that.

If a country's military doesn't even fight over their home soil being invaded, then what exactly would the country have a military for?

I thought this was some island on the other side of the planet. I'm so confused

[Aaron]

But I thought Britain was their home? Being British and all that.

Your still a UK citizen if the land you live in is a UK holding, regardless of location.

I thought this was some island on the other side of the planet. I'm so confused

That belongs to the UK. Really this is a simple concept. Hawaii is part of the US despite being in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

[Blackstar the Chakat]

I thought this was some island on the other side of the planet. I'm so confused

That belongs to the UK. Really this is a simple concept. Hawaii is part of the US despite being in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Oh, so this Faukland place is a state(or the british equivilent)? I guess that makes sense then.

Although Hawaii does give the US a tacticle with a base of operations in the middle of the Pacific.

[Aaron]

Oh, so this Faukland place is a state(or the british equivilent)? I guess that makes sense then.

I don't know the UK term but yes it is.

Edit: Apperently the term is Overseas Territory.

Although Hawaii does give the US a tacticle with a base of operations in the middle of the Pacific.

So does the Falklands if they choose to use it.