Falklands War - Is it a bit, for lack of a better word, ignored?

[Rhinojerry]

I'm not sure how to word this, but it seems to me that the Falklands conflict seems to be, dare I say it, ignored.

VE day being celebrated and rightly so, but why the reluctance to give the South Atlantic conflict some thought?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

@Rhinojerry. Good question! I'd expect there'll likely be an appropriate commemoration of the Falklands conflict in June 2032, when the 50th anniversary is due to take place.

 

[simonw]

Not sure how to word this,but it seems to me that the above conflict seems to be,dare i say it,ignored.
VE day being celebrated and rightly so,but why the reluctance to give the South Atlantic conflict some thought.

For the same reason that various other wars, in fact the majority of conflicts aren't marked.

 

[brad465]

I've not been to the Falklands (even from the UK it's notoriously hard to visit despite being a UK territory), but I wouldn't be surprised if commemorations of this war are a big deal in the Falklands themselves.

 

[ainsworth74]

VE day being celebrated and rightly so,but why the reluctance to give the South Atlantic conflict some thought.

Well its not a particularly big anniversary year for the Falklands War this year (it being 43 years since the war) whereas VE Day is having it's 80th anniversary and, likely, the last big anniversary which will have many, if any, people who actually fought in the war and probably one of the last with people who even have really solid memories of the war. Falklands War veterans and Falkland civilians who lived through the war will likely be with us for some years yet. Plus when it was a big anniversary, in 2022 (the 40th anniversary), it got quite a bit more coverage and commemoration events.

I think also, whilst it's important and I would never wish to diminish the sacrifices made, courage displayed and adversities overcome the Falklands War I don't think is really quite on the same league as defeating Nazism in Europe so it logically doesn't get quite as much prominence. Especially in "off" (i.e. none anniversary) years.

I've not been to the Falklands (even from the UK it's notoriously hard to visit despite being a UK territory)

It's quite high on my list of places to visit. But it's got to be via the RAF flight from Brize Norton with stop off in Ascension. At least one way anyway, probably normal commercial back via Chile or something for the return leg.

 

[ajs]

There was a parade in Portsmouth to mark the 40th anniversary of the Falkland’s War with some 800 veterans on parade and l think the band of the Royal Marines. Not surprising as the Task Force left from Pompey.

 

[Sun Chariot]

There was a parade in Portsmouth to mark the 40th anniversary of the Falkland’s War with some 800 veterans on parade and l think the band of the Royal Marines. Not surprising as the Task Force left from Pompey.

Indeed and my son's biological father, who passed away last month, was proudly there.

I can still recall watching the conflict unfold on TV. But it was so distant, so "contained", that I can understand why it hasn't garnered the level of public interest.

 

[Ted633]

I’d say it’s also because WWII affected the entire country. Pretty much all of us have a relative that fought in, or were greatly affected by, the Second World War. This makes it relatable to everyone. It was also the fight to protect the UK itself. Same can’t be said about the Falkland’s.
I have the greatest respect for the veterans of all our conflicts and am personally very interested in the Falklands, but it just doesn’t have the wider appeal to the public.

 

[Rhinojerry]

Thank you all so far for the replies.Good points raised all round,thank you.

 

[AlterEgo]

Not sure how to word this,but it seems to me that the above conflict seems to be,dare i say it,ignored.
VE day being celebrated and rightly so,but why the reluctance to give the South Atlantic conflict some thought.

It was very far away and has minimal cultural impact compared to WW2. It was also a defence of a British imperial possession rather than England, which lessens its cultural impact.

Almost nobody has been to the Falklands and there are less than 25,000 veterans.

There were 3.5 million British service people in WWII.

 

[edwin_m]

I wonder also if there is some impact from the suspicion that Thatcher used the situation for political gain.

 

[Magdalia]

Remembrance Sunday in November has its origins in the World War I armistice of 11 November 1918. But it is now used to commemorate all conflicts since then, including the Falklands war.

 

[DarloRich]

It's quite high on my list of places to visit. But it's got to be via the RAF flight from Brize Norton with stop off in Ascension. At least one way anyway, probably normal commercial back via Chile or something for the return leg.

there are several cruises that visit the Falkland Islands now - you tend to fly into Chile and boat from there. Way beyond my pocket mind!

It was also a defence of a British imperial possession rather than England, which lessens its cultural impact.

The self determination of the islanders was to remain British. There weren't any natives to disposes either. Yes, part of the empire but relatively clean

I wonder also if there is some impact from the suspicion that Thatcher used the situation for political gain.

hmmmm - not sure about that. An island of British people invaded by a fascist foreign regime. Obviously, Thatcher got a massive bounce on the back of victory but what was the government supposed to do?

We can be sure her political standing would have taken quite a hit via failure. The loss of one of the carriers would have been terminal both to the operation & her career.

 

[Iskra]

While worth remembering, the Falklands conflict was a brief one in a distant part of the world involving relatively small amounts of personnel. In WW2, it was a truly global struggle with mass conscription and the homeland coming under attack. I think it’s easy to see why one gets more attention than the other.

 

[RT4038]

While worth remembering, the Falklands conflict was a brief one in a distant part of the world involving relatively small amounts of personnel. In WW2, it was a truly global struggle with mass conscription and the homeland coming under attack. I think it’s easy to see why one gets more attention than the other.

Quite. We don't commemorate the Boer War ever so much either, for much the same reasons.

 

[ruraltravel222]

I've not been to the Falklands (even from the UK it's notoriously hard to visit despite being a UK territory), but I wouldn't be surprised if commemorations of this war are a big deal in the Falklands themselves.

The commemorations are indeed a big deal in the Falklands - the Liberation Monument is quite prominent in Stanley, which is a very small 'city' by UK standards anyway - but yes, Islanders tend to hold small services around the Islands at various locations, at Fitzroy to remember the bombing of the Galahad for instance.

Today is actually Landing Day in the Islands, the date that British Forces unloaded at San Carlos Bay in 1982 - there's a large cemetery there at Blue Beach.

Well its not a particularly big anniversary year for the Falklands War this year (it being 43 years since the war) whereas VE Day is having it's 80th anniversary and, likely, the last big anniversary which will have many, if any, people who actually fought in the war and probably one of the last with people who even have really solid memories of the war. Falklands War veterans and Falkland civilians who lived through the war will likely be with us for some years yet. Plus when it was a big anniversary, in 2022 (the 40th anniversary), it got quite a bit more coverage and commemoration events.

I think also, whilst it's important and I would never wish to diminish the sacrifices made, courage displayed and adversities overcome the Falklands War I don't think is really quite on the same league as defeating Nazism in Europe so it logically doesn't get quite as much prominence. Especially in "off" (i.e. none anniversary) years.


It's quite high on my list of places to visit. But it's got to be via the RAF flight from Brize Norton with stop off in Ascension. At least one way anyway, probably normal commercial back via Chile or something for the return leg.

I was there not too long ago, a wonderful experience and took the Brize Norton trip return - not for the faint of heart, a big of a slog - 18 hours in total with two hours at Ascension - and lots of RAF grub, but definitely worth doing.

 

[ainsworth74]

Quite. We don't commemorate the Boer War ever so much either, for much the same reasons.

Well that and the Boer Wars weren't exactly "clean" wars. We weren't the "goodies" in those wars (particularly the second Boer War where we instituted concentration camps for Boer Civilians which led to thousands of civilian deaths) unlike in the Falklands or WW2. Makes it somewhat easier to commemorate a conflict where you were fairly unarguably on the right side!

I was there not too long ago, a wonderful experience and took the Brize Norton trip return - not for the faint of heart, a big of a slog - 18 hours in total with two hours at Ascension - and lots of RAF grub, but definitely worth doing.

Oh yeah I'm not expecting it to be a particularly luxurious experience (one of the reasons to do it regular commercial one way, breaks the trip up if nothing else having to change!), they don't even let you off the plane in Ascension do they?

 

[Iskra]

Well that and the Boer Wars weren't exactly "clean" wars. We weren't the "goodies" in those wars (particularly the second Boer War where we instituted concentration camps for Boer Civilians which led to thousands of civilian deaths) unlike in the Falklands or WW2. Makes it somewhat easier to commemorate a conflict where you were fairly unarguably on the right side!


Oh yeah I'm not expecting it to be a particularly luxurious experience (one of the reasons to do it regular commercial one way, breaks the trip up if nothing else!), they don't even let you off the plane in Ascension do they?

Commemorating anything with imperial connections is increasingly problematic these days, and the Falklands does have a bit of that about it. WW2 was Home/European/World defence against awful regimes, so it's a lot less problematic to discuss.

As an aside, it's worth pointing out that British concentration camps in the Boer war weren't designed to kill civilians (like later ones were in other areas). They only became lethal by accident/incompetence. The idea of concentration camps isn't particularly a bad one (they can work to keep people safe, and still do under different branding across the world currently), it's the regime inside them that is much more important.

 

[ruraltravel222]

Well that and the Boer Wars weren't exactly "clean" wars. We weren't the "goodies" in those wars (particularly the second Boer War where we instituted concentration camps for Boer Civilians which led to thousands of civilian deaths) unlike in the Falklands or WW2. Makes it somewhat easier to commemorate a conflict where you were fairly unarguably on the right side!


Oh yeah I'm not expecting it to be a particularly luxurious experience (one of the reasons to do it regular commercial one way, breaks the trip up if nothing else having to change!), they don't even let you off the plane in Ascension do they?

They do let you off the plane at Ascension but it isn't much of a break - you go off what they call 'the cage', that is a small holding area with metal fencing and gates, some seating outside and indoors, some loos, a little shop and coffee place. You can get a passport stamp with the rare Ascension stamp though, has a little turtle on it.

Commemorating anything with imperial connections is increasingly problematic these days, and the Falklands does have a bit of that about it. WW2 was Home/European/World defence against awful regimes, so it's a lot less problematic to discuss.

As an aside, it's worth pointing out that British concentration camps in the Boer war weren't designed to kill civilians (like later ones were in other areas). They only became lethal by accident/incompetence. The idea of concentration camps isn't particularly a bad one (they can work to keep people safe, and still do under different branding across the world currently), it's the regime inside them that is much more important.

Sorry to be this person, but there is nothing not even a little bit 'imperial' about the Falklands. British settlement of the Falklands predates the modern state of Argentina and therefore any claim. The people of the Falkland Islands voted 99.7% to remain British and that's where the issue ends.

 

[Iskra]

Sorry to be this person, but there is nothing not even a little bit 'imperial' about the Falklands. British settlement of the Falklands predates the modern state of Argentina and therefore any claim. The people of the Falkland Islands voted 99.7% to remain British and that's where the issue ends.

The reason the Falklands are British, is 100% imperial. It’s concerning if you can’t understand that.

However, that is not to say that the current populations right to self-determination is invalid.

 

[ainsworth74]

The reason the Falklands are British, is 100% imperial.

I mean yes but in the grand scheme taking over a bunch of islands with no native inhabitants (and before the only other claimant existed as a country) isn't the greatest of imperial crimes committed. Whilst I'm sure there are some who consider any commemoration of the Falklands War is some sort of affront to natural justice and shouldn't be allowed because of its sort of imperial origins as a British Overseas Territory I suspect that's a tiny tiny minority view.

 

[Iskra]

I mean yes but in the grand scheme taking over a bunch of islands with no native inhabitants (and before the only other claimant existed as a country) isn't the greatest of imperial crimes committed. Whilst I'm sure there are some who consider any commemoration of the Falklands War is some sort of affront to natural justice and shouldn't be allowed because of its sort of imperial origins as a British Overseas Territory I suspect that's a tiny tiny minority view.

Appreciated.

 

[SteveP29]

Sorry to be this person, but there is nothing not even a little bit 'imperial' about the Falklands. British settlement of the Falklands predates the modern state of Argentina and therefore any claim. The people of the Falkland Islands voted 99.7% to remain British and that's where the issue ends.

Empire- Imperial

 

[WesternLancer]

I certainly recall plenty of stuff on set anniversary dates 3oth / 40th such as seasons of tv programmes about aspects of the war.

 

[Snow1964]

It seems to me that the 10 year anniversary's get a bit of TV coverage with relevant programmes, but much like UKs involvement in Korean War and Gulf war which are similarly 'forgotten' as post world war 2, the Falklands war is hardly mentioned normally.

 

[WesternLancer]

Empire- Imperial

Issue of being an Imperial legacy I would suggest fairly Similar to Channel Islands ?

 

[AlterEgo]

Issue of being an Imperial legacy I would suggest fairly Similar to Channel Islands ?

No, the Channel Islands are part of the old Duchy of Normandy; Britain, or England rather, first “got” them by dint of being invaded by the Normans!

The Falklands Islands are a product of Empire, no question; they are still a colony despite our euphemistic renaming of Crown Colonies to British Overseas Territories. They remain part of the rump of Empire. At the time of its invasion, the Falkland Islands were termed a Crown Colony and the islanders (“colonists”!) were not even full British citizens by default.

None of this is a justification for Argentine imperialism over the same however and the Falklands War was a just war and worth fighting.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

There were some tweets going round yesterday marking the anniversary of the landings mentioned up thread, and there have been a few charting the course of the war on a near daily basis - so the memory is there, it's just - as has been pointed out above - the mainstream media and political side will only really focus on the "big" anniversary years.

Incidentally - am I right in remembering that the Falklands War was never actually declared as such and was officially never more than a "Conflict"?

 

[E502]

It was very far away and has minimal cultural impact compared to WW2. It was also a defence of a British imperial possession rather than England, which lessens its cultural impact.

Almost nobody has been to the Falklands and there are less than 25,000 veterans.

There were 3.5 million British service people in WWII.

"..It was also a defence of a British imperial possession rather than England.."

England?

 

[ainsworth74]

Incidentally - am I right in remembering that the Falklands War was never actually declared as such and was officially never more than a "Conflict"?

Yes but that's been the case with most, if not all, wars that have occurred since 1945, a formal "declaration of war" isn't really a thing anymore.