The Falklands War
The Falkland Islands are a British possession 300 miles east of the southern tip of South America. Britian had controlled them since 1833 and the small population (about 2000 at the time of the war) was strongly pro-British. But Argentina pressed an old Spanish claim to the islands and the Argentine public nursed a deep grievance over them. Argentina pressed a diplomatic campaign to line up international support and was succeeding. The British government was deeply conflicted: they felt a sentimental attachment to the islanders, but Margaret Thatcher, wanting to cut expenses, was unwilling to spend resources on practical support. It seemed that a Hong Kong-type deal was possible: Britian would cede sovereignty and lease back the islands. Then events spun out of control. Argentina occupied the islands in April 1982, at which point their international support evaporated. The British mounted a military campaign that barely succeed...