A History of Territorial Disputes

Great Britain's claim to the Falkland Islands dates from 1592, when navigator John Davis first sighted them. Nearly 100 years later, Captain John Strong made the first recorded landing and named the islands for Viscount Falkland. It wasn't until 1765 that the British settled at Port Egmont and quickly learned that one year earlier the French had established a colony at Port Louis. Rather than risk a British assault, France handed its colony here over to Spain, which renamed the territory Islas Malvinas before deserting it in 1772.

Great Britain abandoned its settlement in 1774, giving Spain the opportunity to resettle the islands and establish a penal colony. Then in 1820, Spain relinquished the islands to Argentina after that country's fight for independence. To protect fishing interests, Great Britain resurrected its territorial claim, vanquished the Argentines, and recolonized the islands. Ironically, the English subjects who then settled the Falklands had no interest in fishing. Instead, they imported sheep and toiled on government-owned ranches.

Argentina's flag reappeared on April 2, 1982, when soldiers stormed Stanley and seized control. The military junta had gambled that the British would ignore the attack, but after Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's impassioned plea, Parliament sent a Task Force, who fought fierce battles on moorlands, in the air, and at sea. With characteristic perseverance, the islanders endured the occupation until hostilities ended on June 14, 1982, with the surrender of the Argentine forces. Although today several beaches are closed because of buried mines, the Falklands are an idyllic destination for wildlife enthusiasts, who wander among the albatrosses, seals, and penguins and discover a peace beyond words.