The Falklands War is an ideal showcase for how British policy evolved in the 1970s and 1980s. The background of the dispute is given first, then the events that precipitated the 1982 conflict and extensive examination of the military aspects of the war are provided. An overview follows of the many hypotheses offered for the British motivation to recapture the Falklands, showing that only those theories pertaining to the British perception of their national honor and the defense of democratic principles are significant.

Originally published: 1998.

1.Background to the Falklands War. The Islands and Their People. Historical Background: Discovery and Settlement, 1492-1833. Legal Standing of Conflicting Claims to Sovereignty. Bases of Argentine Claims. Bases of British Claims. General Assessments of the Disputants' Claims. Britain's Relationship to the Falklands Prior to 2 April 1982 -- 2. The Falklands War and the Use of Military Force. The Road to Conflict: The Junta's Decision to Invade the Falklands. British Military Response: The Task Force. Legal Dimensions of the Use of Force in the Falklands War -- 3. British Motivations to Recapture the Falkland Islands. A North-South Conflict? Economic, Geopolitical, and Strategic Importance of the Falklands.