I returned to the Falklands for the first time just before the pandemic struck. On the flight over I developed a toothache, damned filling didn't like the trip. I stayed in Liberty Lodge and was welcomed by one of the island officials. He got me an appointment with a dentist at the hospital. I had to fill in NHS forms after the treatment and when the nice lady working on the reception desk saw that I was a returning veteran she came into the waiting room, flung her arms around me, hugged me and said "Thank you for saving me, my children and my grandchildren " . Any doubts I had about what we accomplished evaporated then and there. I'm proud of what was done to keep a couple of thousand Britons British. It's what they wanted.
I have watched many documentaries about the conflict and this has to be one of the best as it is clear, impartial and concise. I know many men of the class of 82 and they all have my respect. The Falklands Conflict was one of the reasons that I joined up, all of my instructors at CTCRM had served down South.
Great documentary. It was this war that I had my motivation to join the army. I had the honour of serving with many Falklands veterans. In fact, I was actually trained by Falklands veterans which I can only say benefited all of us. I'm still in touch with them to this day. Great men, fantastic soldiers. RIP to all those that never made it back. You did us proud. And thank you.
@@Sidney1WG funny how your soldiers first said "we were facing conscripts", and ended up talking highly of Argentine soldiers, and needed two months to win the war. Also, during the Falklands War, the United Kingdom lost 6 ships: 1. HMS Sheffield (destroyer) - sunk on May 4, 1982 2. HMS Ardent (frigate) - sunk on May 21, 1982 3. HMS Antelope (frigate) - sunk on May 24, 1982 4. HMS Coventry (destroyer) - sunk on May 25, 1982 5. HMS Atlantic Conveyor (auxiliary ship) - sunk on May 25, 1982 6. HMS Glamorgan (destroyer) - damaged on June 12, 1982, but managed to return to the UK for repairs.
@@Lifeasweknowit24 Oh shut up you fool. If you knew what you were talking about it would be something. 2 months to win a war that was 8,000 miles away from our country. With the loss of the Atlantic Conveyer. We should never have been able to win that war so far from home but we did. PS. BELGRANO! Also, you never won a single battle. End of story, Goodbye!
It's a sad fact that the Scots Guards never received the same recognition as the Paras & the Royal Marines, they did an exceptional job when all things are considered, as did the aforementioned. They certainly made this Scotsman proud as did all the gallant fighting men in the task force.
I thought they were recognised as being the Battalion who bayonet charged and recaptured Mt. Tumbledown? Yes they did an excellent job and the Guards Bns are certainly a cut above line infantry, and Scottish regiments have always had a fearsome reputation, so I'd expect them to be held in high regard.
The Scots Guards are the only regiment that fought in the Falklands War to have a film made about them. Tumbledown (1988) staring Colin Firth is available on TH-cam.
Derek Denholm ( Scots Guards) is buried in a graveyard close to my home, he is right next door to a Medal of Honour Recipient called Archibald Houston aka Francis Kelly. Derek Denholm served during the Falklands War and was killed in action in the Battle for Mount Tumbledown on the night of 13-14 June 1982, his cause of death being officially recorded as ‘blast injury, multiple shrapnel wounds’. At the time of his death he was serving with 14 Platoon, Left Flank Company, 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards and he is buried at Sandymount Cemetery, Glasgow, Scotland. I visit him regularly and I am weird as I speak to both dead men in their graves. Rest easy, your job is done.
I was a Royal Marine on the ground at Ajax Bay San Carlos. I can assure you that whatever is remembered by those that weren’t there, amongst those that were there is the utmost respect for everyone. If anyone gets overlooked it’s the Matlots, they took fire and very heavy casualties.
@@DD-lc5ts at Combat Stress I heard the same, there was a lot of Matelots there. Some evenings they would recount stories of coming under attack and even being on a ship going down. Horrendous, no glory in war, all were equal when they went down south.
One of my earliest memories I was 4 and a half. My grandad followed it closely as he had been a ww2 Royal marines commando and I remember that a few months later we bought him a tape of the band of HM Royal marines. I think it rekindled his unit pride. He was a really lovely bloke my grandad cookman.
Fantastically produced documentary. Nice to see that someone on the opposing side, also gave their story. RIP to all those who fought, & thank you to our men for their service 🙏
Someone from opposing side? Are you kidding? That's just the english side of the history with the most pro english argentinian guy they've found dropping a word or two now and then. I don't say its not interesting but its just the english side of the history.
@@Rublo01 someone who is so uneducated in reality as to assume someone is “English” without recognising the nuances of the various nationalities which make up the British (it’s akin to you calling all Spanish people “Castilian”), isn’t best placed to pretend to be erudite on the subject. He is 100% accurate when it comes to the truth. The “Estamos ganando” version of the story from the land that is the home of Vivesa Criolla, is cr@p.
@Jose-hs4vkHMS Invincible (R05) returned to Portsmouth undamaged. There’s plenty of news and film online about it. You salty about LOOSING, when you really should have won, as you held all the cards. Your leaders were rubbish.
@@joseplaza9442 It's beginning to stir. Too late, but it's beginning to stir. Tommy Robinson, at considerable risk to himself, his family and his team, is waking people up and bringing us around to his way of thinking and the authorities are doing everything in their powers, both legally and illegally, to silence him because it goes against their narrative.
As a young British guy growing up in the 90s I never knew much about the falklands war. This gave a great heartfelt representation. Thank you for a fantastic documentary.
Shame on you it was only 8 years or so before you was born. I know everything about the British Army in WW1 and WW2 and wasnt born till 1972? Its your duty as a patriot to know your history. Particularly Military history.
As a British guy (used to be young) growing up in the 1960s, I knew a sh-- pot full about the history of the Army. Undoubtedly, has a lot to do with my grandfather being wounded on the Somme in 1916 (Lancs Reg.), and both my parents serving in the Second World War in the RAF. Too many digital distratiions these days for younger folks to be able to absorb their heritage (at least that's a reasonable excuse)
Being 8 years old at the time i don´t really remember if the people here in germany did care or not, but what i do remember is the opinion of my parents, which where heavily anglophile from literature to furniture, visiting friends in the UK pretty often. Our family had a weekly ritual to visit an argentine steakhouse and that ritual ended the day Argentina invaded the Falklands. It took my parents a year or someething to go back there and when they had to it was an invitation they could not refuse. My dad protested, my mum said they had to, she won the argument (as usual) so he decided to wear a tie clip with a little poppy and even engraved a little 255 on it himself to remember the fallen british soldiers. Nobody realised i guess, but that´s exactly who he was.
He's from a generation who believed the governments of countries represented the people of those countries, which isn't true, and probably never really has been. Thankfully by Iraq and Afghanistan we could at least reflect on the hatred we threw at people ethnically linked to countries our governments had taken military action against, despite still doing it. The irony of an anglophile German boycotting an Argentinian restaurant because an Argentinian Junta invaded British territory is pretty palpable though.
A friend of mine who was old enough to remember 1982, told me at the time people even boycotted cans of corned beef in supermarkets, only because they thought Argentina was a major supplier of canned beef. Interestingly, I once met an Argentinian while I was on vacation in Berlin. We got talking, we got on well and after too many beers I said “sorry about what happened in the Falkland Islands”, he shrugged and replied “you can keep them, there’s nothing there”. I got the impression the average person wasn’t interested and it was all political.
Brilliant, I think your mum was right. You could hardly blame the restauranteur for anything. I'm a Brit living in Spain, I love the Argentine meat restaurants
Amazing documentary. As an American, my knowledge on the Falklands was little. I had worked with a few Brittons that had gave me the "wavetops" of the situation. RIP to those brave British warriors that gave their lives.
Very well done. I had really never looked into the Falklands War as a whole. As a Sailor who joined the US Navy in 1982, I was made aware of some of the issues with the attacks on the British Ships, the effectiveness of the Exocet, which lead the US Navy to implemented many changes to our Battle Gear based on the burns received by the brave British Sailors and Damage Control changes as well. Thank you for this, I learned so much and can honestly say I am a bit ashamed that I had not looked into this conflict before now.
There were many lessons learned from the way the fire spread by the PVC cable insulation, to the way the formica fitments such as tables, shattered in explosions and acted as shrapnel. It's often said that the greatest technological advances are made in wartime.
@@revol148 There was a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes with exocets. There were French technicians working on them inside Argentina when the war broke out, and I believe that the French government brought them back home even though they were under contract. The UK knew exactly how many missiles Argentina had and were ticking them off as they were used. The Argentinians were scouring the world for fresh missiles and the British were successful in buying them themselves before they could. The best case of improv was one of the last missiles they had, which was fixed to a trailer on land and fired at HMS Glamorgan as it was on bombardment. It was hit, resulting in several fatalities.
@@revol148No they didn't. Other air to air missiles, extended fuel tanks and radar were supplied by Israel for the sky hawks. And the UK stupidly supplies israels continued genocide of Palestinians
I was a serving soldier from 1974 - 1985 in BAOR. I went aboard HMS Sheffield when it was docked in Hamburg, about a year before it was sunk in the Falklands war. My regiment were not deployed to the Falklands war, so I remained in BAOR.
Did a tour about 94 based at Mount Pleasant. Port Stanley had a lovely Pub/Cafe we went to when we could get transport but you had to take sleeping bags for the return trip. Loved the people there.
I may be wrong but didn’t Great Britain claim the Falkland island before Argentina was actually a country….if so that kind of end that conversation on sovereignty…..
Right or wrong, the fact is, the people who actually live there, were born there and will die there speak English and consider themselves Britain.. If no one lived there or 90% of them spoke Spanish I'd say to give them it.. But that's not the case, so Argentina is gonna have to shut up and put up.. Most of the men that fought there admit they were lied to, they were taught that the islands had a Spanish speaking population! They really believed that they were gonna be greeted by cheering Spanish crowds happy to see the back of the union jack, under the junta they'd been taught this.. But most of them saw that the people looked British, spoke English and weren't happy to see them and suddenly changed their minds about the place.. its only when they're in groups they start shouting nonsense again.
@@nails3394 the time line is france established a colony on the east part (1764), few months later Britain made one on the west part, spain then took over frances part (1766) then britain and spain realised eachother were there, rattled some sabres but came to an agreement (1771). Then the British temporarily left (1774) but still held claim. spain bugger off but still hold claim (1806), the place is kind of just filled with fishmen and sealers. Argies claim independence from spain (1816) some argie rocks up and claims theyre theirs (1820) some murdering and mutiny and shit happens between the argies while Britain is off doing other things. Britain returns and takes up its claim again (1833) and then the argies have been on-off crying about it ever since and were at one point trying to use it as a bargaining chip So long story short, the argies tried to claim it was theirs because they were spanish before their independence and they thought it made spainish things theirs but in reality it didnt and it's pretty much always been british
But the Pope said… and gauchos lived… and the French… they had a vote to stay British, we had a war over it, the British won… the last two trump all the historical arguments anyway.
The islanders want to be British and don't want to be Argentinian. That to me is the end of the discussion. It doesn't matter at all that the Falklands are far from other British territory and happen to be closer to the Argentinian mainland.
I mean look at the distance between the Falklands and Britain. Also Britain's international standing was on the decline. I'd say the UK was the underdog
I suspect the assumption was that the British would complain, but nothing more. Lord Carrington's comments had already seemed rather equivocal about the future of the Falklands, whilst the vile John Nott was actively trying to destroy what was left of the Royal Navy at the time. A process which, of course, continues unabated to this day.
If Thatcher had been clear that the Falklands would not be handed over and had not cancelled the last British supply ship (she would have been aware of the signal that would have sent to Argentina) this probably wouldnt have happened. People died for political reasons by 2 governments trying to retain their grip on power - very sad - no one should have had to die for that! And no one should have felt able to invade an undefended British Island.
Major General Julian Thompson said in an interview that the Argentine Marines who first landed on the Falklands were subsequently returned to Argentina for a possible war against Chile that's why most Argentinian troops garrisoned on the islands were conscripts the only elite unit is the 5th Marine Battalion at Mount Tumbledown later captured by the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards.
The men of the Marine Battalions (the 5th at Mount Tumbledown and the 2nd which landed on 2 April) were also conscripts (except officers and NCOs), but were better equipped and trained than the army soldiers.
5th Marine Battalion were also conscrip soldiers but very well trained in all aspects by one of the best Argentinian marine officers, Captain Carlos Robacio. They were really a hard unit and British Commanders believed they were facing professionals. Later that remains as part of a myth. At any case is quite remarkable what those conscripts soldiers did.
@@bren4061 According to my Scottish friend a former Scots Guardsman the rifles they used was the L1A1 SLR however for accuracy the British troops used the semi-automatic mode and have fixed bayonets when they charged the Argentine positions in the mountains surrounding the capital Port Stanley and was carried out under the cover of darkness to avoid being exposed in open terrain in daylight.
I joined the Scots guards in 1986 and two of our instructors were 2nd battalion Scots guards who fought in the Falklands at Tumbledown, they never spoke about it and it's only years later after I'd left the army that one lead one of the attacks and got mentioned in despatches. No wonder they were hard on us after all they had been through 😢
I was stationed in N. Ireland at the time of the Falklands. Some of my trade collegues were sent there with mobile RADAR. I have mixed feelings about not being part of the forces sent to fight. Part of me is glad I was "only" in N.I. especially after seeing the carnage of the Sir Gallahad and Tristan troop ships. But another part of me knew that I was missing the last great event of the British military in action. My hat goes off to all those guys who served there. God bless you all
I was in Argentina in 1992 and met a trustworthy man that had been a conscript. He told me that his training consisted of being given one bullet to fire at a target. He also said that they weren’t given decent clothing or enough food. The Argentina Government were not prepared to back up their political move. A week before the invasion a huge crowd protested against the the Argentine President over normal political and economic issues, a week or two later he was a hero.
I believe that upon landing on The Falkland Islands the Argentinian soldiers were confused. They spoke Argentinian to the locals who couldn’t understand a word they said and were DEFINITELY British. They played their national anthem that no one recognised. They were led to expect at least some Argentinian speaking people who saw themselves as Argentinian and this definitely wasn’t the case. They didn’t really understand why they were there, they weren’t ‘rescuing’ Argentinian people from British rule, they were subjugating British people and putting them under Argentinian rule. This was certainly not what the ordinary soldiers were expecting. There was no welcome, only fear and distrust. It must’ve been a surreal experience for the Islanders and the soldiers alike. The resistance was unexpected and I feel sorry for the soldiers who were lied too by their commanders and Government..
Los kelpers fueron impuestos por los británicos ni les pertenece las islas aunque hallan nacido ahí si no quieren ser argentinos se tienen que ir fueron impuestos las Malvinas son argentinas
Those must have been very ignorant uneducated Argentinian soldiers. I was 15 years old during the war and me and all my classmates knew very well that the kelpers are British and speak English, as they are descendants of the British occupiers.
Amazing and emotional documentary. I followed these events with great interest as a 12 year old. Got to experience a much more peaceful naval life many years later. Great respect to the warriors of both sides
Regarding the Vulcan raid: The crater in the runway was repaired the next day. Hardly a victory, given the cost and risks, after dropping 21 1000lb bombs. A remarkable feat of endurance, for sure.
My Grandfather served alongside Gurkers on occasions between 1917-32 in the Argyles.loved and respected them as fighting men and as Honorable Men.He left with rank of Sergeant
My uncle was one of the crew on the Norland. As he had served in the merchant navy during WW2, including artic convoys to Russia, this was nothing new to him.
I disagree with Thatcher on almost everything except the Falklands war. Argentina had no greater claim to the island aside from proximity, and as a nation who largely suppressed their native population AND readily hid/welcomed and habilitated NAZI war criminals, Argentina can just cope!
No, Great Britian wasn't entirely alone in the Falklands conflict. My country Nz immeadiatly committed two frigates, HMNZS Waikato and Canterbury to assist though they were seconded to relieve the British patrols in in the Indian Ocean freeing up the extra ships for the Royal Navy. Canada and Australia also offered logistics support ships.
This takes me back the class of 82 .I was 20 I'd been with 2 para for 18 months when me and my brothers were deployed to the Falklands. Hard war and wind that cut through you .
The ufc fighter suffer 255 hits and tore many of her *clothes (ships) Just imagine if Argentina had not been drunk (that is, if the war had been led by the best officers and not by the stupid incompetents of the junta).
A friend of mine who served in The Falklands with 2 Para was very scathing of the bombing of the runway in Stanley. He insisted that although it was hit by a bomb, the RAF did not put it out of action, and the Argentines were able to carry on using it.
It's a bit harsh to criticise the bombing. It was part political, part theatre, part practical. Argentina didn't try to use it for high speed fighter bombers after that. It was at the time, by no small margin, the longest bombing raid in history and they have few aircraft they could use. To criticise them implies the RAF could have done better. It's unlikely ANY airforce could have done better. The USAF maybe, be not certainly.
@@4ebees An implication of Black Buck was that Buenos Aires itself was in range of British bombers should the need arise. That must have given the Junta pause to think. I personally cannot see the Brits ever having taken that option or even the need arising but in war everything is possible.
Conscripted Argentinian military personnel were heavily armed and on UK territory, and they had dug in to defend its occupation with military force. Unless they voluntarily surrendered to British Forces, Argentinian troops could expect to be met with lethal force. The Argentinians had established the degree of force that it would take to defeat them, and the British provided that force with considerable determination. Argentinian losses were immaterial, better that the invaders take casualties than the British troops. The Argentinian military inflicted considerable losses on the UK forces, which strengthened British determination to defeat its enemy. The high numbers of conscript losses are the responsibility of the generals that sent them.
I worked with the gent who captured the footage of the exocet missile striking the HMS Sheffield. He said it was by pure fluke that he captured it as he was on route to a destination and had the camera out as he spotted the HMS sheffield. Right place right time to capture the footage I guess.
@mstevens113 the SAS never seem to get interviewed for these documentaries - with the exception of Mike Rose. I guess they would rather keep their role private as befits their regiment.
I didn’t get a quote to mrs Thatcher. As Italians, we were allied and firmly friend to UK. Many Italians still had in the eighties some far relatives in Argentina, emigrated over there 60 years before. Whatever were everybody’s partiality, in Italy I can clearly remember we perceived and admired the supreme leading skill of the british prime minister.
Molti italiani erano arrivati in Argentina anche dopo la 2° Guerra Mondiale, quindi poco più di 30 anni prima del '82. Per cui non erano "lontani parenti" di quelli rimasti in Italia, dato che mio nonno aveva ancora qui a sua madre, sorella e altri parenti. E come lui molti altri.
@kennethrobinson1294 while that is true I think there are lots of other docs that cover the marine experience, I think hearing from others we might not necessarily have heard before is commendable
@@steverichards7311 Well instead they focused on 2 Para; amazing what those guys did, but did their sacrifices at Goose Green need to happen to secure victory in the Falklands? And H Jones; once again, so brave, but did his actions potentially jeopardize the whole attack and with it the lives of his men!
Well that's one for the Historians to unravel 100 years from now. I've visited the Falklands and Goose Green in 2013 and walked the battlefield and saw the place where H Jones fell. I have my opinion which isn't worth much in the cold light of day 31 years later so it's not worth sharing. We were professional soldiers and knew what we signed up for. The question shouldn't be was the sacrifice worth it. It wasn't a sacrifice it's men suffering the consequences of doing a job they signed up for and took ultimate pride in. If they are going to cover the Falklands war, then cover it in its entirety or call it 2 Para in the Falklands, like James O'connell did with 3 Para in the book 3 Days in June
Imagine having not slept for 3 days, after tabbing/yomping about 60 miles in freezing cold rain and sleet, then you have to fix bayonets and attack a heavy armed elevated position in the pitch dark, it is a nightmare. These guys are my heroes. Full respect to all the soldiers and airmen on both sides, and RIP to all the fallen, you are not forgotten. 🙏
Every time I see anything on the British army post WW2 I get so pissed off. Not at the soldiers but how overtly political any military situation was. Like not supporting Israel. You have Jewish families buying up scrub land since the mid to late 1800s. Not stolen or seized. Legitimately purchased from people who thought the land was worthless. The same thing happened in Kenya, Somaliland, and Rhodesia. Brave men who turned worthless land into farms and ranches. Then built irrigation ditches and roads. Raised telegraph, telephone and power lines. Built police stations, hospitals, schools and industry. If I buy a shack and turn it into a mansion over 50 years no one would allow the guy I bought it from to take it back. But they cared about South Africa, and the Suez because those had diamonds and controlled trade respectively. Britain doesn't give a crap about the individual citizen. They only fought in the Falklands because Margaret Thatcher wanted to show how tough she was. But if you're a farmer in Kenya or business owner in Rhodesia you were sacrificed in the name of looking good at that moment on the world stage
@nickdarr7328 Hardly anyone supports Israel for good reason - you really need to have a look at the past 75 years of that awful country. I bet even now you find it odd that no-one puts the star of David flag in their windows in complete contrast to the Ukrainian flags that were everywhere after the Russian invasion of that country ! I do however agree with you comment about Rhodesia - same with the white farmers in South Africa.
I was fortunate enough to visit the Falklands for 4 months in 2003/4 it's a beautiful place and the locals where some of the nicest people i ever met. I hope the new labour government in the UK doesn't sell them out. David Lammy as foreign secretary doesn't fill me with confidence.
Sinking the Belgrano was not a problem. It was a warship at sea. They asked for it to happen and could have stayed at home. Otherwise it would have been used.
TH-cam are annoying viewers deliberately with the amount of ads to try to make people sign up for the pay to view ad free service. Netflix will be the next to do the same
Love the drone footage of the battle sites..would love to see more of that and more wartime artifacts that remain aka plane wrecks..trenches..etc...Nothing but deep admiration and respect for all of the UK/Gurkha soldiers involved in the Falklands War..one of the greatest British military exploits....long may the Falklands remain under British rule as is the will of the Falkland Islanders!
The soldiers deserved better support the uk really let down the the soldiers who got injured there shame on you British government as always shame on you
Great doc, I feel that SF were left out of the story in terms of the retaking of South Georgia, the Pebble Island assault and their use of psyops especially by their CO in obtaining the surrender without an assault on Stanley. Also leaving out the loss of Atlantic Conveyor and her vital cargo was a huge moment which determined the undertaking of the Tab/Yomp from San Carlos to the hills above Stanley. That marched really determined the outcome of the ground war and demonstrated the metal, training and determination of HM Forces in the Falklands. Well done though enjoyed the doc.
A dear friend in 3 para had ptsd for rest of his life, in Close combat he killed an argie conscript, had to as it was him or them. He hated doing that.
Belgrano was a yank ww2 ship .. And to say it was a floating rust bucket is an understatement.. When the ship was hit ,the torpedos launched blew the bottom out.. My late father worked on those torpedos back then..
Regarding the HMS Sheffield sinking: I believe the Sheffield's main radar was temporarily switched off, while the Sheffield was communicating via radio, as the radar would seriously interfere with radio comms. So, the Sheffield was late in realising they were being attacked by extremely low-flying Argentinian jets carrying Exocet, once radar was switched back on. Also, an attempt to shoot down the Exocet missile by Sea Wolf missiles proved ineffective. Captain Sam Salt of the Sheffield has stated in interview that he even had sailors shooting at the Exocet with rifles. Also, a pity that there are no Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Harrier pilots interviewed, as the Sea Harriers were very much in operation during the conflict.
Only one small mention of 3 Para existence even though we fought the bloodiest battle and half the photos used in this documentary are of 3 Para!! Sorry to the people who think this is a wonderful documentary. 1 hour 21 minutes and they only managed to cover 2 Para and the Scots Guards. Completely missing out 3 Para (but using all of our photos to promote 2Para) and the Royal Marines!! It seems to me they got hold of Phil Neame and a Scott’s Guardsman and based the documentary around those two…
Once the United Nations was established, it registered the archipelago as “territory without self-government, under British administration”: an elliptical way of referring to a colony. The Special Committee on Decolonization (UN) declared that the Malvinas were subject to the decolonization process, urged in 1960 by the United Nations General Assembly. In 1965, Great Britain and Argentina began to negotiate the future of the islands within the framework of the UN: London recognized, in fact, the colonial status of the Malvinas, its only argument for delaying the reintegration of the archipelago to Argentina was the will of the islanders. The Crown no longer claimed titles over the islands. The right to self-determination, raised by Great Britain in favor of the islanders, only arises in the case of a population that demands its independence: something that the 1,800 inhabitants of the British colony never did or could do. That was the last argument of the British government, which since 1910 had been retreating from its positions - inaugurated in 1833 by Lord Palmerston with a firm defense of the right of sovereignty of the Crown - until reaching the point where the conflict was reached when, on 2 April, Argentina occupied the islands.
One of the last times the british army were top notch compared to now. PLEASE DON'T TAKE THIS THE WRONG WAY ,are soilders, sailors, an airmen today are still some of the best in the world but thanks to so called leaders the number of military personnel these days apart from putting up a good fight there are not enough personnel in my eyes this is a real sad and dangerous place to be in history for England 😢
For most of its history, England has had a small military, even when it became Britain (which you seem to not know about 😂). We’re lucky, we’re an island and don’t need the huge, conscripted slave-soldier armies of the continent and elsewhere. We are small but usually very good at what we do. That’s preferable for a free people on a defensible island
@MrSummerblade yes your right but we always had the English Channel which saved us a few times as someone said the weapons are better now but we've given half of them away over the last 2 years, an the channel won't save us these days as was said weapons have improved so much that the channel is a drop in the ocean we,ve not had this smaller army since the 1700's we've had to dock 4 ships due to crew shortages after a recent inspection by northrup u.k they found our air defense systems were negligent at best an if Trump gets in good bye special friendship so he said but that's a different thing
As I was (age 17) in Northern Ireland a year before, for one month, in a catholic family, I did not have any positive opinion of Thatcher at that time. I even brought an original IRA poster "Thatcher wanted - dead or alive" with me back to Germany, which did bring me in quite massive troubles in school. But anyway I did hope and was quite sure that Britain will win this war - sooner or later. To my these Argentine junta generals looked like total idiots, not understanding the basics of British thinking and acting. As German interested a lot in history I knew that Brits will surely go into full war for these islands - not so much for the islands or for the people, but for the princip. The British Navy was extremely lucky that Argentine Airforce did not sink half of their ships directly in the beginning and that the Argentine army officers were so badly trained. I knew one thing for sure: Argentine soldiers - probably good in dancing and romancing. British soldiers - probably one of the best trained soldiers in the world, together with French Legion and Israeli special units.
Are the quotation marks somehow intended to minimalise the achievements of the men and women who actually waged the campaign? Seems a rather cynical and ignorant position to take, if that's what you're doing
@@Turtytreeandaturd Okay, I appreciate the civil reply. Just for the record (as I'm sure you know) Argentina was also receiving help in the form of Soviet surveillance of the task force and other intelligence, not to mention the supply of weapons from overseas (including the UK, ironically)
Ahh spot the person who's read and understood nothing about the history of the subject matter. Bravo to you, it takes a special person to not care how ignorant they show themselves to be.
I had just finished my basic training when the war started, I say war because that is what it was, not a conflict as the media and politicians have said many times over the duration of the war and in the years that have come and gone, I don’t think I was lucky to not be sent down south, I was only just 18 years old and to inexperienced, I would have been a hindrance to the rest of the forces that did go down south, but in a strange way I would have eagerly gone, and then I would have woken up to the fact that there is no glamour or anything good in combat and I would have realised that very very quickly, but tbh until the media reports started coming through, especially once the boots were on the ground and getting into battle, those media reports and what we were told by our superiors soon replaced the willingness to go with a “I’m glad I wasn’t sent” feeling, the tv 📺 images will remain with me forever. I lost a good friend shortly after the war was officially over and that loss did affect me deeply, and when I was sent down south many years later I wasn’t able to visit the memorial to him and a number of other people killed in the same incident, not because I didn’t want to, but because I just didn’t have enough “downtime” to get there and back before I was back on duty, and now that I have the time to go my body is not capable of the journey from the United Kingdom to the Falkland Islands 🇫🇰 let alone the expedition to the crash site. Sorry for such a long winded comment, unfortunately I get carried away when my medication kicks in, but I just wanted to tell my “sandbag story” (almost a sandbag story) and possibly give other viewers a bit more detail on how I, and probably many others, felt when the task force was being assembled and when they got into combat, and again I’m sorry for the length of my comment and my apologies. I would like to finish by saying that the Falkland 🇫🇰 islanders made their feelings towards the Argentinian government wanting to claim the islands for themselves quite clear, they wanted to remain British and come under the protective umbrella that would, and still is, there for them. To that end I think we all should remember the sacrifices that were made by the British 🇬🇧 Armed Forces. R.I.P all those who lost their lives and those who were injured. Lest We Forget, Per Ardua Ad Astra, and I salute you all. 😔🇬🇧🏴🇫🇰👍
@allandavis8201 you should count yourself lucky - the war was horrific - there are documentaries where former tough as fuck Paras return to the island in tears which shows you just how brutal it was. The death toll from suicides after the war from PTSD far exceed the soldiers who died in the actual war.
@@revol148 Believe me I do, I went through my whole service not seeing combat, I went to 3 different places but never got into a firefight, however that doesn’t mean I didn’t see or experience things that nobody should have to see, and I had quite a few colleagues over the years who did see and do things, one very close colleague hunted me down after returning from Afghanistan (I was out by that time) because he needed help and support, whether I did help him I don’t know, he eventually got professional help and I don’t know what eventually happened to him, his marriage was over and he disappeared from any form of contact, and that hurt me deeply, I just hope he is as happy as he can be. Loosing a comrade in combat doesn’t bare contemplation but loosing a son/daughter must be even worse, luckily my son survived two tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, but I was so terrified I would get the dreaded knock at the door, as did my wife and his sister, but we didn’t, he was not the same guy when he came back, his marriage broke down and even now he is in counselling, but we all hope that one day he will lay to rest whatever ghosts he has to rest. So, all in all, yes I do count myself very very lucky. Thank you for your reply, much appreciated.
That is something I have said for a long time. The military junta was killing their own country men for god sake and they say the British were the 'Pirates'...
@@wolfysmith4752The're were protests and unrest before the war, The junta was already collapsing, which it was the reason why Galtieri decided to start the conflict in the first place and It will be a year after the war that we get free elections, it was going to happen anyway, no matter the result of the war. Also, many argentines took measures against the junta during their rule. So, to claim that it was thanks to Britain that we got freedom it's a bit far-fetched, we liberated ourselves thank you
@@TomásMalloCerri Only because the junta lost the war - if they'd have won, who knows when you'd have 'liberated yourselves'. You hadn't managed to do it in the 6 years leading up to the war. But dislike for Great Britain is so ingrained in Argentinians, that you can't even bring yourselves to give us a single bit of credit, can you.
Don't know if it is true but in the US Navy we were told that it was the aluminium superstructure so vulnerable as Excoset was a comparatively small warhead about 30 kilos.
"Give the islands to us" would be an acceptable plea. "Give our islands BACK" is not because that suggests they were yours beforehand. Argentina has never owned them. Britain had claimed them before Argentina was even called Argentina!
Comment number 2, in hindsight I believe that the only reason that the diplomatic negotiations were cancelled by the Argentine regime was because they needed to placate the people of Argentina 🇦🇷 because of their very unstable political situation and to give the people a different situation to focus upon, and obviously that failed, and I think that the Argentine regime didn’t expect that the British 🇬🇧 government would have the resolve to take the islands back by force of arms, and they did not think that we had the capability to fight at the end of an 8000 mile supply chain, and definitely not as quickly as we did, that denied them the opportunity to get firmly established and dug in, they gambled and lost. At the time of Alexander Haigh doing his diplomatic efforts I thought that it would not resolve anything, and I was proven right, and I thought that once that was done and dusted the United States 🇺🇸 government would apply pressure via sanctions and the announcement that they would intervene militarily, how wrong could I be, despite the so called “Special Relationship” the American Administration just about wiped their hands of the situation, basically they did not want to be involved, and in my opinion they were just trying to make sure that they would, whatever the result of the war, come out smelling of roses, and I’m sorry to say that whenever there is nothing that would affect them directly they just shut up shop and turn their back on whatever the situation was. Putting America First is exactly how they work, not that other countries do anything differently but in this case they let us down badly.
Good documentary, though showing all those high - quality pictures in a small frame less than 50% the actual size of the available screen is one of the most moronic creative choices ever.
Roberto Herrscher is surely not reprenstative of the former Argie conscript soldiers. He did not see action as an infantryman in the heights around Stanley, serving instead as a sailor aboard the small patrol boat Penélope before the British landings as his book Los viajes del Penélope (Tusquets, 2013) proves. As a journalist he was not even there to report or take part in the recent Malvinas Veterans March that took place in downtown Buenos Aires on 9 July 2024 in which the former conscripts marched proudly beside who in the ground war had been their courageous NCOs and officers. Altogether some 3,000 Argentine veterans took part in this historic march and those videos uploaded just a few days ago are available on TH-cam for all to see. With regards to then Major Phil Neame claiming the former members of the Argentinean Army were simply not up to it, let me remind him of the nine dead Paras in his D Company, surely they did not come up against ostriches in the night fighting? Someone should remind him it was the local male population in the form of conscripts press-ganged into the defence of Buenos Aires that defeated 12,000 well-trained British Redcoats under Sir John Whitelocke in early July 1807 that fast-tracked Argentinean indepence for the local commanders were practically all patriots seeking indenpendence. Also didn't conscripts defeat the mighty US Army?
I returned to the Falklands for the first time just before the pandemic struck. On the flight over I developed a toothache, damned filling didn't like the trip. I stayed in Liberty Lodge and was welcomed by one of the island officials. He got me an appointment with a dentist at the hospital. I had to fill in NHS forms after the treatment and when the nice lady working on the reception desk saw that I was a returning veteran she came into the waiting room, flung her arms around me, hugged me and said "Thank you for saving me, my children and my grandchildren " . Any doubts I had about what we accomplished evaporated then and there. I'm proud of what was done to keep a couple of thousand Britons British. It's what they wanted.
Can confirm this, been out there 6 months and locals, young and old super grateful
Well done Lad !
@Jose-hs4vkno aircraft carrier was damaged, let alone sunk
Too bad you didn't keep the UK safe the past 81 years
@@이이-n4z8y That's down to the government not an individual soldier.
I have watched many documentaries about the conflict and this has to be one of the best as it is clear, impartial and concise. I know many men of the class of 82 and they all have my respect. The Falklands Conflict was one of the reasons that I joined up, all of my instructors at CTCRM had served down South.
really glad you enjoyed it @Calvi36
Great documentary. It was this war that I had my motivation to join the army. I had the honour of serving with many Falklands veterans. In fact, I was actually trained by Falklands veterans which I can only say benefited all of us. I'm still in touch with them to this day. Great men, fantastic soldiers. RIP to all those that never made it back. You did us proud. And thank you.
Well said...
@@Sidney1WG funny how your soldiers first said "we were facing conscripts", and ended up talking highly of Argentine soldiers, and needed two months to win the war.
Also, during the Falklands War, the United Kingdom lost 6 ships:
1. HMS Sheffield (destroyer) - sunk on May 4, 1982
2. HMS Ardent (frigate) - sunk on May 21, 1982
3. HMS Antelope (frigate) - sunk on May 24, 1982
4. HMS Coventry (destroyer) - sunk on May 25, 1982
5. HMS Atlantic Conveyor (auxiliary ship) - sunk on May 25, 1982
6. HMS Glamorgan (destroyer) - damaged on June 12, 1982, but managed to return to the UK for repairs.
@@Lifeasweknowit24 Oh shut up you fool. If you knew what you were talking about it would be something. 2 months to win a war that was 8,000 miles away from our country. With the loss of the Atlantic Conveyer. We should never have been able to win that war so far from home but we did. PS. BELGRANO! Also, you never won a single battle. End of story, Goodbye!
@@Lifeasweknowit24wow, there's only one island, but half of it is british!
@@leftfootforward1040 occupied territory , doesn't mean it's theirs.
It's a sad fact that the Scots Guards never received the same recognition as the Paras & the Royal Marines, they did an exceptional job when all things are considered, as did the aforementioned. They certainly made this Scotsman proud as did all the gallant fighting men in the task force.
I thought they were recognised as being the Battalion who bayonet charged and recaptured Mt. Tumbledown? Yes they did an excellent job and the Guards Bns are certainly a cut above line infantry, and Scottish regiments have always had a fearsome reputation, so I'd expect them to be held in high regard.
The Scots Guards are the only regiment that fought in the Falklands War to have a film made about them. Tumbledown (1988) staring Colin Firth is available on TH-cam.
Derek Denholm ( Scots Guards) is buried in a graveyard close to my home, he is right next door to a Medal of Honour Recipient called Archibald Houston aka Francis Kelly. Derek Denholm served during the Falklands War and was killed in action in the Battle for Mount Tumbledown on the night of 13-14 June 1982, his cause of death being officially recorded as ‘blast injury, multiple shrapnel wounds’. At the time of his death he was serving with 14 Platoon, Left Flank Company, 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards and he is buried at Sandymount Cemetery, Glasgow, Scotland. I visit him regularly and I am weird as I speak to both dead men in their graves. Rest easy, your job is done.
I was a Royal Marine on the ground at Ajax Bay San Carlos. I can assure you that whatever is remembered by those that weren’t there, amongst those that were there is the utmost respect for everyone. If anyone gets overlooked it’s the Matlots, they took fire and very heavy casualties.
@@DD-lc5ts at Combat Stress I heard the same, there was a lot of Matelots there. Some evenings they would recount stories of coming under attack and even being on a ship going down. Horrendous, no glory in war, all were equal when they went down south.
One of my earliest memories I was 4 and a half. My grandad followed it closely as he had been a ww2 Royal marines commando and I remember that a few months later we bought him a tape of the band of HM Royal marines. I think it rekindled his unit pride. He was a really lovely bloke my grandad cookman.
Do we even want to know why he was called "cookman"?
@@trainknut his sir name Walter cookman 😆
Fantastically produced documentary. Nice to see that someone on the opposing side, also gave their story. RIP to all those who fought, & thank you to our men for their service 🙏
Glad you enjoyed it!
Someone from opposing side? Are you kidding? That's just the english side of the history with the most pro english argentinian guy they've found dropping a word or two now and then. I don't say its not interesting but its just the english side of the history.
@@Rublo01 someone who is so uneducated in reality as to assume someone is “English” without recognising the nuances of the various nationalities which make up the British (it’s akin to you calling all Spanish people “Castilian”), isn’t best placed to pretend to be erudite on the subject. He is 100% accurate when it comes to the truth. The “Estamos ganando” version of the story from the land that is the home of Vivesa Criolla, is cr@p.
@Jose-hs4vkHMS Invincible (R05) returned to Portsmouth undamaged. There’s plenty of news and film online about it.
You salty about LOOSING, when you really should have won, as you held all the cards. Your leaders were rubbish.
@@Rublo01 His Majesty's Perpetually Brittanic Islands were successfully defended from evil thieves and villains.
Brave men. Thank you for your service. RIP to those who never made it home and those who struggled mentally and physically afterwards.
How did UK become a Muslim nation where is that old pride
@@joseplaza9442 It's beginning to stir. Too late, but it's beginning to stir. Tommy Robinson, at considerable risk to himself, his family and his team, is waking people up and bringing us around to his way of thinking and the authorities are doing everything in their powers, both legally and illegally, to silence him because it goes against their narrative.
@@joseplaza9442 Fake news, bawbag.
Tell you what's a fact.....
Falklands are British.
🇬🇧🤗
@@SpaceHCowboy no it is Muslim like it or not along with France
British & Protestant, just like the Falklands 🇬🇧😘😘
As a young British guy growing up in the 90s I never knew much about the falklands war. This gave a great heartfelt representation. Thank you for a fantastic documentary.
Shame on you it was only 8 years or so before you was born. I know everything about the British Army in WW1 and WW2 and wasnt born till 1972? Its your duty as a patriot to know your history. Particularly Military history.
@@CARLIN4737 You sound like a yank, come off it.
As a British guy (used to be young) growing up in the 1960s, I knew a sh-- pot full about the history of the Army. Undoubtedly, has a lot to do with my grandfather being wounded on the Somme in 1916 (Lancs Reg.), and both my parents serving in the Second World War in the RAF. Too many digital distratiions these days for younger folks to be able to absorb their heritage (at least that's a reasonable excuse)
😂😂😂😂😂😂@@CARLIN4737
Being 8 years old at the time i don´t really remember if the people here in germany did care or not, but what i do remember is the opinion of my parents, which where heavily anglophile from literature to furniture, visiting friends in the UK pretty often.
Our family had a weekly ritual to visit an argentine steakhouse and that ritual ended the day Argentina invaded the Falklands. It took my parents a year or someething to go back there and when they had to it was an invitation they could not refuse. My dad protested, my mum said they had to, she won the argument (as usual) so he decided to wear a tie clip with a little poppy and even engraved a little 255 on it himself to remember the fallen british soldiers. Nobody realised i guess, but that´s exactly who he was.
He's from a generation who believed the governments of countries represented the people of those countries, which isn't true, and probably never really has been. Thankfully by Iraq and Afghanistan we could at least reflect on the hatred we threw at people ethnically linked to countries our governments had taken military action against, despite still doing it.
The irony of an anglophile German boycotting an Argentinian restaurant because an Argentinian Junta invaded British territory is pretty palpable though.
Your old man deserves a beer. Respect from 🇬🇧
A friend of mine who was old enough to remember 1982, told me at the time people even boycotted cans of corned beef in supermarkets, only because they thought Argentina was a major supplier of canned beef.
Interestingly, I once met an Argentinian while I was on vacation in Berlin. We got talking, we got on well and after too many beers I said “sorry about what happened in the Falkland Islands”, he shrugged and replied “you can keep them, there’s nothing there”. I got the impression the average person wasn’t interested and it was all political.
@@notmenotme614the best corned beef comes from argentina
Brilliant, I think your mum was right. You could hardly blame the restauranteur for anything. I'm a Brit living in Spain, I love the Argentine meat restaurants
Amazing documentary. As an American, my knowledge on the Falklands was little. I had worked with a few Brittons that had gave me the "wavetops" of the situation. RIP to those brave British warriors that gave their lives.
Very well done. I had really never looked into the Falklands War as a whole. As a Sailor who joined the US Navy in 1982, I was made aware of some of the issues with the attacks on the British Ships, the effectiveness of the Exocet, which lead the US Navy to implemented many changes to our Battle Gear based on the burns received by the brave British Sailors and Damage Control changes as well.
Thank you for this, I learned so much and can honestly say I am a bit ashamed that I had not looked into this conflict before now.
There were many lessons learned from the way the fire spread by the PVC cable insulation, to the way the formica fitments such as tables, shattered in explosions and acted as shrapnel. It's often said that the greatest technological advances are made in wartime.
@keimahane and during the war the Israelis rearmed the Argentines with more Exocet missiles.....
@@revol148 There was a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes with exocets. There were French technicians working on them inside Argentina when the war broke out, and I believe that the French government brought them back home even though they were under contract. The UK knew exactly how many missiles Argentina had and were ticking them off as they were used. The Argentinians were scouring the world for fresh missiles and the British were successful in buying them themselves before they could. The best case of improv was one of the last missiles they had, which was fixed to a trailer on land and fired at HMS Glamorgan as it was on bombardment. It was hit, resulting in several fatalities.
@@revol148No they didn't. Other air to air missiles, extended fuel tanks and radar were supplied by Israel for the sky hawks. And the UK stupidly supplies israels continued genocide of Palestinians
Nice comment.to be honest most American comments are disrespectful.
a great modern doc of the conflict, thanks again history hit!
I was a serving soldier from 1974 - 1985 in BAOR. I went aboard HMS Sheffield when it was docked in Hamburg, about a year before it was sunk in the Falklands war.
My regiment were not deployed to the Falklands war, so I remained in BAOR.
great documentary - i love that you took the view of both sides, with actual interviews of survivors. thank you sir!
Did a tour about 94 based at Mount Pleasant.
Port Stanley had a lovely Pub/Cafe we went to when we could get transport but you had to take sleeping bags for the return trip.
Loved the people there.
I may be wrong but didn’t Great Britain claim the Falkland island before Argentina was actually a country….if so that kind of end that conversation on sovereignty…..
Right or wrong, the fact is, the people who actually live there, were born there and will die there speak English and consider themselves Britain.. If no one lived there or 90% of them spoke Spanish I'd say to give them it.. But that's not the case, so Argentina is gonna have to shut up and put up.. Most of the men that fought there admit they were lied to, they were taught that the islands had a Spanish speaking population! They really believed that they were gonna be greeted by cheering Spanish crowds happy to see the back of the union jack, under the junta they'd been taught this.. But most of them saw that the people looked British, spoke English and weren't happy to see them and suddenly changed their minds about the place.. its only when they're in groups they start shouting nonsense again.
@@nails3394 the time line is france established a colony on the east part (1764), few months later Britain made one on the west part, spain then took over frances part (1766) then britain and spain realised eachother were there, rattled some sabres but came to an agreement (1771). Then the British temporarily left (1774) but still held claim. spain bugger off but still hold claim (1806), the place is kind of just filled with fishmen and sealers. Argies claim independence from spain (1816) some argie rocks up and claims theyre theirs (1820) some murdering and mutiny and shit happens between the argies while Britain is off doing other things. Britain returns and takes up its claim again (1833) and then the argies have been on-off crying about it ever since and were at one point trying to use it as a bargaining chip
So long story short, the argies tried to claim it was theirs because they were spanish before their independence and they thought it made spainish things theirs but in reality it didnt and it's pretty much always been british
Thankyou.
But the Pope said… and gauchos lived… and the French… they had a vote to stay British, we had a war over it, the British won… the last two trump all the historical arguments anyway.
The islanders want to be British and don't want to be Argentinian. That to me is the end of the discussion. It doesn't matter at all that the Falklands are far from other British territory and happen to be closer to the Argentinian mainland.
The fact that the Argentinians genuinely thought it was a good idea to start a war with Britain will always confuse me
I mean look at the distance between the Falklands and Britain. Also Britain's international standing was on the decline. I'd say the UK was the underdog
I suspect the assumption was that the British would complain, but nothing more. Lord Carrington's comments had already seemed rather equivocal about the future of the Falklands, whilst the vile John Nott was actively trying to destroy what was left of the Royal Navy at the time.
A process which, of course, continues unabated to this day.
I imagine the thinking was one that we often see in dictatorships: generate an 'external' conflict to distract from economic problems at home.
Cold war Argentina had a lot of leveraging with Regan.
@@gdutfulkbhh7537you live in a dictatorship though, a leftist dictatorship.
Give us the old UK please. Please bring her back my Brit bros. Don’t let the madness continue.
They are not going to take the Malvinas when they are rotting in a grave and neither are we
The whole operation was just an amazing military feat. A real reason to be proud of all those that took part to liberate the islands.
If Thatcher had been clear that the Falklands would not be handed over and had not cancelled the last British supply ship (she would have been aware of the signal that would have sent to Argentina) this probably wouldnt have happened. People died for political reasons by 2 governments trying to retain their grip on power - very sad - no one should have had to die for that! And no one should have felt able to invade an undefended British Island.
ARGENTINA. EL. MAAAAATON DE. LA. REGION🦧🦧🦧🦧🦧🦧🦧🦨🦨🦨🦨
I sat on the Sqaure Tower in Portsmouth to see the task force leave. I had a whole panoramic view. An incredible site for a 16 year old lad.
Major General Julian Thompson said in an interview that the Argentine Marines who first landed on the Falklands were subsequently returned to Argentina for a possible war against Chile that's why most Argentinian troops garrisoned on the islands were conscripts the only elite unit is the 5th Marine Battalion at Mount Tumbledown later captured by the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards.
The men of the Marine Battalions (the 5th at Mount Tumbledown and the 2nd which landed on 2 April) were also conscripts (except officers and NCOs), but were better equipped and trained than the army soldiers.
Es real
5th Marine Battalion were also conscrip soldiers but very well trained in all aspects by one of the best Argentinian marine officers, Captain Carlos Robacio. They were really a hard unit and British Commanders believed they were facing professionals. Later that remains as part of a myth. At any case is quite remarkable what those conscripts soldiers did.
Were the bullets that the conscripts firing were any different
@@bren4061 According to my Scottish friend a former Scots Guardsman the rifles they used was the L1A1 SLR however for accuracy the British troops used the semi-automatic mode and have fixed bayonets when they charged the Argentine positions in the mountains surrounding the capital Port Stanley and was carried out under the cover of darkness to avoid being exposed in open terrain in daylight.
I joined the Scots guards in 1986 and two of our instructors were 2nd battalion Scots guards who fought in the Falklands at Tumbledown, they never spoke about it and it's only years later after I'd left the army that one lead one of the attacks and got mentioned in despatches. No wonder they were hard on us after all they had been through 😢
My (late) old man was on the Norland (engineer). Total respect to 2 Para.
Respect to your Dad. Legend 🎉
Joined 85..renember my instructor's...they had terrible memories and medals..taught me worthwhile lessons..
I was stationed in N. Ireland at the time of the Falklands. Some of my trade collegues were sent there with mobile RADAR. I have mixed feelings about not being part of the forces sent to fight. Part of me is glad I was "only" in N.I. especially after seeing the carnage of the Sir Gallahad and Tristan troop ships. But another part of me knew that I was missing the last great event of the British military in action. My hat goes off to all those guys who served there. God bless you all
Dios no bendice a ninguno de los bandos en una guerra. Todos, no obstante ser "cristianos", son culpables de derramamiento de sangre.
I was in Argentina in 1992 and met a trustworthy man that had been a conscript. He told me that his training consisted of being given one bullet to fire at a target. He also said that they weren’t given decent clothing or enough food. The Argentina Government were not prepared to back up their political move. A week before the invasion a huge crowd protested against the the Argentine President over normal political and economic issues, a week or two later he was a hero.
I believe that upon landing on The Falkland Islands the Argentinian soldiers were confused. They spoke Argentinian to the locals who couldn’t understand a word they said and were DEFINITELY British. They played their national anthem that no one recognised. They were led to expect at least some Argentinian speaking people who saw themselves as Argentinian and this definitely wasn’t the case. They didn’t really understand why they were there, they weren’t ‘rescuing’ Argentinian people from British rule, they were subjugating British people and putting them under Argentinian rule. This was certainly not what the ordinary soldiers were expecting. There was no welcome, only fear and distrust. It must’ve been a surreal experience for the Islanders and the soldiers alike. The resistance was unexpected and I feel sorry for the soldiers who were lied too by their commanders and Government..
Los kelpers fueron impuestos por los británicos ni les pertenece las islas aunque hallan nacido ahí si no quieren ser argentinos se tienen que ir fueron impuestos las Malvinas son argentinas
@@pablofrediani2348 98.5% of Argentina is european, if the Falkland Islanders have to leave, so do aprox 44 million argentines
@@littleshep5502 yo soy decendiente de italianos y abuela paterna de Francia
@@pablofrediani2348 point proven, if the Falkland islanders aren't allowed to be there, neither are Argentines
Those must have been very ignorant uneducated Argentinian soldiers. I was 15 years old during the war and me and all my classmates knew very well that the kelpers are British and speak English, as they are descendants of the British occupiers.
Amazing and emotional documentary. I followed these events with great interest as a 12 year old. Got to experience a much more peaceful naval life many years later. Great respect to the warriors of both sides
they tried n they failed. the falklands will always be british 🇬🇧
Las Malvinas son argentinas y volveremos piratas ladrones
Nothing is forever IDIOT nobody takes anything from this life
Y ahora uk 🇬🇧🇵🇸🧕🏳️🌈 es inclusivo y muslim sigan con ese modelo de inclusividad van bien 😅
Regarding the Vulcan raid: The crater in the runway was repaired the next day. Hardly a victory, given the cost and risks, after dropping 21 1000lb bombs. A remarkable feat of endurance, for sure.
Such a long time ago now, but I still have memories clear as yesterday.
@@DD-lc5ts me too.
No mention of Atlantic Conveyor. Interesting omission.
A superb documentary. Thank you for another great piece of content.
My Grandfather served alongside Gurkers on occasions between 1917-32 in the Argyles.loved and respected them as fighting men and as Honorable Men.He left with rank of Sergeant
My uncle was one of the crew on the Norland. As he had served in the merchant navy during WW2, including artic convoys to Russia, this was nothing new to him.
I disagree with Thatcher on almost everything except the Falklands war. Argentina had no greater claim to the island aside from proximity, and as a nation who largely suppressed their native population AND readily hid/welcomed and habilitated NAZI war criminals, Argentina can just cope!
No, Great Britian wasn't entirely alone in the Falklands conflict. My country Nz immeadiatly committed two frigates, HMNZS Waikato and Canterbury to assist though they were seconded to relieve the British patrols in in the Indian Ocean freeing up the extra ships for the Royal Navy.
Canada and Australia also offered logistics support ships.
Thank you
Thank you
What an amazing documentary - thank you.
This takes me back the class of 82 .I was 20 I'd been with 2 para for 18 months when me and my brothers were deployed to the Falklands. Hard war and wind that cut through you .
Thank you.
Mad respect brother, from a former US infantry Marine
@@monkeyglocksthankyou brother in the uk we dont get the respect take care.
Total respects bro ex 4 para
@@robertdouglas8442 be safe brother
Argentina was like the drunk guy at bar looking for a fight and a UFC fighter walks in.
The ufc fighter suffer 255 hits and tore many of her *clothes (ships) Just imagine if Argentina had not been drunk (that is, if the war had been led by the best officers and not by the stupid incompetents of the junta).
A friend of mine who served in The Falklands with 2 Para was very scathing of the bombing of the runway in Stanley. He insisted that although it was hit by a bomb, the RAF did not put it out of action, and the Argentines were able to carry on using it.
The used it for Pucaras but never for high speed jets like Mirages.
That's right, the runway was operational until the end of the war.
It's a bit harsh to criticise the bombing. It was part political, part theatre, part practical.
Argentina didn't try to use it for high speed fighter bombers after that.
It was at the time, by no small margin, the longest bombing raid in history and they have few aircraft they could use.
To criticise them implies the RAF could have done better.
It's unlikely ANY airforce could have done better. The USAF maybe, be not certainly.
@@4ebees An implication of Black Buck was that Buenos Aires itself was in range of British bombers should the need arise. That must have given the Junta pause to think. I personally cannot see the Brits ever having taken that option or even the need arising but in war everything is possible.
@@TomFynn I agree. The fact they COULD and showed they had the ability would have given the Junta something to consider.
Conscripted Argentinian military personnel were heavily armed and on UK territory, and they had dug in to defend its occupation with military force.
Unless they voluntarily surrendered to British Forces, Argentinian troops could expect to be met with lethal force.
The Argentinians had established the degree of force that it would take to defeat them, and the British provided that force with considerable determination.
Argentinian losses were immaterial, better that the invaders take casualties than the British troops.
The Argentinian military inflicted considerable losses on the UK forces, which strengthened British determination to defeat its enemy.
The high numbers of conscript losses are the responsibility of the generals that sent them.
Bold of you to call it UK territory 🤣
@@arualblues_zero It was, is and remains UK territory!
If you believe otherwise please post your evidence.
They still lost despite their numbers and being heavily armed
@@arualblues_zero It literally is UK territory though lmao
The bulk of armies in war tend to be conscripts.
Amazing post, thank you
Great documentary, very interesting to watch
I worked with the gent who captured the footage of the exocet missile striking the HMS Sheffield. He said it was by pure fluke that he captured it as he was on route to a destination and had the camera out as he spotted the HMS sheffield. Right place right time to capture the footage I guess.
An excellent, informative and accurate summary of events. Well done. A first class production. 👍
Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it!
Brilliant just brilliant ta!✌️ The lads had prevailed before even setting foot ashore.✌️
The effects of the BBC were potentially a danger to the task force. We called it the Buenos Aires Broadcasting Company.
No mention of the SAS Pebble Island raid? How?
Secret
@@Horriblebastadit's on another great documentary 😂
RAID? You mean when they went out sightseeing and got a little carried away? 🤣🤣🤣
@mstevens113 the SAS never seem to get interviewed for these documentaries - with the exception of Mike Rose. I guess they would rather keep their role private as befits their regiment.
I have had the pleasure of meeting few lads who were in this war also watched the TV I was in borstal when it broke out.
I didn’t get a quote to mrs Thatcher. As Italians, we were allied and firmly friend to UK. Many Italians still had in the eighties some far relatives in Argentina, emigrated over there 60 years before. Whatever were everybody’s partiality, in Italy I can clearly remember we perceived and admired the supreme leading skill of the british prime minister.
Molti italiani erano arrivati in Argentina anche dopo la 2° Guerra Mondiale, quindi poco più di 30 anni prima del '82. Per cui non erano "lontani parenti" di quelli rimasti in Italia, dato che mio nonno aveva ancora qui a sua madre, sorella e altri parenti. E come lui molti altri.
Los argentinos en su mayoría somos decendientes de italianos
eSTUPIDO.
I was shocked when the Sheffield got hit, but my father who had been thro WW2, took it like a Royal Marine, he had seen it all before.
Did I miss something or was there no representative from 1 half of the task force interviewed ie the Royal Marines?
I noticed that as well. The largest part of the actual British land forces and not a single mention!
@kennethrobinson1294 while that is true I think there are lots of other docs that cover the marine experience, I think hearing from others we might not necessarily have heard before is commendable
Only one mention of 3 Para even though Longdon was the bloodiest battle
@@steverichards7311 Well instead they focused on 2 Para; amazing what those guys did, but did their sacrifices at Goose Green need to happen to secure victory in the Falklands? And H Jones; once again, so brave, but did his actions potentially jeopardize the whole attack and with it the lives of his men!
Well that's one for the Historians to unravel 100 years from now. I've visited the Falklands and Goose Green in 2013 and walked the battlefield and saw the place where H Jones fell. I have my opinion which isn't worth much in the cold light of day 31 years later so it's not worth sharing. We were professional soldiers and knew what we signed up for. The question shouldn't be was the sacrifice worth it. It wasn't a sacrifice it's men suffering the consequences of doing a job they signed up for and took ultimate pride in.
If they are going to cover the Falklands war, then cover it in its entirety or call it 2 Para in the Falklands, like James O'connell did with 3 Para in the book 3 Days in June
Imagine having not slept for 3 days, after tabbing/yomping about 60 miles in freezing cold rain and sleet, then you have to fix bayonets and attack a heavy armed elevated position in the pitch dark, it is a nightmare. These guys are my heroes. Full respect to all the soldiers and airmen on both sides, and RIP to all the fallen, you are not forgotten. 🙏
Every time I see anything on the British army post WW2 I get so pissed off. Not at the soldiers but how overtly political any military situation was. Like not supporting Israel. You have Jewish families buying up scrub land since the mid to late 1800s. Not stolen or seized. Legitimately purchased from people who thought the land was worthless. The same thing happened in Kenya, Somaliland, and Rhodesia. Brave men who turned worthless land into farms and ranches. Then built irrigation ditches and roads. Raised telegraph, telephone and power lines. Built police stations, hospitals, schools and industry. If I buy a shack and turn it into a mansion over 50 years no one would allow the guy I bought it from to take it back. But they cared about South Africa, and the Suez because those had diamonds and controlled trade respectively. Britain doesn't give a crap about the individual citizen. They only fought in the Falklands because Margaret Thatcher wanted to show how tough she was. But if you're a farmer in Kenya or business owner in Rhodesia you were sacrificed in the name of looking good at that moment on the world stage
It’s called self determination.
@nickdarr7328 Hardly anyone supports Israel for good reason - you really need to have a look at the past 75 years of that awful country. I bet even now you find it odd that no-one puts the star of David flag in their windows in complete contrast to the Ukrainian flags that were everywhere after the Russian invasion of that country ! I do however agree with you comment about Rhodesia - same with the white farmers in South Africa.
Tremendous 🌸❤️🧐
I was fortunate enough to visit the Falklands for 4 months in 2003/4 it's a beautiful place and the locals where some of the nicest people i ever met. I hope the new labour government in the UK doesn't sell them out. David Lammy as foreign secretary doesn't fill me with confidence.
Omg!
What an incredible episode!
Thank You!
So much.
Fantastic info here.
Sinking the Belgrano was not a problem. It was a warship at sea. They asked for it to happen and could have stayed at home.
Otherwise it would have been used.
Them...
BUT IT WAS SAILING AWAY FROM THE ISLANDS! 😭
Us...
BOLLOCKS! 😎
Very good episode.
Certainly one of the best on the falklands I have seen.
7:42 as an Argentinian I've never felt so many mixed emotions watching a video in my life.
Thank you HH. Always interesting.
HH I dont know what is up with youtube, or if it is a choice from your end. But 7 comercials in 16min is a lot :( Great content as always tho!
It will be TH-cam
TH-cam are annoying viewers deliberately with the amount of ads to try to make people sign up for the pay to view ad free service. Netflix will be the next to do the same
Ho hum pay for premium.
I got no ads at all... but then I've got an adblocker installed. (If TH-cam showed me ads, I wouldn't visit the site.)
@Cous1nJack If I were a billionaire, I wouldn't give TH-cam a penny.
Love the drone footage of the battle sites..would love to see more of that and more wartime artifacts that remain aka plane wrecks..trenches..etc...Nothing but deep admiration and respect for all of the UK/Gurkha soldiers involved in the Falklands War..one of the greatest British military exploits....long may the Falklands remain under British rule as is the will of the Falkland Islanders!
The soldiers deserved better support the uk really let down the the soldiers who got injured there shame on you British government as always shame on you
Well said we got no support
Great doc, I feel that SF were left out of the story in terms of the retaking of South Georgia, the Pebble Island assault and their use of psyops especially by their CO in obtaining the surrender without an assault on Stanley. Also leaving out the loss of Atlantic Conveyor and her vital cargo was a huge moment which determined the undertaking of the Tab/Yomp from San Carlos to the hills above Stanley. That marched really determined the outcome of the ground war and demonstrated the metal, training and determination of HM Forces in the Falklands. Well done though enjoyed the doc.
First rule of sneaky night time assault. Do not tell politicians of sneaky night time assault.
Such a great video.....thanks
Absolutely fabulous documentary, makes you proud to be British……… but WTF happened to Great Britain since then. Shameful.
Globalisation happened
Kinda weird to be so proud of being the colonizing military force so recently
Your 'great' Maggie then set about destroying the communities many of the soldiers came from.
@@RyanArnott-w9hbahahahaha hilarious 😂the greatest fighting force ever that took half of the world 🌎 facts 😂love it 🎉
@@RyanArnott-w9hcry harder 😂
A dear friend in 3 para had ptsd for rest of his life, in Close combat he killed an argie conscript, had to as it was him or them. He hated doing that.
J'aime bien les Paras à 20:16.
D company 2 para fought multiple engagements were well led by Major Neame Goose Green was a miracle
Belgrano was a yank ww2 ship ..
And to say it was a floating rust bucket is an understatement..
When the ship was hit ,the torpedos launched blew the bottom out..
My late father worked on those torpedos back then..
Perhaps, but it was armed with fifteen six inch guns, and eight five inch guns.
USS Phoenix.
El belgrano fue un crimen cobarde de gerra viva argentina y volveremos a nuestras islas Malvinas
Regarding the HMS Sheffield sinking: I believe the Sheffield's main radar was temporarily switched off, while the Sheffield was communicating via radio, as the radar would seriously interfere with radio comms. So, the Sheffield was late in realising they were being attacked by extremely low-flying Argentinian jets carrying Exocet, once radar was switched back on. Also, an attempt to shoot down the Exocet missile by Sea Wolf missiles proved ineffective. Captain Sam Salt of the Sheffield has stated in interview that he even had sailors shooting at the Exocet with rifles. Also, a pity that there are no Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Harrier pilots interviewed, as the Sea Harriers were very much in operation during the conflict.
Argentinians invading this comment section in 3... 2... 1...
Who's calling out the fleet you or me? 😂
And being soundly trounced by Britishers and non-Britishers as well.
@@stefanodadamo6809Indeed. As an American I will always staunchly support Britain’s Sovereignty over the Falklands.
@@christianhaupt2637 ditto as an Italian. Hate for the Junta trumps even that for Thatcher.
Yours europeans poor fuera de américa del sur
I hope the bbc got some shit for giving away the information of the paras advance!!!!
Should of started in the 1600’s this story
Thank you for this great documentary. I was 10 in Texas when this was took place and we forget that it was a real war and men died.
Only one small mention of 3 Para existence even though we fought the bloodiest battle and half the photos used in this documentary are of 3 Para!! Sorry to the people who think this is a wonderful documentary. 1 hour 21 minutes and they only managed to cover 2 Para and the Scots Guards. Completely missing out 3 Para (but using all of our photos to promote 2Para) and the Royal Marines!! It seems to me they got hold of Phil Neame and a Scott’s Guardsman and based the documentary around those two…
Once the United Nations was established, it registered the archipelago as “territory without self-government, under British administration”: an elliptical way of referring to a colony. The Special Committee on Decolonization (UN) declared that the Malvinas were subject to the decolonization process, urged in 1960 by the United Nations General Assembly. In 1965, Great Britain and Argentina began to negotiate the future of the islands within the framework of the UN: London recognized, in fact, the colonial status of the Malvinas, its only argument for delaying the reintegration of the archipelago to Argentina was the will of the islanders. The Crown no longer claimed titles over the islands. The right to self-determination, raised by Great Britain in favor of the islanders, only arises in the case of a population that demands its independence: something that the 1,800 inhabitants of the British colony never did or could do. That was the last argument of the British government, which since 1910 had been retreating from its positions - inaugurated in 1833 by Lord Palmerston with a firm defense of the right of sovereignty of the Crown - until reaching the point where the conflict was reached when, on 2 April, Argentina occupied the islands.
Soldiers, sailors and airmen don’t make war, politicians do but it’s the military that suffer. On both sides.
One of the last times the british army were top notch compared to now. PLEASE DON'T TAKE THIS THE WRONG WAY ,are soilders, sailors, an airmen today are still some of the best in the world but thanks to so called leaders the number of military personnel these days apart from putting up a good fight there are not enough personnel in my eyes this is a real sad and dangerous place to be in history for England 😢
Yeah but the equipment is so much better now.
For most of its history, England has had a small military, even when it became Britain (which you seem to not know about 😂).
We’re lucky, we’re an island and don’t need the huge, conscripted slave-soldier armies of the continent and elsewhere. We are small but usually very good at what we do. That’s preferable for a free people on a defensible island
@MrSummerblade yes your right but we always had the English Channel which saved us a few times as someone said the weapons are better now but we've given half of them away over the last 2 years, an the channel won't save us these days as was said weapons have improved so much that the channel is a drop in the ocean we,ve not had this smaller army since the 1700's we've had to dock 4 ships due to crew shortages after a recent inspection by northrup u.k they found our air defense systems were negligent at best an if Trump gets in good bye special friendship so he said but that's a different thing
Yeah! Like the carriers.@@Warspite-1915
The military has shrunk but not the fight
This British infantry soldier gives massive respect to the Falkirk war vets
As I was (age 17) in Northern Ireland a year before, for one month, in a catholic family, I did not have any positive opinion of Thatcher at that time. I even brought an original IRA poster "Thatcher wanted - dead or alive" with me back to Germany, which did bring me in quite massive troubles in school.
But anyway I did hope and was quite sure that Britain will win this war - sooner or later. To my these Argentine junta generals looked like total idiots, not understanding the basics of British thinking and acting.
As German interested a lot in history I knew that Brits will surely go into full war for these islands - not so much for the islands or for the people, but for the princip.
The British Navy was extremely lucky that Argentine Airforce did not sink half of their ships directly in the beginning and that the Argentine army officers were so badly trained.
I knew one thing for sure: Argentine soldiers - probably good in dancing and romancing. British soldiers - probably one of the best trained soldiers in the world, together with French Legion and Israeli special units.
Very interesting, thank you!
"Fight by itself"but eventually helped by the US with materials and logistics
America taking all the credit as usual
@@Warspite-1915 Nope I'm British
Are the quotation marks somehow intended to minimalise the achievements of the men and women who actually waged the campaign? Seems a rather cynical and ignorant position to take, if that's what you're doing
@@granitesevan6243 quote marks are what was said in the video. That's what quotes are for.
At no point was I trying to minimise these brave folk.
@@Turtytreeandaturd Okay, I appreciate the civil reply. Just for the record (as I'm sure you know) Argentina was also receiving help in the form of Soviet surveillance of the task force and other intelligence, not to mention the supply of weapons from overseas (including the UK, ironically)
Nobody mentions the SBS,
Amazing .
So glad Israel helped Argentina.
Its great seeing stanley now compared to how it was found.... respect to the "clean up crew"
Britain everywhere they've invaded. "This land is ours because we took it."
Retype your comment and replace 'Britain' with 'Everyone'. . .
The world is England
Ahh spot the person who's read and understood nothing about the history of the subject matter.
Bravo to you, it takes a special person to not care how ignorant they show themselves to be.
Britain 🇬🇧 took half of the world facts 👏 😂 the best fighting force that had ever been facts 😂the results speak for themselves 😂
Penguins might object? Are you a Penguin?
The Empire Strikes Back...
Only Fools and Horses to Hull and back its the Norland
I had just finished my basic training when the war started, I say war because that is what it was, not a conflict as the media and politicians have said many times over the duration of the war and in the years that have come and gone, I don’t think I was lucky to not be sent down south, I was only just 18 years old and to inexperienced, I would have been a hindrance to the rest of the forces that did go down south, but in a strange way I would have eagerly gone, and then I would have woken up to the fact that there is no glamour or anything good in combat
and I would have realised that very very quickly, but tbh until the media reports started coming through, especially once the boots were on the ground and getting into battle, those media reports and what we were told by our superiors soon replaced the willingness to go with a “I’m glad I wasn’t sent” feeling, the tv 📺 images will remain with me forever.
I lost a good friend shortly after the war was officially over and that loss did affect me deeply, and when I was sent down south many years later I wasn’t able to visit the memorial to him and a number of other people killed in the same incident, not because I didn’t want to, but because I just didn’t have enough “downtime” to get there and back before I was back on duty, and now that I have the time to go my body is not capable of the journey from the United Kingdom to the Falkland Islands 🇫🇰 let alone the expedition to the crash site.
Sorry for such a long winded comment, unfortunately I get carried away when my medication kicks in, but I just wanted to tell my “sandbag story” (almost a sandbag story) and possibly give other viewers a bit more detail on how I, and probably many others, felt when the task force was being assembled and when they got into combat, and again I’m sorry for the length of my comment and my apologies.
I would like to finish by saying that the Falkland 🇫🇰 islanders made their feelings towards the Argentinian government wanting to claim the islands for themselves quite clear, they wanted to remain British and come under the protective umbrella that would, and still is, there for them. To that end I think we all should remember the sacrifices that were made by the British 🇬🇧 Armed Forces. R.I.P all those who lost their lives and those who were injured. Lest We Forget, Per Ardua Ad Astra, and I salute you all. 😔🇬🇧🏴🇫🇰👍
@allandavis8201 you should count yourself lucky - the war was horrific - there are documentaries where former tough as fuck Paras return to the island in tears which shows you just how brutal it was. The death toll from suicides after the war from PTSD far exceed the soldiers who died in the actual war.
@@revol148 Believe me I do, I went through my whole service not seeing combat, I went to 3 different places but never got into a firefight, however that doesn’t mean I didn’t see or experience things that nobody should have to see, and I had quite a few colleagues over the years who did see and do things, one very close colleague hunted me down after returning from Afghanistan (I was out by that time) because he needed help and support, whether I did help him I don’t know, he eventually got professional help and I don’t know what eventually happened to him, his marriage was over and he disappeared from any form of contact, and that hurt me deeply, I just hope he is as happy as he can be.
Loosing a comrade in combat doesn’t bare contemplation but loosing a son/daughter must be even worse, luckily my son survived two tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, but I was so terrified I would get the dreaded knock at the door, as did my wife and his sister, but we didn’t, he was not the same guy when he came back, his marriage broke down and even now he is in counselling, but we all hope that one day he will lay to rest whatever ghosts he has to rest. So, all in all, yes I do count myself very very lucky. Thank you for your reply, much appreciated.
What a lot of Argentinians forget now is that we didn't just liberate the Falklands - we liberated Argentina too.
That is something I have said for a long time. The military junta was killing their own country men for god sake and they say the British were the 'Pirates'...
In which way you claim you "liberated us"?
@@TomásMalloCerri Defeat in the Falklands led directly to the end of Galtieri's brutal military junta - and a return to civilian rule.
@@wolfysmith4752The're were protests and unrest before the war, The junta was already collapsing, which it was the reason why Galtieri decided to start the conflict in the first place and It will be a year after the war that we get free elections, it was going to happen anyway, no matter the result of the war.
Also, many argentines took measures against the junta during their rule.
So, to claim that it was thanks to Britain that we got freedom it's a bit far-fetched, we liberated ourselves thank you
@@TomásMalloCerri Only because the junta lost the war - if they'd have won, who knows when you'd have 'liberated yourselves'. You hadn't managed to do it in the 6 years leading up to the war.
But dislike for Great Britain is so ingrained in Argentinians, that you can't even bring yourselves to give us a single bit of credit, can you.
Don't know if it is true but in the US Navy we were told that it was the aluminium superstructure so vulnerable as Excoset was a comparatively small warhead about 30 kilos.
Give our islands back pirates
Our islands actually🇬🇧
"Give the islands to us" would be an acceptable plea.
"Give our islands BACK" is not because that suggests they were yours beforehand.
Argentina has never owned them. Britain had claimed them before Argentina was even called Argentina!
@@koitorob God bless you, man
Don’t touch our rock collection
Comment number 2, in hindsight I believe that the only reason that the diplomatic negotiations were cancelled by the Argentine regime was because they needed to placate the people of Argentina 🇦🇷 because of their very unstable political situation and to give the people a different situation to focus upon, and obviously that failed, and I think that the Argentine regime didn’t expect that the British 🇬🇧 government would have the resolve to take the islands back by force of arms, and they did not think that we had the capability to fight at the end of an 8000 mile supply chain, and definitely not as quickly as we did, that denied them the opportunity to get firmly established and dug in, they gambled and lost.
At the time of Alexander Haigh doing his diplomatic efforts I thought that it would not resolve anything, and I was proven right, and I thought that once that was done and dusted the United States 🇺🇸 government would apply pressure via sanctions and the announcement that they would intervene militarily, how wrong could I be, despite the so called “Special Relationship” the American Administration just about wiped their hands of the situation, basically they did not want to be involved, and in my opinion they were just trying to make sure that they would, whatever the result of the war, come out smelling of roses, and I’m sorry to say that whenever there is nothing that would affect them directly they just shut up shop and turn their back on whatever the situation was. Putting America First is exactly how they work, not that other countries do anything differently but in this case they let us down badly.
Good documentary, though showing all those high - quality pictures in a small frame less than 50% the actual size of the available screen is one of the most moronic creative choices ever.
Roberto Herrscher is surely not reprenstative of the former Argie conscript soldiers. He did not see action as an infantryman in the heights around Stanley, serving instead as a sailor aboard the small patrol boat Penélope before the British landings as his book Los viajes del Penélope (Tusquets, 2013) proves. As a journalist he was not even there to report or take part in the recent Malvinas Veterans March that took place in downtown Buenos Aires on 9 July 2024 in which the former conscripts marched proudly beside who in the ground war had been their courageous NCOs and officers. Altogether some 3,000 Argentine veterans took part in this historic march and those videos uploaded just a few days ago are available on TH-cam for all to see. With regards to then Major Phil Neame claiming the former members of the Argentinean Army were simply not up to it, let me remind him of the nine dead Paras in his D Company, surely they did not come up against ostriches in the night fighting? Someone should remind him it was the local male population in the form of conscripts press-ganged into the defence of Buenos Aires that defeated 12,000 well-trained British Redcoats under Sir John Whitelocke in early July 1807 that fast-tracked Argentinean indepence for the local commanders were practically all patriots seeking indenpendence. Also didn't conscripts defeat the mighty US Army?