Falklands 40 years on ..

[eatmorecheese]

If anyone can be arsed to search, my first post on U75 was about this

I was 5 years old, a British diplomatic kid in Buenos Aires. A youngster. (Sorry Sasaferrato)

My earliest memories. Learning about Las Malvinas on my first days in St Andrew's School in San Isidro. I have no memories of this, but my Dad told me I came home from school chanting 'Las Malvinas son Argentinas' and he pissed himself laughing. Then it kicked off, and we had three days before evacuation. I remember going to school, everyone was exuberant, cheering. Then mum came to collect me at lunchtime and I never went back. A couple of weeks later I was in a Primary School in London.

Sepia tinted memories...

 

[A380]

Can't remember at school being taught any of this side of British history. And military failures.

I only knew about it because my Argentinian friend told me and I looked it up.

Your school must have been a bit shit then, that or you weren’t paying attention. That probably explains why your historical analysis is a bit sub-GCSE level I suppose. You should sue.

 

[ice-is-forming]

It has the longest corridor in the world a d skate boarding is banned in it*

*which has nothing to. Do with me
* I also have no idea where they flying boots go to

Nah tell us about the skateboarding incident, you've started so...

 

[ice-is-forming]

Fourty years ago hey.. jfc! It feels like many many lifetimes ago

I was 19 and being really busy, so it felt like it had no sooner begun than it stopped. I remember watching it on the news, as well as seeing the nationalism rise.

There was lots of focus on andrew, formally known as hrh prince, being very brave and flying a helicopter.

Overshadowed by the fact you fucking knew this would win thatcher more elections Plus as been pointed out our news was pretty censored about other pov back then.

 

[ice-is-forming]

If anyone can be arsed to search, my first post on U75 was about this

I was 5 years old, a British diplomatic kid in Buenos Aires. A youngster. (Sorry Sasaferrato)

My earliest memories. Learning about Las Malvinas on my first days in St Andrew's School in San Isidro. I have no memories of this, but my Dad told me I came home from school chanting 'Las Malvinas son Argentinas' and he pissed himself laughing. Then it kicked off, and we had three days before evacuation. I remember going to school, everyone was exuberant, cheering. Then mum came to collect me at lunchtime and I never went back. A couple of weeks later I was in a Primary School in London.

Sepia tinted memories...

30 years since Falklands War

"Hello Urban... Be gentle...

My earliest memories were of the invasion, as a kid in Buenos Aires. Dad was a UK diplomat; three days to pack and fuck off. My first day at school, aged 4, in San Isidro was devoted to Las Malvinas. All kids had the cause drummed into them as an article of faith, including me. The adjustment to life in Orpington that followed, in the fever of anti-Argie sentiment, was a tad difficult to say the least...

This won't go away any time soon, especially in the minds of the people of Argentina. The obsession is less about what Falklands/Malvinas is, but what it means in the context of Argentine identity and history.

The war was a horrendous tragedy that fucked up the lives of those left alive in its wake in both countries. The UK had spent years, from the early '60's, attempting some sort of settlement that would eventually mean effective transfer of sovereignty to Argentina. "Leaseback", "Condominium" and other initiatives I recall... all roundly vetoed by the Kelpers. Successive administrations found themselves in the position of trying to sell these deals to the Falklanders and failing.

Admiral Anaya felt that a swift capture of the islands would be a fait accompli. "Plan Goa" was its planning name (Argentine commanders studied the Indian capture of Goa from Portugal, a classic anti-imperialist move that barely caused a ruffle at the UN) and they believed world opinion would largely support them. It condemned many young, illiterate conscripts to death, PTSD and public shame.

Ultimately, the right to self-determination of the inhabitants, enshrined in the UN charter, fucked the Argentine case at the UN and allowed Reagan to support the UK (diplomatically and materially). This has had the end result of locking Britain (after the war ended) into defending the place in perpetuity regardless of the cost. Argentina want the Malvinas (and always will, it's not a subject you can discuss rationally without nationalist emotion taking over in Argentina) but I would hope that the methods of the fascist junta are now long gone and that diplomatic pressure is the only viable route they would choose...

This ain't over. My only hope is that armed conflict is not an option"

 

[spring-peeper]

Fourty years ago hey.. jfc! It feels like many many lifetimes ago

I was 19 and being really busy, so it felt like it had no sooner begun than it stopped. I remember watching it on the news, as well as seeing the nationalism rise.

There was lots of focus on andrew, formally known as hrh prince, being very brave and flying a helicopter.

Overshadowed by the fact you fucking knew this would win thatcher more elections Plus as been pointed out our news was pretty censored about other pov back then.

For me, it seems like it was only 20 years ago.
I do remember Andrew and his helicopter, no recollection of Thatcher.

I thought it was odd that the Brits send a boat, how long did it take them to get there?
It brought back memories of the French and Brits sending ships over to fight in the Americas.
Again, they would have had to be told about the issues in the Americas (several months by boat) and then send an attack force, even more months.

I remember thinking that the peoples of the Falklands should be Argentinians.
Why do the Brits care about some puny little island?

I guess the only good thing for me was actually learning where the Falklands are.

 

[Ming]

For me, it seems like it was only 20 years ago.
I do remember Andrew and his helicopter, no recollection of Thatcher.

I thought it was odd that the Brits send a boat, how long did it take them to get there?
It brought back memories of the French and Brits sending ships over to fight in the Americas.
Again, they would have had to be told about the issues in the Americas (several months by boat) and then send an attack force, even more months.

I remember thinking that the peoples of the Falklands should be Argentinians.
Why do the Brits care about some puny little island?

I guess the only good thing for me was actually learning where the Falklands are.

I was 13. At school we all thought they were in Scotland. We were like 'what the fuck is Argentina invading Scotland for?!?'.

 

[ice-is-forming]

For me, it seems like it was only 20 years ago.
I do remember Andrew and his helicopter, no recollection of Thatcher.

I thought it was odd that the Brits send a boat, how long did it take them to get there?
It brought back memories of the French and Brits sending ships over to fight in the Americas.
Again, they would have had to be told about the issues in the Americas (several months by boat) and then send an attack force, even more months.

I remember thinking that the peoples of the Falklands should be Argentinians.
Why do the Brits care about some puny little island?

I guess the only good thing for me was actually learning where the Falklands are.

Yeah, spreading imperialism by slow boats & horses is pretty surreal when you think about it

Don't quote me but I think in the Falklands there were British outposts established within a week and boots on the ground within 3 weeks!

 

[Gramsci]

Your school must have been a bit shit then, that or you weren’t paying attention. That probably explains why your historical analysis is a bit sub-GCSE level I suppose. You should sue.

This is just abuse and not even worth the dignity of a reply.

As it happens I grew up in Plymouth. A Naval town and was taught that to support Queen and Country. But then I did go to school quite some time back.

But you wouldn't understand this.

Not are you interested in what people from other countries think.

 

[petee]

No, the people who live on the Falkland Islands are just imperialist patsys. Las Malvinos really belong to Argentina because in 1480 something the Pope gave then (and loads of that side of the world) to Spain and then Argentina inherited that papal allocation from the Spanish crown. It's perfectly reasonable. Just because a few wanna be brits have farmed them for six generations doesn't override what a 500 year old pope said...

Anyway, everyone knows South Americans can't be imperialists only pale white people from the north western part of the world can do imperialism: get with the programme.

i guess you've seen the map ...

 

[spring-peeper]

This is just abuse and not even worth the dignity of a reply.

As it happens I grew up in Plymouth. A Naval town and was taught that to support Queen and Country. But then I did go to school quite some time back.

But you wouldn't understand this.

Not are you interested in what people from other countries think.

Can't really say I've noticed you much before, but the posts I see from you are not very nice.

This is someone's recollection for many years ago.
It is not your place to tell someone that their memories are not correct.

As for the claim he does not respect other countries nonsense, A380 has always been receptive of other countries views.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Gramsci, you always have a lot to say on Spanish issues, so when do you think Spain should pay reparations to South America for the genocide and all the wealth they stole?

 

[kebabking]

My dad was an engineer at Westlands, he was working on the ill-fated WG30 model at the time - I think the invasion was on a Friday, and he spent the weekend (and the next few weeks) at work designing and building a cockpit control mechanism for the chaff and flare dispensers being hurriedly fitted to the Sea Kings and Lynx on the way down. They were flown to Ascension Island and the fleet picked them up there.

My mum took my brother and I down to Portsmouth on the Sunday to watch the fleet get ready - I just remember the water being alive with ships, stores being loaded onto everything, and helicopters being more prevalent than seagulls.

My uncle (mums brother) was a weapons engineer on Hermes. He sailed on the Monday.

 

[Pickman's model]

Gramsci, you always have a lot to say on Spanish issues, so when do you think Spain should pay reparations to South America for the genocide and all the wealth they stole?

Perhaps it could be simultaneously with the UK paying reparations for slavery

 

[MickiQ]

I was 23 at the time of the Falklands war and whilst it was of course on the news all the time it had no actual impact on me personally.
I had a mate who was convinced that the draft would be reintroduced but I just thought he was daft.
I do remember an awful lot of column inches were written about the bravery of HRH Sweaty as if he was some kind of royal Chuck Norris.
I despised Thatcher and still do, but there was no doubt in my mind at the time and still isn't that this was a 'just' war and we were the Good Guys.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Perhaps it could be simultaneously with the UK paying reparations for slavery

Wholeheartedly agree. And the Spanish, French, Dutch, Belgians etc. of course need to pay that too.

 

[Spymaster]

So for the average Argentinian the "Los Piratos" invasions was a starting point for Argentianian "self determination" and national feeling.

Self determination and national feeling for a nation built on a brutality and genocide that makes the worst British imperialist endeavours seem benevolent.

Funny how whenever this comes up, the supposed anti-imperialists are exposed as being anything but.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

A country literally named after the goods it’s imperialist founders came over to steal, wiping out the native population in order to do so.

 

[gosub]

Surely one so politically aware as yourself would know that the FI is, and was, a self-governing territory? Self governing, and self determination means that territory is under the control of the people who live there - not people who live 300 miles away and who think it ought to be under their control.

You would have thought that people complaining about imperialism would have grasped the basic idea of imperialism...

By the logic applied by Gramski...when is the UK going to invade Dublin? Its a lot closer than 300 miles away and I'm sure we could dig up some historical stuff from a couple of hundred years ago about it being "British"

 

[A380]

This is just abuse and not even worth the dignity of a reply.

As it happens I grew up in Plymouth. A Naval town and was taught that to support Queen and Country. But then I did go to school quite some time back.

But you wouldn't understand this.

Not are you interested in what people from other countries think.

No it isn’t. It’s challenging your pronuncements in a slightly crass manner; but you have replied and sunk to my level anyway.

That’s interesting and gives you a different perspective on this topic. But I doubt even in Plymouth history was taught so badly as to not discuss any of the evils of imperialism.

I would; like most people I can understand views contrary to my own.

That’s one of my key interests actually, It links heavily to the previous point.

But, I think I see what your issues are. And I apologise for responding to you without taking them into account.

 

[Spymaster]

The British don't have a good record In South America.

Whereas the descendants of the Spanish have a spotless one!

 

[Pickman's model]

A country literally named after the goods it’s imperialist founders came over to steal, wiping out the native population in order to do so.

Like the gold coast you mean? Gold Coast | Slavery and Remembrance

 

[Sasaferrato]

What role did you play, what unit

Bizarrely, we were under 3 Commando Brigade, I was mainly scrubbed in theatre.

 

[Sasaferrato]

The Falklands was quite odd for me.

When the Galahad went down we lost s lot of medical kit. An urgent call went out to the suppliers, who got kit to us sharpish. The paperwork was non existent.

When I came back, I immediately started my pharmacy course, part of which was at DMED Ludgershall (med supply depot, now a housing estate), where I was dealing with invoices for kit I had used in the Falklands.

 

[gosub]

Was in France when Argues invaded. But knew where Falklands were ..had always been part of my Dad's nuclear escape plans. As was his period in RN reserve had just ended and he got a frustrated watching his old mates in the FAA kick ease in Harriers

 

[ska invita]

Why do the Brits care about some puny little island?

Imperial powers love claiming islands scattered across the globe as it allows them to use them as military bases and extend military reach

 

[AmateurAgitator]

Self determination and national feeling for a nation built on a brutality and genocide that makes the worst British imperialist endeavours seem benevolent.

Was it worse than what the British military and elite did in Kenya and India?

 

[A380]

Self determination and national feeling for a nation built on a brutality and genocide that makes the worst British imperialist endeavours seem benevolent.

Funny how whenever this comes up, the supposed anti-imperialists are exposed as being anything but.

No, some of our atrocities in building and holding empire were abominable and could never seem anything other.

But it is interesting how most British and especially English posters here are well aware of the dark and despicable side of our past whereas quite a few others, whilst spot on about 'our' bloody history, have a bit of a blind spot when it comes to 'their' own nation or those that they admire.

 

[A380]

Perhaps it could be simultaneously with the UK paying reparations for slavery

'We' did pay reparations for slavery. It's just 'we' paid them to the people who owned other people rather than to the people who were slaves themselves.

 

[A380]

Imperial powers love claiming islands scattered across the globe as it allows them to use them as military bases and extend military reach

So does China...