After a bit of a barren spell, I once again stumbled on an amazing fact (to me anyway - if you know it already, it probably lacks the same impact), courtesy of the magic portal that is, um, ShortList magazine (apparently 'Britain's No.1 men's magazine' - could be something to do with it being free):
The Falklands War only lasted for three months.
That's right, the conflict that perhaps defined Thatcher's 12-odd years in power lasted less time than the average series of Lost. Technically, it wasn't really a war at all - neither side actually said the magic word - but the conflict kicked off on 19 March 1982 when Argentina invaded the South Georgia islands, just in time for our Maggie to get in an early April Fool by pretending to going to war over a tiny smattering of barely inhabited islands fighting against the icy spray of the freezing Southern Ocean. Only it actually happened, though thankfully such a ridiculous war (although admittedly, not quite as illegal as more contemporary versions) didn't last long, tipping in Britain's favour when the Belgrano was sunk, prompting The Sun to deliver this infamous, horrible faux pas (the headline was later changed to 'Did 1,200 Argies Drown?', as if they really gave a shit). The war went on for long enough to do my old science teacher's head in though - he had shellshock that grew to the extent that he once took twenty minutes to realise that three kids had trapped another in the equipment cupboard, in spite of his futile screams. War is hell, man. War is hell.
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