Falklands War Cuttings

Newspaper cuttings, mainly taken from El Paisand El Dia, relating to the Falklands War,1982-1983.

The origins of the Falklands War, April-June 1982 lie in a 150 year disputeover the sovereignty of East and West Falkland, South Georgia and the SouthSandwich Islands in the southern Atlantic. The Falklands were the most importantof these and the only permanently settled islands - they were known by theArgentineans as the Malvinas. Originally discovered by the Spanish, theBritish had subsequently obtained and settled them, holding them despiteArgentinean counter-claims.

The immediate cause of the war, though, was the unauthorized presence of Argentineans,(contracted by scrap dealer C.S. Davidoff) on South Georgia. An attempt bythe British in March 1982 to expel the party by force led to an excalationof hostilities, resulting in the landing of Argentinean troops on theFalkland Islands on 2nd April, the surrender of the Royal Marines on thesame day, and the annexation of South Georgia on the 3rd.

On 7th April the British sent a task force to recapture the islands. A seriesof diplomatic mediations proved unsuccessful, and on 25th April Royal Marinesrecaptured South Georgia. British forces landed on San Carlos, at East Falkland,on 21st May, after a period of bombardment, and the loss of ships and aircrafton both sides. The British took Goose Green and Darwin on 28th May, Teal Inleton 30th and Mount Kent soon afterwards. Mount Tumbledown fell on 12th June andArgentinean forces, led by Gral Menendez, surrendered at Port Stanley on14th June.

The war's conclusion can be linked, at least partially, to the collapse ofthe ruling Military Junta in Argentina and was a significant symptom inMargaret Thatcher's re-election as Prime Minister in 1983.

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Collection level description created by Paul Davidson, Bodleian Library of Commonwealth and African Studies at Rhodes House.

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