The Falkland Islands have two names. To the people who live there and to Britain they are the Falkland Islands but to their closest neighbor across the sea Argentina and its people, they are las Islas Malvinas.
The debate over what to call the islands is a symbol of a much larger dispute which has raged for hundreds of years and continues to this day.
On the Argentinian side a claim based on territorial integrity and perceived historical injustice. And on the British side, a claim based on historical precedent and the right to self-determination. In April of 1982, that debate became a conflict. One which would take the lives of nearly 1,000 people.
But for Argentina, it was never meant to be that way. In fact, when Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands they believed that Britain wouldn’t even respond.
In this first episode of our five-part Falklands series IWM Curator Carl Warner looks at why the Falklands Conflict happened. Why did Argentina believe they could take the Falklands without a fight? What was the invasion like? And why did Britain choose to fight for these islands 8,000 miles from home?
