The Falklands War, also called the Falklands Conflict/Crisis, is fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

The Falkland Islands consist of two large and many small islands in the South Atlantic Ocean east of Argentina; their name and sovereignty over them have long been disputed.The war is triggered by the occupation of South Georgia by Argentina on 19 March 1982 followed by the occupation of the Falklands, and ends when Argentina surrendered on 14 June 1982.

War is not actually declared by either side.

The initial invasion is considered by Argentina as the re-occupation of its own territory, and by Britain as an invasion of a British overseas territory and the most recent invasion of British territory by a foreign power.In the period leading up to the war, Argentina is in the midst of a devastating economic crisis and large-scale civil unrest against the military junta that has been governing the country since 1976.

The Argentine military government, headed by General Leopoldo Galtieri, seeks to maintain power by diverting public attention playing off long-standing feelings of the Argentines towards the islands, although they never think that the United Kingdom will respond militarily.

The ongoing tension between the two countries over the islands increases on March 19 when a group of hired Argentinian scrap metal merchants raise their flag at South Georgia, an act that will later be seen as the first offensive action in the war.

The Argentine Military Junta, suspecting that the UK will reinforce its South Atlantic Forces,[6] orders the invasion of the Falkland Islands to be brought forward to April 2.Word of the invasion first reaches Britain via amateur radio.Britain is initially taken by surprise by the Argentine attack on the South Atlantic islands, despite repeated warnings by Royal Navy captain Nicholas Barker and others.

Barker believes that the intention expressed in Defence Secretary John Nott's 1981 review to withdraw his ship HMS Endurance, Britain's only naval presence in the South Atlantic, sends a signal to the Argentinians that Britain is unwilling, and will soon be unable, to defend her territories and subjects in the Falklands.

Britain launches a naval task force to engage the Argentine Navy and Argentine Air Force, and retake the islands by amphibious assault.

After combat resulting in 258 British and 649 Argentine deaths, the British eventually prevail and the islands remain under British control.

However, as of 2008 and as it has since the 19th century, Argentina shows no sign of relinquishing its claim.

Indeed, the claim remains in the Argentine constitution after its reformation in 1994.The political effects of the war are strong in both countries.

A wave of patriotic sentiment sweeps through both: the Argentine loss prompts even larger protests against the military government, which hastens its downfall; in the United Kingdom, the government of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is bolstered.

It helps Thatcher's government to victory in the 1983 general election, which prior to the war had been seen as by no means certain.

The war has played an important role in the culture of both countries, and has been the subject of several books, films, and songs.

The cultural and political weight of the conflict has had less effect on the British public than on that of Argentina, where the war is still a topic of discussion.