A Less than Ideal Birthday!
Dear Fellow Earthlings, On the 3rd of April 1982 my friend Lorraine McGill (who lives in the Falkland Islands with her husband Rob) was celebrating her 38th birthday. I wonder if there was any cake? I know that Falkland Islanders tend to pursue their normal activities no matter what the overall situation around them is... The Argentine government brought in over 30 journalists from Argentina to record the "momentous recapturing of the Falklands" from the British. Simultaneously the contingent of some 50 Royal Marines and their wives had been forced to depart the Falklands. Now, the only "defenders" left were some 50 men who had been members of the Falkland Islands Defence Force". These individuals were allowed to remain in the new, Argentinian-ruled Falklands. The Falkland people were, at this point, feeling very confused about what was going on around them and so just maintained a low profile. Their little English-speaking country, with its distinctively British atmosphere, was now reluctantly hosting a group of (for the most part) young, inexperienced soldiers, most of whom had never been outside of their homeland of Argentina. So why in the world had the Argentine government decided it was time to "recover" their territory? As I see it, they were both bolstered by their recent (4 years earlier, in 1978) World Cup soccer championship -- and by the need to distract their populace from the grim reality that the once thriving economy of Argentina was no more. On top of that, Argentina had become known for "los desaparecidos", people who just "disappeared" if they voiced any discontent with the Argentine government. That reign of terror began in 1976 and did not end until (in 1983) the group of generals who were responsible for it lost power -- largely due to the ultimate defeat of Argentina by the British in the Falklands War. More will be more said about why the Argentine generals felt they could attack the Falklands in tomorrow's installment.
Steve Walker
Earthsaver and Jingles Creator
© 2013 Steve Walker, The Jingles-The Japan Foundation for English Pronunciation, Summit Enterprises.