DW 30x12: The Stolen Earth

[Captain Seafort]

It was the warship losses that got most of the headlines, but in practice they weren't that important - it was the troopships that were critical to the operation, as the impact on the campaign of the loss of AC, Tristram and Galahad showed, and the attack on the latter two resulted in the worst loss of British life in the war. Fortunately the Argentines were concentrating on the warships, and avoiding the important targets - hitting Canberra, or the QE II would have forced us to withdraw just as surely as hitting one of the carriers

[Blackstar the Chakat]

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.

Just what the frak do they teach you in that world history class if they didn't so much as mention the Falkland War?

Well, A few of the major wars, like the two world wars, Vietnam, Korea, and a few major events. And you can't expect us to learn about every minor war Britain's been in.

Britains empire had been and still is crumbling to dust.

Britain empire? I thought it was called a commonwealth or something.

I was never taught about the Falkland War either. And I'm a history major

Well, at least we know it isn't just me.

[Sionnach Glic]

Well, A few of the major wars, like the two world wars, Vietnam, Korea, and a few major events. And you can't expect us to learn about every minor war Britain's been in.

I'd expect you to at least have recent wars mentioned. The Falklands wasn't exactly a "minor" incident.

Britain empire? I thought it was called a commonwealth or something.

Okay, now I know they teach you nothing in those classes. Britain was once head of the British Empire, and controlled a good portion of the world. Who do you think you rebelled against?

[Captain Seafort]

Well, A few of the major wars, like the two world wars, Vietnam, Korea, and a few major events. And you can't expect us to learn about every minor war Britain's been in.

I quite agree. However, I fail to see what this has to do with the Falklands War - along with Afghanistan it was one of the two most important global conflicts of the 1980s.

Britain empire? I thought it was called a commonwealth or something.

The Commonwealth is made up of independent states, whereas the Empire (what's left of it) is governed from London.

[Blackstar the Chakat]

I'd expect you to at least have recent wars mentioned. The Falklands wasn't exactly a "minor" incident.

You took back a small island with no tactical advantage in the middle of nowhere from a weaker country...that's not really a major war IMO.

Okay, now I know they teach you nothing in those classes. Britain was once called the British Empire, and controlled a good portion of the world. Who do you think you rebelled against?

Ya but the Revolutionary War took place over 200 years ago. I thought the British Empire collapsed or something in the early 20th century and was replaced by the commonwealth

along with Afghanistan it was one of the two most important global conflicts of the 1980s.

I thought we didn't invade until after 9/11

The Commonwealth is made up of independent states, whereas the Empire (what's left of it) is governed from London

Well, that's just outright confusing. So the so called british empire is a state in the british commonwealth then?

[Sionnach Glic]

You took back a small island with no tactical advantage in the middle of nowhere from a weaker country...that's not really a major war IMO.

1) It's not "you", it's "they". I'm not British.

2) Major wars aren't classed as such due to numbers or scale. There are other concerns to take into account, such as political.

I thought we didn't invade until after 9/11

There was more than one war in Afghanistan. The one in the 80's was even more important than Bush's invasion.
Let me guess, you never learned that either?

[Aaron]

You took back a small island with no tactical advantage in the middle of nowhere from a weaker country...that's not really a major war IMO.

Do you know why it's a major war?

1. A UK holding was invaded
2. The UK is one of the five members of the security council
3. The UK has the second most powerful Navy in the world (even today)
4. The UK has one of the largest economies on the planet
5. The Falklands directly contributed to the downfall of the opressive Argie regime.

I thought we didn't invade until after 9/11

I'd ask you if this was a joke but I already know the answer. The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979 to support the local communisty party and left in 1989 after what has been called the "Soviets Vietnam".

Read up on it, it's Wikipedia (so it's Shite) but better than I care to look for.

[Blackstar the Chakat]

Well, why isn't any of this crap tought in high school?

[Captain Seafort]

You took back a small island with no tactical advantage in the middle of nowhere from a weaker country...that's not really a major war IMO.

Your opinion is irrelevent.

1) As Leach realised, the principle of not rolling over in the face of armed agression was more important than the losses the campaign would inevitably bring.

2) Argentina wasn't a weaker country - given the difficulties of projecting power 8000 miles from home it was substantially strong than Britain in the South Atlantic.

3)The battles fought provided valuble information on modern warfare between two powers. In particular, the fact that missiles hadn't rendered iron bombs, the difficulty of defending against sea-skimming ASMs, and the effectiveness of highly-trained light infantry against well-defended positions.

Ya but the Revolutionary War took place over 200 years ago. I thought the British Empire collapsed or something in the early 20th century and was replaced by the commonwealth

Wrong. The Empire only collapsed in the latter half of the 20th century, mainly due to the after-effects of WW2. While most Commonwealth members are former British colonies, not all of them are, nor are all former British colonies members. While the Empire still exists, it's considerably smaller, reduced to indivdual islands and island groups.

I thought we didn't invade until after 9/11

Jesus f*cking Christ. Go and read about the Soviet invasion and occupation of Aghanistan, 1979-1989. It was one of the contributing factors towards the end of the Cold War and the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Well, that's just outright confusing. So the so called british empire is a state in the british commonwealth then?

No. The Empire isn't an official title, merely a means to refer to those territories whose inhabitants hold British citizenship, and whose foreign and defence policy is controlled by the British government. The Commonwealth is a far looser organisation, comprising a group of countries with a common historical and cultural history, with the Queen at its head (and often, though not always, the Head of State of its members).

[Reliant121]

it is here, as far as i'm aware.

[Sionnach Glic]

Well, why isn't any of this crap tought in high school?

At a wild guess, I'd say it's because your education system seems to be worse than any other first-world country.

[Graham Kennedy]

The Falklands is their home

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

The Falklands are part of Britain.

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

The two things are not contradictory. Surely you know that a country doesn't have to be all joined up, right? I mean, Hawaii is part of America despite being over the sea, yes? Well the Falklands are like that.

[Graham Kennedy]

Important military lessons of the Falklands war :

1) Even today the Falklands stands as air-naval combat operation between modern forces since World War 2.
2) The conflict proved that even modern surface to air missiles left warships vulnerable to attack from the air.
3) The conflict proved that nuclear powered submarines were a potent - even decisive - threat to surface ships.
4) It proved the vital importance of air power. Almost all UK losses at sea were caused by aircraft. Air power was used by the British to support the land battles. Britain's last real carrier had been scrapped just a few years earlier. Had we still had it, the Falklands would have been a far different and far less costly war (for us, anyway). The small carrier / STOVL Harrier concept was proved to work - we shot down 21 Argentine aircraft for no losses in return in air combat. The carriers we had, which had been slated to be scrapped, were retained and expanded upon. Ripples of this lesson ripple through to the present day, with our planned acquisition of two new carriers.
5) The usefulness of special forces was confirmed.
6) The usefulness of helicopters was confirmed.
7) The importance of Airborne Early Warning (AEW) was shown.

[Reliant121]

Bloody french. Giving the Argentines their Dassault fighters along with the exocet missiles to go with them.

[Captain Seafort]

4) It proved the vital importance of air power. Almost all UK losses at sea were caused by aircraft.

Not just almost - all of them. The only serious casualty other than from aircraft was HMS Glamorgan, which was hit by an Exocet fired from a jury-rigged ground launcher just before the surrender. The hanger was badly damaged, her helicopter was destroyed, and she suffered heavy casualties, but survived.