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LONG RANGE MISSIONS – THE FALKLANDS WAR INTRODUCTION The 1982 Falklands War is often taught and discussed from the position of its political rights and wrongs and the wider ramifi cations it had for the British and Argentinian leaderships at the time. In this material, the main focus is on the basic narrative of the military war and, in particular, the RAF . BACKGROUND TO THE FALKLANDS CONFLICT

The are a group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean, crossing the Atlantic, but with no 300 miles off the South American coast and 8,000 miles from the UK. formal port. There are two larger islands – East and West Falklands – and lots of In 1820, the new South American smaller ones. country of Argentina (which was The Islands were uninhabited when the Islands, before the French then created from the Spanish colony in European explorers and adventurers landed there in 1701. the region) claimed the Islands for fi rst started landing there in the itself. However, as Argentina was a The French established the fi rst seventeenth and eighteenth new state, still locked in a war with settlement on the Islands in 1764, centuries. Spain was fi rst to claim Spain, its claims were largely but within two years had left. ownership of the Islands, under laws ignored. Argentina did establish a The British separately established issued by the Pope that asserted settlement on the Islands, but the a settlement, Port Egmont, on West Spanish rights to govern South US Navy destroyed it in 1831 over a Falkland in 1765. They abandoned America. However, according to dispute about seal hunting. this in 1774, but left behind a plaque English and French sources from the claiming the Islands as the property In 1833, British sailors created a time, it was an English sailor, of the British king. The uninhabited permanent settlement on the Captain John Strong, who in 1690 Falklands then became an Falklands, forming the basis of the was the fi rst European to land on occasional stopping place for ships current settlements on the Islands,

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raf100schools.org.uk and the Falklands are now classified saw German naval vessels destroyed The Argentinians started to make as a British Overseas Territory. by the and deterred from serious claims on the Islands from further activities in the South the 1940s. The timing of the claims The Falkland Islanders are mainly of Atlantic. Argentina was neutral usually coincided with the British descent, and most consider during the First World War. During Argentinian government having themselves British. the Second World War, Britain, the domestic problems – the demands The Argentinian claims to the US and Argentina had for the Falklands acted as a way of Islands are partly historical, based a more complex relationship, distracting the Argentinian on inheriting the areas previously due to Argentinian sympathies population from other issues. under Spanish control in the towards the Axis countries. Overall, After all, the Islands have little nineteenth century, and partly however, Argentina remained strategic value, and their main geographical, outside the conflict. business is sheep farming. as Argentina is the closest country In the post-1945 era, there were However, in recent decades, to the Falklands. The Argentinians talks in British government circles of there have been suggestions of call the Falklands ‘Las Malvinas’, returning or potentially leasing oil or other resources to be found from the eighteenth-century French (similar to renting) the Islands to the off the Falklands coast, so ownership name Îles Malouines. Argentinians. However, official visits of the Islands now has a potential During the First World War, to the Falklands and discussions economic element as well. the Islands became important with the Islanders always resulted in to Britain for supporting a statement saying that the naval activities. The Battle of the Islanders wished to remain British. Falkland Islands in December 1914

FACT BOX Human population of the Falklands Islands: Number of landmines on the beaches: 20,000 to stop 2,932 (2012 census) further invasion. However, they have resulted in keeping the beaches free from intruders, therefore making great Number of sheep on the Islands: approximately 700,000 penguin breeding grounds (the penguins are too light to Number of penguins: approximately 1 million trigger the mines). There are 778 islands in the Falklands group

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APRIL 1982 – INVASION In 1982, the population of the military junta (the military council At the same time as negotiations Islands was under 2,000. In the in charge of the country). As there began, the British government, previous year, the British had was no reason for the Islanders under the leadership of Margaret withdrawn a Royal Navy ice patrol to expect an attack, they were Thatcher, sent a naval task force vessel from the Falklands, which completely unprepared. The 80 Royal of over 100 ships and 28,000 some believe indicated a slow Marines stationed there were vastly servicemen to liberate the Islands. withdrawal from the region. There outnumbered by the Argentinian The naval force and British military had been a number of attempted force of 3,000, and the Islands were response was approved by UK negotiations between the quickly captured. Parliament, including the opposition Argentinian and British governments parties. The naval force included two The next day, the United Nations about ownership of the Islands over aircraft carriers; fleet flagship HMS (UN) demanded the immediate the decades, but this became more Hermes and HMS Invincible, along withdrawal of Argentinian forces, pressing under the new Argentinian with accompanying ; three but instead they sent more troops. president General Galtieri. nuclear submarines; amphibious Britain’s ally, the United States, ships; specialist vessels; and 50 ships On 2 April 1982, Argentina invaded wanted to stay out of the conflict requisitioned from the commercial the Falklands. The attack was part due to its own politics with South fleet (non-military), including the QE2 of a show of political strength in America, but appointed their (the passenger liner Queen Elizabeth Argentina in response to unrest ambassador, Alexander Haig, II), Canberra and a converted in the country – General Galtieri as a negotiator to try to resolve hospital ship, Uganda. believed that it would help secure his the conflict. THE PROBLEMS OF A WAR IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC By the 1980s, Britain had become used to seeing itself as a member of NATO and was focused on the . The Falklands was the first time for many years that Britain had been engaged in a conflict on its own, many miles from home. Cuts to the UK military over the years meant that fighting a war without a military ally was a huge risk. The naval task force had to include non-military vessels; otherwise, there would not have been enough ships to send to the South Atlantic. The UK had once been the world’s the naval task force nearly a month Nonetheless, this war was very leading naval power, but political to reach the Falkland Islands. This much seen as a British affair. priorities such as the Cold War – posed a further problem – would a No one was prepared to send troops along with Britain no longer being military response get to the Islands to help Britain. South American an imperial power, governing a in time to do anything to stop a full politics meant that most of the global empire – had meant that Argentinian occupation? countries of South America initially a massive navy was no longer a Support was shown from Britain’s supported Argentinian actions, necessity. By 1982, Britain’s military allies through political means. although once again vocally rather focus was on fighting land wars and The EEC (forerunner of the EU) than through military support. For short- to medium-range air attacks introduced sanctions against some, this was a battle between a and defence. Argentina for its act of aggression, former colonial power versus the The distance of 8,000 miles between and the EEC also declared their new independent world. However, the UK and the Falklands is a huge support for Britain in the conflict. what it really proved to be was a test distance to travel – to get to the While the US didn’t want to get for the British military and a gamble Falklands would usually mean a long involved, it would eventually share for its politicians. flight to South America and then a pieces of military intelligence with further flight to the Islands. By ship the UK to support British actions. it takes weeks – it would have taken

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THE LAST STEPS TO WAR With the Naval Task Force was on its way but still with some weeks to arrival, the British government declared a 200-mile exclusion zone around the Islands (12 April 1982). This was to try and deter further Argentinian attacks on the Islands while the peace negotiators worked to bring an end to the hostilities. British forces started the invasion to 900 miles from the main The US also then announced its retake the islands on 25 April and Falklands grouping. political support for Britain. succeeded in taking , On 29 April the Argentinian Then on 1 May the conflict became an island that then came under the government refused US a full-scale war. Falklands group, though it’s over Ambassador Haig’s peace proposals.

FLYING LONG RANGE – FEATS OF ENGINEERING

Caption

Just as the Naval Task Force had been dispatched while the negations were The challenge was how to fly over happening, an assessment of what else would be needed if talks failed was also 7,800 miles (3,900 miles there and taking place with the RAF. 3,900 miles back again). None of the could fly that distance Due to the politics of the time none mission – on paper an air attack without being refuelled, but because of the South American countries or the seemed impossible. The engineers and the RAF had been focused on short United States would allow the British scientists had to make it possible in and medium targets in Europe it had to use their air bases at the start of the case the peace negotiations failed. stopped using mid-air refuelling conflict, so the RAF had to make plans The plan itself was simple. In order to equipment. Refuelling mid-air required to fly only from British bases. However, stop the Argentinians from being able a second large aircraft carrying huge the closest British airbase to the to bring large amounts of troops and amounts of fuel to refill the ’s Falklands was in the Ascension supplies into the Falklands, the British fuel tank by means of the two aircraft Islands, also in the Atlantic but still had to make the main airport and lining up and connecting while still 3,900 miles from the Falklands – that runway on the Islands at Stanley flying. Refuelling in the air had been was the closest the British could get (the capital) unusable – this meant the done in the early 1960s but it was for an air attack. The existing aircraft mission would be to attack the runway abandoned because it was no longer and equipment just had not been from the air. needed – now it was. designed for such a long-range

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Engineers had to search airbases for the old technology (in particular a refuelling probe). In the end the engineers did recover some of this equipment, but the majority they had to invent from new or adapt from existing equipment – and they had a timeframe of about 4 weeks! The Victor and the Nimrod large transporter aircraft had to be adapted to be the refuelling aircraft, along with some Hercules aircraft, while the Vulcan bomber aircraft had to be adapted to be refuelled in mid-air. Furthermore, all of the aircraft’s pilots and crew needed to learn very quickly how to use the equipment and how to link up mid-air and as well as how to ensure they reached the mission target. In addition, someone had to work out the mathematics for how much fuel each aircraft could carry, use to refuel the bomber and still leave enough to be able to return to the On 24 April five Vulcans left the UK The mission was codenamed Ascension Islands. for the Ascension Islands where ‘Operation Black Buck’. For each they were to wait to see what attack on the Falklands airfield All the bomber aircraft were would happen. (there would be seven altogether), themselves 20 years old and their Once the peace proposals were two Vulcans would take off, but only navigation systems were not as one would be used to carry out the sophisticated as those used today, rejected the RAF set in motion its part of the action for the Falklands conflict. mission; the second was a spare in so concentrating on reaching the case of any failure in the main bomber. correct destination was also extremely “Just before midnight on 30 April, two To fly this distance, and to return, each important for any crew. Once airborne crews from 101 Squadron climbed into mission required the support of twelve the crew would have to rely on their two 22 year-old bombers to set out on Victor tankers on the outbound instruments entirely for direction and what was then the longest bombing journey, and a further two Victors and for meeting up for refuelling. Most of mission ever attempted.” a Nimrod for the return (the bombers the flying was over the ocean so they The RAF www.raf.mod.uk/history/ were lighter on the way back and so could not use landmarks on the OperationBlackBuck.cfm needed less fuel). ground to judge distance or recognise where they were.

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OPERATION BLACK BUCK On the first mission, 13 aircraft left . UK The main bomber detected a fault while flying and turned back – the spare now became the main bomber. One of the Victors (refuelling aircraft) developed a mechanical problem and had to turn back, but it also had a spare aircraft, which now took over; 11 aircraft continued with the mission. The mid-air refuelling Ascension Islands worked for most of the outward journey, with each supporting aircraft returning to the Ascension Islands once it had supplied the bomber. However, on the last-but- one slot, one of the probes receiving fuel was damaged; to overcome this, the two Victor aircraft swapped roles Falkland Islands and one refuelled the other and then left. In order to test whether any damage had been done to the There was one additional problem – completed the mission, dropping 21 Vulcan bomber, the last Victor, when the last refuelling took place, bombs on the airfield in five seconds. commanded by Squadron Leader both aircraft had entered into a The Argentinians were taken by Bob Tuxford, decided to refuel the radio-silence zone. This was a rule surprise and put up no resistance. Vulcan earlier than planned. set down by the RAF so that the The bomber’s whole mission, from Due to the early refuel, Tuxford Argentinians wouldn’t hear any take-off to landing, had taken 15 needed to make sure that the Vulcan messages and realise that an air hours and 50 minutes and had would still have enough fuel to attack was on its way. This meant needed 18 refuellings. That is a long complete the mission and then make that Tuxford could not send a radio time to be totally focused on flying a the return journey as planned. To do message for the extra tanker to take complex aircraft. this, he ate into his own fuel reserve, off and meet him until he had heard giving the Vulcan fuel that he knew the code word ‘Polo’ from the Vulcan Flight Lieutenant Withers was his own aircraft needed if it was to – meaning that it had completed its recognised for his role in the mission get back to the Ascension Islands. mission and bombed the airfield. and awarded the Distinguished By doing so, Tuxford had made Fortunately, he heard the code word Flying Cross. Squadron Leader Bob sure that the Vulcan’s mission and an aircraft tanker reached him in Tuxford was recognised for his would succeed. time. If that tanker had not reached bravery and willingness to put the mission before his own safety, and Tuxford’s Victor now needed Tuxford, he, his crew and the Victor was awarded the Air Force Cross. another aircraft to leave the aircraft would have had to crash into Ascension Islands and meet it the Atlantic Ocean. The other six Black Buck operations mid-air over the Atlantic to refuel. The Vulcan was flown by Flight were carried out across May and This would take incredible navigation Lieutenant Withers, who successfully into June 1982; the last was on skills by both aircraft.

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12 June. In addition to completing impossible – the RAF had proved Falklands, the loss of life at sea and the mission aims, Operation Black that it was possible. the political arguments, meaning Buck had demonstrated that the that many people still do not know The Argentinians could now not use RAF was capable of inventiveness in of the RAF’s incredible technological the airport at Stanley to launch large the face of extreme problems and success during the conflict. bombers to targeted British forces or that it could fly difficult and bring in lots of supplies. However, dangerous long-range missions. this achievement was overshadowed Many around the world had thought by the terrible ground fighting in the that Operation Black Buck was

AT SEA AND ON THE GROUND The only way to get large numbers of British troops to the Islands was by ship. This meant that any of the troops landing on the Islands had to do so after weeks at sea. For the Royal Navy, it was their first key engagement since the Second World War. On 2 May, the Argentinian ship General Belgrano was sunk by torpedoes from the British submarine HMS Conqueror; 368 of the Argentinian crew were killed and approximately 650 were rescued. HMS Nathalmad [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], The sinking of the Belgrano became via Wikimedia Commons a contentious aspect of the war, with the two sides disagreeing filmed leaping out of the flames British troops landed on East about whether the ship was in the into the sea. HMS Sheffield was the Falkland to start the battle to exclusion zone or sailing away from first major British RN vessel to be reclaim the Island. destroyed in 37 years – the first the Islands when it was hit. In one of the fiercest battles of since the Second World War. Two days later, on 4 May, the British the war, on 28 May, the British HMS Sheffield was struck by the On 14/15 May, the SAS (British 2nd Parachute Regiment retook Argentinians. The ten-year-old Special Forces) carried out raids the settlements of was hit in the control against Argentinian forces and and Darwin. They then started room, which quickly caught fire; destroyed aircraft. At the same across the Island to liberate the 20 British seamen were killed and time, the British government capital Stanley, enduring harsh many more suffered from serious created proposals for an end to winter conditions. Their journey burns. The whole thing was filmed the conflict, which the Argentinian was known as the ‘’ and it by television crews and shown on government rejected on 18 May. was across difficult ground. British TV, making the war very real The UN announced on 20 May that to the British public, as sailors were talks had failed. That same night,

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THE END OF THE CONFLICT On 4 June, Britain and the United the Falklands, and he was in a Over the 13–14 June, the fighting States used their veto in the UN number of the major encounters continued around the capital, but Security Council to prevent the – battles with the Argentinians. the Argentinian forces were by now United Nations’ call for an He recalls seeing his friends and only able to offer limited resistance. immediate ceasefire. comrades killed as he crossed the British forces marched into the town Island, and understanding the of Stanley itself almost unopposed. The fighting continued into June, reality that ‘there was nothing The Argentinians surrendered on despite UN attempts to force a glorious about war’. He had written 14 June and the war was declared ceasefire. More British troops were his letter home just in case of death, formally over on 20 June. getting ready to join the fighting. but believes that his training and the On 8 June, the landing craft A total of 252 British service discipline of the helped RFA () personnel and three civilians were them to succeed despite the terrible Sir Galahad and RFA Sir Tristram killed in the war. An estimated conditions. He described the enemy were preparing to land troops, 300 servicemen were wounded. as being ‘just men like him – sent to including units of Welsh and Scots No official figures are available do a job’, but he also noted that Guards, when they were attacked for Argentinian casualties, but it is they did not have such good by Argentinian aircraft. Sir Galahad estimated that at least 655 were support or kit. was set ablaze and 56 men lost their killed. The dead from both sides are lives, the biggest single loss suffered Indeed, as the fighting progressed, it buried on the Islands or were lost at by the British during the conflict. was noticeable that the Argentinian sea. There are memorials to the A further 150 were injured, military morale was low. Many of British servicemen, in both the many with horrific burns. the Argentinian prisoners of war Falklands and the UK. were teenage conscripts with little Bob Darby was a Captain in the training – they were also receiving parachute regiment that was sent to little in the way of supplies.

THE POLITICAL FALLOUT The Falklands War resulted in the Argentinian president General Galtieri being overthrown, and the Argentinian people once again turned their focus to their domestic problems. In the UK, the Falklands War had a huge effect on the British prime minister , making her far more popular than she had been before. Some have argued that the success of the Falklands War helped her to win the 1984 UK General Election. The political wranglings over the never wavered in their wish to be the Duke of Cambridge, was sinking of the Belgrano continued for considered part of the UK, voting stationed on the Islands as part many years, often showing the UK in overwhelmingly time and time again of his military service. To get to a very negative light internationally. to remain British. They argue that the Falklands Islands today, they can uphold that right under the people usually travel to a South In the years following the Falklands UN rules on ‘self-determination’, American country and then fly from War, relatively good relations have while the Argentinians continue to there. Ships still visit the Islands, existed between the UK and argue that the Islands are within which have their own tourist industry Argentina, although the Argentinian their geographical sphere. and play a role in conservation government still believes that the Islands should be theirs and raises Since 1982, the UK government has Attached are the two UN claims every few years over the maintained a British force on the resolutions demanding an end sovereignty of the Islands. However, Islands, and very often an RAF one. to the war and the surrender the people living on the Islands have In the spring of 2012, Prince William, agreement of June 1982.

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TIMELINE 2 April: Argentinian forces invade 2 May: The General Belgrano, 4 June UN Security Council the Falklands Islands and capture an Argentinian battle is hit Resolution calling for an immediate the capital Port Stanley, the by a torpedo from the British ceasefire is vetoed by Britain and Governor Rex Hunt is forced to submarine HMS Conqueror, it sinks the US surrender. and 320 Argentine sailors are killed. 8 June: RFA (Royal Fleet Auxiliary) 3 April: The UN Security Council 4 May: Destroyer HMS Sheffield is Sir Galahad and RFA Sir Tristram off issues Resolution 502 which calls for hit by an Argentinian missile, 20 are Fitzroy are attacked and over 50 an immediate Argentinian killed, the and ship has to be British soldiers are killed. withdrawal from the Falklands. abandoned. 12 June: The last of the Operation The RAF begins to explore methods 19 May: A British helicopter Black Buck missions is flown for supporting the retaking of the carrying SAS soldiers comes down The areas of Mount Falkland Islands over the sea – 22 are killed. 11 – 12 June: Longdon, Two Sisters and Mount 5 April: Over 100 ships are 21 May: The British land at San Harriet on the Islands despatched to the Islands as a Carlos to begin the land battle for are captured by British Forces. The British military task force. Lord the main islands. The Argentinians British destroyer HMS Glamorgan is Carrington, the Foreign Secretary, sink the British HMS Ardent hit in a missile attack and badly resigns over the invasion and is and 22 killing 22 sailors. 15 damaged and three Falkland replaced by Francis Pym. Argentine aircraft shot down. civilians are killed in a British naval bombardment. 24 April: Five Vulcan aircraft leave 24 May: British Frigate HMS the UK for the Ascension Islands. Antelope has to be abandoned 14 June: Argentine General Mario when a bomb goes off that was Menendez surrenders to British South Georgia (then part 25 April: being defused by disposal officer. Major General Jeremy Moore at Port of the Falklands Islands group) is Stanley. retaken by . 25 May: HMS Coventry sunk is by Argentine aircraft, 19 men are killed. 17 June: Argentine President The Argentinian 29 April: 12 are killed in an attack on a British Leopoldo Galtieri resigns as leader government refused US Merchant Navy vessel the Atlantic of the country’s military junta. Ambassador Haig’s peace proposals. Conveyor. The US also then announced its political support for Britain. 26 May: UN Security Council adopts Resolution 505 30 April: The naval task force arrives in 200-mile exclusion zone 27 – 28 May: The Battle of Goose surrounding Falklands. Green on the East Falkland Island is the scene of some of the heaviest The conflict became a 1 May: fighting in the war - 17 British full-scale war. soldiers are killed and the The RAF makes its first attack as Argentinian forces there part of Operation Black Buck. surrendering – over 1000 are taken as Prisoners of War.

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USING THIS INFORMATION KEY QUESTIONS FOR This historical information can be combined with EXPLORATION IN ANY SETTING: the introductory film and resources from the • Why did the RAF stop refuelling in the air before resource section for exploring some creative ideas 1982? in a school club or informal club, or for a more • Identify the different aircraft that were used for curriculum-based lesson. Operation Black Buck and what each of their main roles was before 1982. Below are some ideas and enquiry questions that these • Find out which of the UK airbases were important materials could support. for developing the technology to support In addition to the historical information above, Operation Black Buck. case studies and extra information are available in • Find out whether other military branches received the resource section of this website. These include awards during the Falklands War. biographies and aircraft technology case studies.

HOW TO USE THIS MATERIAL IN A HISTORY CLUB OR LUNCHTIME/ AFTER-SCHOOL/INFORMAL CLUB

These ideas are suitable for a mixture of age groups and abilities. They can also be used with the interactive map on this website to begin a local history investigation concerning the RAF.

SHOW THE FILM: LONG RANGE MISSIONS - OPERATION BLACK BUCK PROVIDE THE HISTORICAL INFORMATION OR READ IT TO STUDENTS. Ask the students to explain the importance of Operation Black Buck by creating one of the following: (you might want to use some of the questions from the box to get them thinking)

• An information poster about the steps needed for Extension: Find out about navigation techniques. Operation Black Buck to be completed. Now use this information to start investigating the • A newspaper story for their school/group newsletter local history of an airbase near you – this can be done on the role of the RAF during the Falklands War. starting with the interactive map. All of the equipment used was fitted onto the aircraft in the UK before flying A display for the school/class/group noticeboard of • out to the Ascension Islands – tell this story in relation the key steps of Operation Black Buck. to a UK airbase. Over the course of the last century, • A diagram on how refuelling is carried out in the air. over 1,500 airbases or places have been used by the RAF, so even if you don’t live near to one now, there will have been one nearby at some point. Find out about the base. Identify what other information or understanding of an historical period is needed to tell the story of that base.

10 LONG RANGE MISSIONS THE FALKLANDS WAR LESSONS IN SUPPORT OF THE CURRICULUM AND/OR EXAMINATIONS

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GUIDANCE ON HOW THIS MATERIAL COULD BE USED IN A LESSON ABOUT: 1. Britain in the World since 1945 2. The Technology of Warfare/War and British Society To support these lessons, there is additional information in the resources section, including information on the United Nations, NATO and the UN Security Council Resolutions on the Falklands War of 1982, as well as testimony from British veterans of the conflict.

1. BRITAIN IN THE WORLD SINCE 1945 Ages 11 years and above The information gathered here could be used with existing lessons on Britain since 1945 or as a single lesson or half lesson based on the model outline below. It can be used with other material on the political impact of the Falklands War or can be used to explore the nature of that war for the people fighting it from the British side.

Key example enquiry question: How did the RAF use technology to overcome some of the issues of fighting 8,000 miles from home? Watch the film Long Range Missions - Operation Black (If you want to know a bit more about Britain during the Buck and use the historical information. Cold War, you can show the students the film on this There is an information sheet on NATO and one on the website – The Cold War and Intelligence Gathering.) United Nations in the resources section. Use the information on Operation Black Buck – Using the information, ask the pupils what they ask students to identify the three things that they think think the key difficulties were for the UK after the were key to the mission’s success. Argentinian invasion. Ask the students to work in groups to identify ten facts Using the film and the historical information, ask the from the information and the timeline that they believe pupils to provide answers to the following questions tell the story of the Falklands War, and explain why have (provide a reason for each answer): they chosen those ten facts. What is NATO? • Extension: Research the aircraft that the RAF used for • What was the main focus of NATO in 1982? Operation Black Buck. • How did Britain’s membership of NATO affect its thinking about how its military might be used? • Did Britain and Argentina have a history of fighting each other in the twentieth century? • Were the Falklands militarily strategic for Britain between 1945 and 1982? • Were the Falklands geographically important for Britain in 1982?

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2. TECHNOLOGY OF WARFARE/WAR AND BRITISH SOCIETY Ages 14 and above The resources here can be used to explore Operation Black Buck and why it demonstrated a technological achievement for the RAF in 1982 and/or the resources can be used to explore the Falklands War of 1982 as an historical event. Combined with other resources, the film and the historical information can help to explore the political motivations and legacy of the Falklands conflict. Use the film, the historical information, the excerpts from Falklands veterans, the information about refuelling and the biographies of Flight Lieutenant Withers and Squadron Leader Bob Tuxford from the resource section.

Key question: What can the Falklands War tell us about the British military (RAF) in 1982? Using the information on NATO, ask the students to section) with the students, and ask them to identify the identify what the British military priorities of 1981 were. key problems that the RAF faced in order to support the conflict in the Falklands. Then ask students to identify Show the film Long Range Missions - Operation what the RAF did (if they did anything) to overcome the Black Buck. problems they faced. Share the information on Operation Black Buck Ask the students to discuss whether any of the problems (including the biographies of Flight Lieutenant Withers could have been prevented before the war started. and Squadron Leader Bob Tuxford from the resources For example:

Key problems faced How they overcame the problem Could this have been done before April 1982?

technology in 1982 from studying the Falklands War. Ask students to create their own chronology for Extension: Read the two UN Resolutions 502 and 505 on Operation Black Buck up until the end of the first the Falklands. Using the information on the UN, discuss mission, and add this along with the timeline or find out whether the UN could have done more to information onto a map of the South Atlantic and the stop the Falklands War. Falkland Islands. Select any observations from the Find out what the UN has decided about the Falklands biographies and veterans’ accounts that help to tell the and its sovereignty since 1982. story of the conflict. Ask students to identify what they think are the key points that they have learnt about people and

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