The Falkland war

1) European settlers and explorers were the people who lived on the Falkland Islands. The islands were not inhabited before the European nations started their colonization.

2) It was important for the UK to maintain control over the Islands because they wanted to protect their territory and not let Argentina reoccupy the islands after they had already managed to take control. Nationalism and patriotism were key factors as well. They already had British settlers on the islands which they wanted to “protect” and keep the islands under British rule.

3) Argentina wanted the islands because it’s located right next to their country, and they did not want Britain there to rule over the islands and have them close to them.

4) The war ended with British victory. General Menéndez ignoring orders from Buenos Aires to gather all the remaining forces and go into a suicidal counter-attack, surrendered unconditionally to Major General Moore, bringing the conflict to an end.

5) About 650 Argentines and 260 British casualties.

6) The Falklands campaign was considered a great victory for the United Kingdom. The Tory government of Margaret Thatcher was reelected the following year by a landslide. Even though the national economy was by then starting to recover from the recession, this change in the public opinion became known as the Falklands factor. The war was a victory to the people as well.