Falklands War: The Untold Story review – this gripping documentary tells how Britain nearly lost

The occasions where the war could have gone differently are examined by this thorough, rigorous account of the conflict, featuring never-before-heard testimony

I was not sure if I had much of an appetite for an in-depth documentary about war, given that the horrors are ever-present in the 24-hour news cycle. But Falklands War: The Untold Story (Channel 4) marks 40 years since the conflict between Britain and Argentina, and this thorough, rigorous documentary is an exhaustive and engaging account of what happened, by many who were there.

It is done with fittingly military precision, and takes the approach of a day-by-day countdown, talking viewers through key events via maps, charts and diagrams. This is useful as the action is explained at a pace that leaves little time for people less familiar with the history of it to catch up. It assumes a level of knowledge about the conflict already, and although there is the odd explanatory note, I imagine those with a solid understanding of military terms may feel more at ease with it.

However, the story that this documentary aims to tell is not necessarily one that has been told before, and that allows for a gripping narrative to unravel. This was a British victory, but the film does not gloss over the cost of that, nor does it back away from the seemingly numerous occasions when that win was far from certain. Several contributors are speaking publicly about their roles for the first time, most notably Lt Col Michael Rose, the head of the SAS in the Falklands, whose steady tone belies a frankness about the operation and speaks candidly of its flaws. Rose calls the conflict “a command and control muddle from the start” and paints a picture of a fractured chain of command, ill-suited to the distance, conditions and demands of the South Atlantic terrain. The only orders he was given, he claims, were: “Please do the best you can.”

Other senior figures describe the pitfalls of the British plan or, more crucially, the lack of a cohesive one. One key brigadier is indecisive by reputation, and the decisions he did make continue to baffle other senior commanders. There are many “should have” and “could have” and “maybe if” moments, and at least two scenarios which, had they played out even slightly differently, might have ended in victory for Argentina. One officer describes an evacuation in appalling weather, the loss of two helicopters, and the notion that had men been killed at this very early stage, on day 20 – as they very nearly were – the war might not have progressed. There are stories in which 10 minutes made all the difference to the outcome. The arrival of the British supply ship, the Atlantic Conveyor, on Argentina’s independence day, which was attacked in daylight by Argentinian forces resulting in the deaths of 12 sailors, is called “the biggest logistical disaster of the war”. The tiny, crucial twists and turns when it comes to planning and chance are fascinating.

For all of the strategic detail, though, there are welcome touches of cultural analysis. The then foreign correspondent Max Hastings, who reported from the Falklands, paints a picture of Britain in the late 1970s and early 80s as fiercely divided, the manufacturing industry in the doldrums, riots in the cities. He recalls flag-waving and jingoism as the ships sailed from Southampton, people united behind the idea that the servicemen and women were “off to fight Johnny foreigner”. Some of the military figures compare it to their time in Northern Ireland, pointing out that to the public, by contrast, this looked like “a real war, against an enemy in uniform”.

The candour and scope is impressive and decisions are examined from all sides. This is a British film, so naturally leans towards British personnel, but there are interviews with Argentinian combatants too, and accounts of what they were fighting for, and why. There are participants from across the ranks, with two particular standout moments. The first is when Rose listens, for the first time, to a recording of negotiations with Argentina, transmitted via satellite back to the UK, and hears his voice from 40 years ago. As his old self transmits one last crackling “over”, the present-day Rose holds a finger up and says, “End of the war.” It is powerful. The other is the focus on trauma, which dominates the final few minutes, as a medic and a private recall the fighting, and speak eloquently about the post-traumatic stress disorder they were left with. But when they talk about mistakes, one says, it is not to apportion blame. It is to learn lessons for the future, so they do not happen in the same way again.

Contributor

Rebecca Nicholson

The GuardianTramp

Related Content

Article image
Untold review – gripping doc series delivers an irresistible sports fix
Missing the Olympics? Netflix’s thrilling new show will fill the gap with its deep dives into astonishing moments from sports history, starting with the ‘Malice at the Palace’ basketball brawl

Rebecca Nicholson

10, Aug, 2021 @9:37 AM

Article image
The Russell Murders: Who Killed Lin and Megan? review – is there any point to this documentary?
The brutality of the attack on Lin, Megan and Josie Russell in a country lane 27 years ago was unforgettable. This three-parter talks to those involved – except, notably, for the family

Rebecca Nicholson

16, Sep, 2023 @9:00 PM

Article image
The Trouble with KanYe review – this hugely impressive documentary holds the far-right figurehead to account
From tackling the harm caused by the musician’s rhetoric to addressing the stigma around discussions of West’s mental health, this is seriously important TV

Lucy Mangan

28, Jun, 2023 @9:15 PM

Article image
The Confession review – you’ll study every gesture in this true-crime documentary
Keith Hall confessed his wife’s murder to an officer wearing a wire – and was found innocent. This programme will leave you scrutinising his every second on screen to make your mind up about him

Jack Seale

25, Nov, 2022 @6:00 AM

Article image
Can I Tell You a Secret? review – this superb documentary perfectly evokes the horror of cyberstalking
Detailed, personal, terrifying … this excellent two-parter follows a Guardian investigation into the recipient of the longest ever sentence for online stalking – by focusing on the victims

Lucy Mangan

21, Feb, 2024 @5:00 AM

Article image
Our Father review – an undeniably gripping tale of a fertility doctor’s shocking crimes
There’s plenty of shock value in this Netflix documentary about a church elder who secretly impregnated many women. But it needed to ask more way questions about the law and anti-female bias

Lucy Mangan

11, May, 2022 @12:14 PM

Article image
Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story review – hour after hour of boredom
It was the amazingly bizarre legal battle that got us all excited. Sadly, this tedious trudge through dry Rooney biography does not do the same

Lucy Mangan

18, Oct, 2023 @4:00 AM

Article image
I Just Killed My Dad review – this true-crime story will sweep away your faith in humanity
Was Anthony Templet, who shot his father, Burt, a cold-blooded killer? This documentary about the truth behind the case is every bit as hooky and twisty as you’d expect from Netflix

Lucy Mangan

09, Aug, 2022 @5:26 PM

Article image
The Gold: The Inside Story review – follow that smelter in the Rolls-Royce!
As a companion to the superb drama, this documentary confirms, and occasionally corrects, the astonishing details of the 1983 Brink’s-Mat robbery. But there are just too many nuggets to fit in

Jack Seale

20, Mar, 2023 @10:00 PM

Article image
Accused of Murdering Our Son: The Steven Clark Story review – a bizarre yet gripping mystery
ITV’s one-off follows an elderly couple accused of killing their son 28 years ago, but their own behaviour proves more intriguing than the evidence around the case

Ellen E Jones

22, Apr, 2021 @9:00 PM