Thatchers Foreign Affairs Flashcards
What were the causes for the falklands war?
(1981) withdrawal of HMS endurance and British military had caused the Argentinian military junta to think Britain was leaving the island
(1982) Argentina leader galteri sent invasion force into Falkland’s
Falkland citizens wanted island to remain an British colony
-thatcher determined to restore British control for Britain’s self respect & rule of law in world
What occurred in the falklands war and what was thatchers response?
Thatcher sent a naval task force to remove the Argentinians, where British submarines sank enemy battleships, general belgrano that ended diplomatic attempts for peace
-thatcher gained support from US
• British used Ascension Island military bases
• [US diplomatic interventions] US banned arms sales to Argentina
• sidewinder missiles & intelligence reports supplied by USA
May 4th British warship HMS Sheffield destroyed from air launched Exocet missile
21 may British troop landed at san Carlos water= British victory
What was the impact of the falklands war?
-resurgence in British national pride and boosting thatchers self confidence
[on newspaper “empire strikes back”]
-made it less likely to force people of Gibraltar to accept Spanish rule
-thatcher impressed military with her decisiveness
Limited:
-not stoop agreement between china and Hong Kong in (1984)
- some critics believed the war as an unnecessary intervention, that could’ve been settled with diplomatic relations
- diplomatic relations reopened in (1989) in Falklands for British rule
What was thatchers relationship like with Reagan (special relationship with US)
-both came from generation shaped by WW2 where thatcher believed America rescued Europe in ww2
(1986) thatcher gave permission for US to use British air bases to bomb Libya
(2004) at Reagan’s funeral, thatchers eulogy played on video tape
Thatcher convinced raven not to embark on SDI plan
Indifference: (1983) US invaded Grenada after a communist coup against thatchers advise
[her Cold War relations]
What was thatchers involvement like in the Cold War?
-Part of new “cold warriors” including US presidents, thatcher and pope John Paul 2nd (polish pope)
-(1983)thatcher agreed to deploy US cruise missiles
-(1984) thatcher met Gorbachev, who became leader of Soviet Union in (1985), said “he and I can do business together” (real sing Gorbachev was willing to make reforms)
= encouraged Raegan to negotiate with Gorbachev (1986) at Reykjavik summit
= compromises met between to the two
= (1987) intermediate range nuclear force treaty began prices of mutual disarmament
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What was thatchers relation with Europe like?
-thatcher used “hand bag diplomacy” with European leaders that disregarded politics preferred by them
-(1984) thatchers persistence for rebate with European leaders was successful
-(1986) thatcher and French president, fançois Mitterrand cooperated closely over channel tunnel project
-(1986) single European act negotiated with thatcher & EEC members. that introduce possibility of European monetary union. As well as changing assembly into European Parliament(surrender British sovereignty) , that thatcher largely ignored
What was “handbag diplomacy”?
Abrasive style of negotiations
How was their divisions created In thatchers party over Europe?
-some members though European ties should be encouraged above other ties
-(1986) Westland affair
- some mos were eurosceptic (Enoch Powell) toward single European act. [But was majority support]
What was the Westland affair?
(1986) Micheal Heseltine favored brush helicopter company , Westland to be taken over by European consortium. But thatcher didn’t encourage government interference, which lead to negotiations being more inclined towards US company Sikorsky ownership
Causing Heseltine to think that thatcher was blocking discussions being made so left cabinet meeting and resigned
To what extent was thatcher an international figure?
-her thought stance against society gave her name “the Iron Lady “
-she revived ‘special relationship” with USA
-considered as Reagan’s poodle by denis Healey
-handbag diplomacy showed willingness to work with European allies but also limited the allies she made in Europe
