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First shown March 2002
Through a montage of interviews, music and archive newsreel footage, When Britain Went to War relives the days in 1982 when a task force was dispatched to fight for the return of the Falkland Islands from Argentinian invaders. Scarred by inner city riots, unemployment and the aggressive policies of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, the UK was ill at ease with itself. Although few people had heard of the Falkland Islands, Thatcher tapped into a vein of patriotism for the grand old days of the Empire. Even with British influence shrunk to a number of tiny South Atlantic and Caribbean island territories, the principle of sovereignty was paramount.
Success in the war rescued the Thatcher government from the depths of unpopularity, enabling it to remain in power for another 15 years. The military junta of General Leopoldo Galtieri in Argentina did not fare so well, collapsing when its war effort failed, underlining the economic and social chaos in the country. This site looks at the personal histories of the main players, the political landscape and the media’s handling of war.
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