Falkland War 1982 By: Katrina Rue, Chanelle Harold and Sydney Oquendo

Origin The Falklands War was fought between Argentina and Britain. The conflict resulted from the long-standing dispute over the Falkland Islands and South Georgia Islands, which lie in the South Atlantic east of Argentina. The war began when the Argentine forces invaded and occupied the Falkland Islands on April 2, 1982.

Air vs. Sea The first shot was taken on April 25th by Britains aircraft, sinking Argentines submarine, Santa Fe. Five days after, three Argentine aircrafts were shut down. On May 1, HMS Conqueror (UK) spotted light cruiser ARA General Belgrano (AR), firing 3 torpedoes, hitting Belgrano twice and sinking it. In seeking revenge, Argentine launched at HMS Sheffield, setting it a blaze. Sinking Belgrano = 323 AR killed Attack on Sheffield = 20 UK killed

On May 21, Britain landed at San Carlos with 4,000 men. The following week, they were hit by Argentine aircrafts. HMS Ardent (May 22), HMS Antelope (May 24), and HMS Coventry (May 25) were sunk, as was MV Atlantic Conveyor with cargo of helicopters and supplies. On the night of June 11, British troops simultaneously fired at Port Stanley and succeeded in capturing their objectives. The attack continued and soon enough, Gen. Mario Melendez surrendered his 9,800 men on June 14, effectively ending the conflict.

The Home front Economic Impact: Argentina had been in the midst of a devastating economic crisis at the very beginning. However, further on both Argentina and Britain spent a great amount of money on equipment for the war. The overall economy made an even greater influence on the recession and attacks on jobs and sent unemployment soaring. Social Impact/Cultural Impact: There were wide-ranging influences on popular culture in both the UK and Argentina, from the immediate postwar period to the present. The words yomp and Exocet entered the British vernacular as a result of the war. The Falklands War also provided material for theatre, film and TV drama and influenced the output of musicians including (among others) English Post-Punk Band Gang of Four, Pink Floyd, Joe Jackson, Crass, New Model Army, Steve Dahl and Elvis Costello.

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Margaret Thatcher First Prime Minister She was Britain’s fighting lady She was called “Iron Lady” During the Falklands War, which Thatcher ran victoriously with great patriotic dedication, boosted the popularity of her government hugely, leading, along with deep division among the Labor Party to the Conservatives winning a large majority at the General Election in 1983.

Effects and results of the war In Argentina, the defeat led to the removal of Pres. Galtieri three days after the fall of Port Stanley. His downfall spelled the end for the military rule that had been leading the country and paved the way for the restoration of democracy. For Britain, the victory provided a much needed boost to its national confidence, reaffirmed its international position, and assured victory for the Thatcher Government in the 1983 elections. LOSERswinners

June 14, 1982: The large Argentine garrison in Port Stanley is defeated, effectively ending the conflict. The Argentine commander Mario Menendez agrees to "an non-negotiated cease fire... with no other condition than the deletion of the word unconditional" from the surrender document which he signs Argentine troops put down their weapons.

The Finale Post War Economic Issue: The British had spent million on an air base at Port Stanley and it still proves costly to maintain today, although the British military presence is small and often contains Territorial Army units. Two huge Squid fisheries opened bringing in $50 million in licenses a year. Large oil deposits also almost certainly exist in the waters around the Falklands and although in the 1980s it was difficult to locate them and uneconomic to extract them, technology is now making this possible.