The Falklands War

Short History Of...

Noiser

History

4.7 • 4.9K Ratings

🗓️ 16 February 2026

⏱️ 58 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The sinking of the General Belgrano on May 2nd 1982 by a British submarine was one of the most controversial events of the Falklands War. The strike resulted in the deaths of 323 Argentine sailors, nearly half of Argentina’s total casualties during the conflict. But though the escalation over the preceding months was swift, in some ways, the Falklands War had been simmering for centuries. Argentina, the closest mainland nation to the islands, saw them as a part of its territory and national identity, while Britain defended its historical claim, citing the wishes of the islanders. In April 1982, decades of tension exploded into war, leaving nearly 1,000 dead. But how did the islands fall under British control in the first place? Why did the war break out after so many years of diplomacy? And how did the political situations in both countries contribute to one of the strangest conflicts in modern British history? This is a Short History Of The Falklands War. A Noiser podcast production. Hosted by John Hopkins. With thanks to Sir Lawrence Freedman, official historian of the Falklands Campaign. Written by Nicola Rayner | Produced by Kate Simants | Production Assistant: Chris McDonald | Exec produced by Katrina Hughes | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design by Oliver Sanders | Assembly edit by Anisha Deva | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cody Reynolds-Shaw | Fact Check by Sean Coleman Get every episode of Short History Of… a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser podcast network. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to noiser.com/subscriptions Go to https://surfshark.com/shorthistory or use code SHORTHISTORY at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! ⁠A Short History of Ancient Rome⁠ - the debut book from the Noiser Network is out now! Discover the epic rise and fall of Rome like never before. Pick up your copy now at your local bookstore or visit ⁠⁠noiser.com/books⁠⁠ to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	I can't believe it. Bax has asked me to move in with him.
0:05.0	I mean, you practically live with each other already, but that's great!
0:09.0	Did you hear that, Joe?
0:11.0	Yes, thanks for letting us know.
0:14.0	I see you've updated your Universal Credit Claim.
0:17.0	Now you're going to be living together.
0:23.9	If you're telling other people about a change in your circumstances, tell us too to avoid a penalty. Search Tell DWP. It is the morning of May
0:34.6	2nd, 1982, deep in the South Atlantic Ocean.
0:38.3	The General Belgrano, a heavy Argentine cruiser carrying more than a thousand men, is heading westward.
0:46.3	The Belgrano first took to the sea during the Second World War, under a different name, the USS Phoenix. Some sailors whisper
0:56.6	that it's bad luck to change a ship's name. On board, Captain Hector Bonzo paces the command
1:04.4	deck, keeping an eye on the ship's instruments. A career naval officer in his mid-fifties,
1:10.0	he is balding with a neat moustache and the calm, deliberate manner of a man who has spent many months of his life at sea.
1:16.6	His gaze shifts now to the growing restlessness of the water.
1:22.6	The Belgrano cuts a steady line, sailing south of what Bonzo calls Las Isla Malvinas.
1:32.3	Known in English as the Falkland Islands, they have been under British rule since the 19th
1:37.3	century.
1:38.3	But they're only 300 miles from the coast of Argentina, and its new leadership seeks to claim them once and for all.
1:47.0	The Belgrano is just outside what the British call the total exclusion zone,
1:53.0	a circle of ocean extending 200 nautical miles from the islands,
1:58.0	inside which any Argentine ship or aircraft can be attacked without warning.
2:04.6	For now, Bonzo keeps his crew at action stations, every man at his post ready for combat.
	...

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