| Falklands coverage 08:28 - Jan 5 with 3052 views | Zx1988 |
Crikey, this is going to end up being wall-to-wall isn't it? Given the time the BBC are currently giving it, I thought we were at theb40yr anniversary already. Nope, I didn't realise it was April-June.
I suppose it's been decided that a nice bit of patriotic willy-waving is just what is needed to prop up Boris and Co, and to rally the usual supporters? |  |
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| Falklands coverage on 09:41 - Jan 5 with 2385 views | Guthrum |
That could be a two-edged sword, given the controversies at the time and since (are they going to re-show Tumbledown?).
The real lesson from that conflict should be that war is a subject best avoided by those seeking a political distraction - as General Galtieri found out. |  |
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| Falklands coverage on 09:44 - Jan 5 with 2368 views | GeoffSentence |
| Falklands coverage on 09:41 - Jan 5 by Guthrum |
That could be a two-edged sword, given the controversies at the time and since (are they going to re-show Tumbledown?).
The real lesson from that conflict should be that war is a subject best avoided by those seeking a political distraction - as General Galtieri found out. |
Worked pretty darn well for Maggie though. |  |
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| Falklands coverage on 09:45 - Jan 5 with 2361 views | Zx1988 |
| Falklands coverage on 09:41 - Jan 5 by Guthrum |
That could be a two-edged sword, given the controversies at the time and since (are they going to re-show Tumbledown?).
The real lesson from that conflict should be that war is a subject best avoided by those seeking a political distraction - as General Galtieri found out. |
That's a very good point.
The level of coverage strikes me as a little odd given that The Powers That Be have hardly uttered a single word about the conflict in the intervening 40 years.
As long as the intended target audience laps it up, though, and is moved to patriotic priapism by it all, I suppose it doesn't matter if those of us with a more nuanced view of things see it all through a different lens. | |
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| Falklands coverage on 09:52 - Jan 5 with 2333 views | Guthrum |
| Falklands coverage on 09:44 - Jan 5 by GeoffSentence |
Worked pretty darn well for Maggie though. |
To be fair, she didn't start it, was an accidental beneficiary. Plus there were a lot of other factors at play in 1983 which ensured her victory. Not least the Labour swing to the left (which didn't chime with the country's mood) and the splitting off of the SDP. | |
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| Falklands coverage on 09:55 - Jan 5 with 2313 views | Radlett_blue |
| Falklands coverage on 09:45 - Jan 5 by Zx1988 |
That's a very good point.
The level of coverage strikes me as a little odd given that The Powers That Be have hardly uttered a single word about the conflict in the intervening 40 years.
As long as the intended target audience laps it up, though, and is moved to patriotic priapism by it all, I suppose it doesn't matter if those of us with a more nuanced view of things see it all through a different lens. |
These endless "anniversaries" of big events are another invention of a modern media desperate for clicks, especially when often there is little in the way of genuinely interesting news. |  |
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| Falklands coverage on 10:27 - Jan 5 with 2200 views | MattinLondon |
Am I right in thinking that Thatcher, prior to the conflict, was decimating the armed services? And if the Argentineans had waited another year than Britain might not have had the resources to recapture the islands?
Also did the Americans almost side against us and wanted a diplomatic situation with Britain giving up some sovereignty to the islands? |  | | |
| Falklands coverage on 10:34 - Jan 5 with 2172 views | EdwardStone |
| Falklands coverage on 10:27 - Jan 5 by MattinLondon |
Am I right in thinking that Thatcher, prior to the conflict, was decimating the armed services? And if the Argentineans had waited another year than Britain might not have had the resources to recapture the islands?
Also did the Americans almost side against us and wanted a diplomatic situation with Britain giving up some sovereignty to the islands? |
The USA didn't want to public side with us against Argentina
However, they did help us with Intelligence and a virtually limitless supply of aviation fuel for the militarily useless and ruinously expensive Vulcan bombing raids on Stanley Airport; the RAFs most pointless and desperate act of inter-service willy-waving |  | | |
| Falklands coverage on 10:40 - Jan 5 with 2146 views | Radlett_blue |
| Falklands coverage on 10:27 - Jan 5 by MattinLondon |
Am I right in thinking that Thatcher, prior to the conflict, was decimating the armed services? And if the Argentineans had waited another year than Britain might not have had the resources to recapture the islands?
Also did the Americans almost side against us and wanted a diplomatic situation with Britain giving up some sovereignty to the islands? |
Yes, John Nott's 1981 defence White Paper was aimed at drastically reducing Britain's defence budget, especially the Navy & the Endurance was to be withdrawn from the South Atlantic. This was interpreted as a clear sign of weakness by the Argentine junta & was a big factor in them deciding to invade the Falklands.
The Americans feared that Britain might fail & also that the Soviet Union might weigh in on the Argentine side, thereby destabilising South America so they preferred a diplomatic solution, but ultimately they covertly helped Britain by sharing satellite information about Argentine deployments, while outwardly maintaining a neutral position. | |
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| Falklands coverage on 10:41 - Jan 5 with 2143 views | XYZ |
| Falklands coverage on 09:52 - Jan 5 by Guthrum |
To be fair, she didn't start it, was an accidental beneficiary. Plus there were a lot of other factors at play in 1983 which ensured her victory. Not least the Labour swing to the left (which didn't chime with the country's mood) and the splitting off of the SDP. |
To be fair she withdrew the defences a few months beforehand leaving it vulnerable to attack from a known potential aggressor. | | | |
| Falklands coverage on 10:48 - Jan 5 with 2118 views | Radlett_blue |
| Falklands coverage on 10:41 - Jan 5 by XYZ |
To be fair she withdrew the defences a few months beforehand leaving it vulnerable to attack from a known potential aggressor. |
The Endurance was still based at Port Stanley, although it was slated to be decommissioned in April 1982. | |
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| Falklands coverage on 10:52 - Jan 5 with 2091 views | chicoazul |
Occasional reminder Belgrano was an enemy ship and treated as such. |  |
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| Falklands coverage on 11:04 - Jan 5 with 2039 views | BlueBadger |
| Falklands coverage on 10:52 - Jan 5 by chicoazul |
Occasional reminder Belgrano was an enemy ship and treated as such. |
Occasional reminder that quoting terrorists is neither, big, clever or edgy. |  |
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| Falklands coverage on 11:12 - Jan 5 with 1993 views | MattinLondon |
| Falklands coverage on 11:04 - Jan 5 by BlueBadger |
Occasional reminder that quoting terrorists is neither, big, clever or edgy. |
Think it’s ok to quote a terrorist if it winds-up the right people on here…or something like that. [Post edited 5 Jan 2022 11:14]
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| Falklands coverage on 12:02 - Jan 5 with 1900 views | noggin |
| Falklands coverage on 10:52 - Jan 5 by chicoazul |
Occasional reminder Belgrano was an enemy ship and treated as such. |
And your point is? |  |
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| Falklands coverage on 12:20 - Jan 5 with 1845 views | BlueBadger |
| Falklands coverage on 12:02 - Jan 5 by noggin |
And your point is? |
'Look at me, I'm a bit edgy'. | |
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| Falklands coverage on 12:24 - Jan 5 with 1842 views | azuremerlangus |
Lots of official documents have been recently released/unredacted with the associated plethora of books on the back of that.
Probably ties in nicely with the platinum jubilee celebrations too. |  |
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| Falklands coverage on 12:29 - Jan 5 with 1826 views | ALF |
| Falklands coverage on 10:41 - Jan 5 by XYZ |
To be fair she withdrew the defences a few months beforehand leaving it vulnerable to attack from a known potential aggressor. |
There never were defences bar the 80 Royal Marines stationed there - and if memory serves me right, that was double the usual commitment as was during a handover, probably why Endurance was there. Endurance hardly a warship either. |  | | |
| Falklands coverage on 12:56 - Jan 5 with 1766 views | Guthrum |
| Falklands coverage on 10:41 - Jan 5 by XYZ |
To be fair she withdrew the defences a few months beforehand leaving it vulnerable to attack from a known potential aggressor. |
The UK didn't want to spend money on fortifying a distant outpost that many people had never heard of, let alone cared about. That was a process which had been going on since coaling stations for rounding the Horn were no longer required. Nothing new in the early '80s.
IMO had the Argentines limited themselves to diplomacy for another few years, they might even have obtained some sort of joint sovreignty agreement or similar concessions. But Galtieri jumped the gun and blew any chance of that for at least a generation. | |
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| Falklands coverage on 13:23 - Jan 5 with 1714 views | MattinLondon |
| Falklands coverage on 12:56 - Jan 5 by Guthrum |
The UK didn't want to spend money on fortifying a distant outpost that many people had never heard of, let alone cared about. That was a process which had been going on since coaling stations for rounding the Horn were no longer required. Nothing new in the early '80s.
IMO had the Argentines limited themselves to diplomacy for another few years, they might even have obtained some sort of joint sovreignty agreement or similar concessions. But Galtieri jumped the gun and blew any chance of that for at least a generation. |
Didn’t Galtirie have to jump the gun as the economy was performing badly and there was the risk of an uprising? He wanted to cash-in on patriotism in terms of the Falklands?
On a tangent, I visited Argentina around ten years ago snd the people were very friendly. But I was amazed at how much of an issue the Falklands were. A lot of shops and buildings had monuments stating that the islands belonged to them. Also, there was a lot of graffiti proclaiming their ownership but there didn’t seem to be any real anti-British sentiment (well apart from a football perspective).
Anyway, when there I went on a few visits to tourists sites and on a couple of occasions I sat next to an army veteran who had served in the Falklands. The tour guide was also a veteran in the Argentinian army. To this day their conversations was the most in-depth I have ever heard. Cant remember all of it but there didn’t seem to be no blame, no victorious bravado just the horrors of war laid out (from opposing sides).
The thing I took away from it is the pointlessness of war (in most cases) and the fact that flag-waving nationalism is for idiots.
Oh, and if anyone finds themselves in Argentina don’t call it the Falklands use the Malvinas (sic) goes a long way to getting friendlier treatment. | | | |
| Falklands coverage on 14:10 - Jan 5 with 1663 views | ALF |
| Falklands coverage on 13:23 - Jan 5 by MattinLondon |
Didn’t Galtirie have to jump the gun as the economy was performing badly and there was the risk of an uprising? He wanted to cash-in on patriotism in terms of the Falklands?
On a tangent, I visited Argentina around ten years ago snd the people were very friendly. But I was amazed at how much of an issue the Falklands were. A lot of shops and buildings had monuments stating that the islands belonged to them. Also, there was a lot of graffiti proclaiming their ownership but there didn’t seem to be any real anti-British sentiment (well apart from a football perspective).
Anyway, when there I went on a few visits to tourists sites and on a couple of occasions I sat next to an army veteran who had served in the Falklands. The tour guide was also a veteran in the Argentinian army. To this day their conversations was the most in-depth I have ever heard. Cant remember all of it but there didn’t seem to be no blame, no victorious bravado just the horrors of war laid out (from opposing sides).
The thing I took away from it is the pointlessness of war (in most cases) and the fact that flag-waving nationalism is for idiots.
Oh, and if anyone finds themselves in Argentina don’t call it the Falklands use the Malvinas (sic) goes a long way to getting friendlier treatment. |
And on the flip side - if you are ever in the Falklands, don't call it the Malvinas. One thing that has progressed in the past 40 years is how well off the Islanders are - oil and fishing rights. Per head of population, they are pretty wealthy and there are now some pretty nice properties being built in idyllic surroundings. | | | |
| Falklands coverage on 14:20 - Jan 5 with 1639 views | MattinLondon |
| Falklands coverage on 14:10 - Jan 5 by ALF |
And on the flip side - if you are ever in the Falklands, don't call it the Malvinas. One thing that has progressed in the past 40 years is how well off the Islanders are - oil and fishing rights. Per head of population, they are pretty wealthy and there are now some pretty nice properties being built in idyllic surroundings. |
Silly question- are Falklanders British? Can they move over here if they wished to? Is there a Falklands accent? | | | |
| Falklands coverage on 17:35 - Jan 5 with 1505 views | noggin |
| Falklands coverage on 14:20 - Jan 5 by MattinLondon |
Silly question- are Falklanders British? Can they move over here if they wished to? Is there a Falklands accent? |
There is definitely a Falklands accent. The military call the locals Bennies, as in Benny from Crossroads. | |
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| Falklands coverage on 17:46 - Jan 5 with 1475 views | EdwardStone |
| Falklands coverage on 17:35 - Jan 5 by noggin |
There is definitely a Falklands accent. The military call the locals Bennies, as in Benny from Crossroads. |
Apparently the Islanders dislike being called "Bennies" and complained to the Top Brass, who made it an offence to refer to them as such
The riot act was read and all were told to cease calling them this
Next day an Officer overheard a couple of squaddies referring to " "Stillars", not a term the Officer had heard before
He asked for an explanation... back came the reply "Well Sir, they still are Bennies" | | | |
| Falklands coverage on 17:51 - Jan 5 with 1449 views | ALF |
| Falklands coverage on 17:46 - Jan 5 by EdwardStone |
Apparently the Islanders dislike being called "Bennies" and complained to the Top Brass, who made it an offence to refer to them as such
The riot act was read and all were told to cease calling them this
Next day an Officer overheard a couple of squaddies referring to " "Stillars", not a term the Officer had heard before
He asked for an explanation... back came the reply "Well Sir, they still are Bennies" |
They were called "Stills" after "Bennies" ie Still a Bennie, then "Andy's". Andy's Still a Bennie | | | |
| Falklands coverage on 18:01 - Jan 5 with 1403 views | eastangliaisblue |
| Falklands coverage on 13:23 - Jan 5 by MattinLondon |
Didn’t Galtirie have to jump the gun as the economy was performing badly and there was the risk of an uprising? He wanted to cash-in on patriotism in terms of the Falklands?
On a tangent, I visited Argentina around ten years ago snd the people were very friendly. But I was amazed at how much of an issue the Falklands were. A lot of shops and buildings had monuments stating that the islands belonged to them. Also, there was a lot of graffiti proclaiming their ownership but there didn’t seem to be any real anti-British sentiment (well apart from a football perspective).
Anyway, when there I went on a few visits to tourists sites and on a couple of occasions I sat next to an army veteran who had served in the Falklands. The tour guide was also a veteran in the Argentinian army. To this day their conversations was the most in-depth I have ever heard. Cant remember all of it but there didn’t seem to be no blame, no victorious bravado just the horrors of war laid out (from opposing sides).
The thing I took away from it is the pointlessness of war (in most cases) and the fact that flag-waving nationalism is for idiots.
Oh, and if anyone finds themselves in Argentina don’t call it the Falklands use the Malvinas (sic) goes a long way to getting friendlier treatment. |
I too have been and was amazed how much of an issue the Falklands are to the Argentinians. There was some sort of protest going on in Buenos Aires while I was there. Whenever I got speaking to an Argentinian the first two topics that ever got brought up by them was the Falklands and football hooliganism in England! |  | | |
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