They came, they conquered.

Dear Fellow Earthlings, On the 2nd of April 1982 Argentine forces landed on the Falklands at about 6 a.m. Since the tiny garrison of Royal Marines stationed in the Falklands to protect the islands from invasion was so badly outnumbered there was very little actual fighting as the Argentine soldiers quickly stormed into Stanley. By 10 a.m. the Falkland Islands radio station was under the control of the invaders. By 10:30 a.m. the flag of Argentina was flying over Government House (the residence of Falklands Governor Rex Hunt), which had been vacated a half hour previously by Mr. Hunt and his staff. Rex Hunt and his wife Mavis were ordered to leave the Falklands immediately. By 4:30 p.m. they were at the airport just south of Port Stanley so that they could board a plane for Montevideo, Uruguay. How bittersweet would be Hunt's return to the Falklands in July of 1982, the invaders having been sent back to whence they had come! Hunt would serve as governor once again, remaining in that post until 1985. As night fell 35 years ago today, Port Stanley was silent. The Falkland Islands had been captured by the Argentine forces in less than a day. The local population was completely under the control of the invaders. All Falkland Islanders were trapped inside their homes, with everyone in a state of total confusion. Life as the Falkland Islanders had known it was now changed forever. What fate awaited them? As for the Argentine forces, they stood around in the streets, many of them puffing on cigarettes, not knowing what to do next. On this the first day of the Falklands War, no true battles had occurred. There had been only a few skirmishes involving the 100 or so Falkland defenders (including about 50 Royal Marines) and the nearly one thousand Argentinian fighters who had stormed ashore on the first day of the invasion.

Steve Walker

Earthsaver and Jingles Creator

© 2013 Steve Walker, The Jingles-The Japan Foundation for English Pronunciation, Summit Enterprises.