A few days after the disembarkation and capture of the islands by the Argentine crew, the then Prime Minister of England, Margaret Tatcher, sent a strong crew of English soldiers to respond and displace the Argentine militia.

The war was inescapable. Although it was short, lasted around two and a half months, it had overwhelmingly tragic results: 649 Argentine casualties and more than 500 suicides motivated by post-war sequelae and traumas.

The discouraging political, social and economic scenario that Argentina was at that time, functioned as the main motivation for the civic-military dictatorship to decide, hastily and without major military strategies, to carry out a patriotic and heroic act that would improve its image as a government. However, the failure and defeat of the Argentine troops further deteriorated their image.

Broadly speaking, the reality of the Malvinas war was no other than that of a clear disadvantage of the Argentine militia against the English forces, which were better prepared and had superior weapons in force. Our soldiers, young people who were enlisted compulsorily and others who did it voluntarily, were kept in precarious conditions during the months in which the war took place. The lack of food, weapons, communication, and leadership did not help in a mission of such caliber.

In November 2000, April 2nd was declared Malvinas War Veterans Day to honor all the fallen soldiers and survivors of the Falklands War and their families.

Currently, the dispute over these lands is conducted diplomatically and is part of the agendas at presidential summits in which several Latin American countries and the world adhere to the Argentine claim for sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands.

Taken from: http://www.mendoza.edu.ar/2-de-abril-qdia-del-veterano-y-de-los-caidos-en-la-guerra-de-malvinasq