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Shipbuilding - The Falklands War

Stuart Maconie on the history of modern Britain in 50 records. While the nation comes together in a crisis, Robert Wyatt's single points out the ambivalent political situation.

When Argentina invaded and occupied the Falkland Islands on the 2nd April 1982, few could have foreseen quite how this event would play out. Certainly not the Argentineans, who gambled on the fact that the Brits wouldn't respond militarily. For them, a successful and swift campaign would be a welcome distraction from the country's dire economic situation and would rally the nation's flagging spirits. Unfortunately for the South Americans, Margaret Thatcher felt much the same way; a war could be a quick and simple way of uniting the country and boosting the industrial manufacturing base at a time of recession.

Though it occurred only 30 years ago, the conflict seems to have happened in an altogether different age. The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ only found out about the invasion from some islanders, via amateur radio. But this conflict would last for 74 days, 649 Argentineans would die, as would 255 Brits. A British ship, HMS Sheffield was sunk, as was an Argentinean ship, The Belgrano, which was responsible for half of the total number of Argentinean casualties and which was sunk in debatable circumstances.

But beyond these sad and stark statistics, more existential matters arose. Firstly, as a nation how could we lay claim to islands that were thousands of miles from us? It also inspired some soul-searching as to what an empire meant and if it was worth the blood, sweat and tears to maintain it. It certainly provoked a reaction from some of the nation's songwriters. You had The Pretenders' "2000 miles", New Model Army's "Spirit Of The Falklands", Billy Bragg's "Island Of No Return" and probably the most famous example: a song written by Elvis Costello, but made famous by Robert Wyatt.

57 minutes

Last on

Wed 7 Dec 2016 23:00

Music Played

  • Robert Wyatt

    Shipbuilding

  • Tears for Fears

    Mad World

  • Brian Eno & David Byrne

    Mountain Of Needles

  • Saxon

    Power And The Glory

  • The Human League

    Tom Baker

  • June Tabor

    The Grey Funnel Line

  • Robert Wyatt

    Shipbuilding

  • Visage

    Fade To Grey

  • The Human League

    Darkness

  • Billy Bragg

    Island Of No Return

  • Ultravox

    Mr. X

  • David Bowie

    'Heroes'

  • The England World Cup Squad

    This Time (We'll Get It Right)

Share your comments and stories

Your contributions will play a key part in this episode, take a look at the questions below and :

  • Did you agree with or oppose the Falklands war... and, if so, why?Β Β 
  • Did you have friends or family who fought to defend the Falklands Islands?
  • The war came under the Thatcher government. What are your memories of that time?
  • Did The Falklands War affect you personally? Did it make you change your opinions or outlook on things?

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Broadcasts

  • Wed 4 Sep 2013 22:00
  • Wed 7 Dec 2016 23:00

Song Profiles

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