“Most wars throughout history have not been contests between right and wrong, but clashes ‘between one half-right that was too wilful and another half-right that was too proud.’”
Despite the truth this interpretation holds, for the respective belligerents of course it will not be acceptable, as to every nation the cause it went to war over will be the morally right one - and if it is not, it will at least be presented as such in public. The speech, laid down as the basis of this paper, is a good example of this kind of governmental conduct, with Thatcher defending Britain’s actions as righteous and even imperative. This paper seeks to examine the Prime minister’s reasoning and to apply a balanced analysis to it. It does so in three respects: first, by critically looking at the question of sovereignty over the islands, which is the basic conflict underlying the struggle, and by evaluating the aspect of law enforcement, which Britain brought forward as the cause for the war; second, through an exploration of Thatcher’s attempt to refute objections to the war, which is closely linked to the criteria of Just War theory2; and third, by reflecting on two factors, commonly viewed as contributory to the British decision to go war, but - and with good reason - not mentioned in Thatcher’s speech. A conclusion will then be presented, briefly assessing the findings of the preceding chapters. To provide a context for this analysis, however, I will first of all review the conflict’s antecedents and consequences, focusing on the build-up to the war rather than on the course of it, then summarise the content of Thatcher’s speech.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Topical Introduction: Historical and Political Background
- Content of the Speech
- Critical Analysis of the Justifications Given for the British Engagement in Military Conflict
- Sovereignty over the Islands
- Enforcement of Law
- Pacific Settlement of Disputes
- The Principle of Self-Determination
- Liberation of the Falkland Islanders
- Just War Theory
- The Principle of Proportionality
- The Principle of Last Resort
- Further British Motivations Not Mentioned in the Speech
- Increase of International Prestige
- Domestic Factors
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to analyze the justification for the British government's decision to use military force during the Falklands Crisis, drawing on a speech by Margaret Thatcher. By examining the Prime Minister's reasoning, the paper seeks to offer a balanced evaluation of the arguments presented.
- British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands
- Law enforcement as a justification for war
- The application of Just War Theory to the conflict
- The role of international prestige and domestic factors in British decision-making
- A critical analysis of the speech and its effectiveness in presenting Britain's actions as righteous and imperative.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: The chapter introduces the context of the Falklands Crisis and its historical significance. It discusses the inherent complexity of war justifications, arguing that every nation presents its cause as morally right. This chapter introduces Margaret Thatcher's speech as a case study for examining governmental justification of war.
- Topical Introduction: Historical and Political Background: This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the historical and political background of the Falklands Crisis, tracing the territorial claims and disputes between Britain and Argentina from the 16th century to the invasion of 1982. It discusses the Argentine junta's decision to invade the islands and the subsequent British military response.
- Content of the Speech: This chapter summarizes Margaret Thatcher's speech to the Conservative Women's Conference in May 1982, focusing on her justifications for the British military intervention. It outlines her arguments regarding the lack of Argentine cooperation, the need to restore democracy to the islands, and the dangers of allowing force to dominate over law.
- Critical Analysis of the Justifications Given for the British Engagement in Military Conflict: This chapter analyzes the key justifications presented by Thatcher in her speech, focusing on the themes of sovereignty, law enforcement, and the application of Just War theory. It examines the arguments for British sovereignty, the principles of pacific settlement and self-determination, and the importance of liberating the Falkland Islanders. This chapter also delves into Thatcher's attempt to refute objections to the war based on the criteria of Just War theory, particularly the principles of proportionality and last resort.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This paper focuses on the Falklands Crisis, the justifications for using military force, Margaret Thatcher's speech, British sovereignty, law enforcement, Just War theory, international prestige, and domestic factors.
- Quote paper
- Nadine Theiler (Author), 2006, The Falklands Crisis: Britain's Justifications for its Resort to Military Force through the Example of a Speech by Margaret Thatcher, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/63827
