Thatcher foreign affairs

Question 1

Since when had Falklands been a British colony

Answer 1

1833

Question 2

What happened in 1981 that signalled to the Argentinians the UK did not care about the Falklands

Answer 2

The withdrawal of HMS endurance on foreign secretary Lord Carrington and defence secretary John Notts orders, from the south atlantic. Carrington subsequently resigned as he had been against the withdrawal

Question 3

Who was leader of Argentina and how long had he been in power

Answer 3

General Galtieri; his junta had been in power since 1976

Question 4

What was a american headline covering the Falklands wae

Answer 4

Empire Strikes Back

Question 5

Which Argentinian battleship was sunk leaving the naval exclusion zone, ending all chance of a diplomatic resolution

Answer 5

The Belgrano

Question 6

What was perhaps the main reason intervention in the Falklands was possible compared to the suez

Answer 6

American support; in 1982 th Americans allowed the use of bases such as Ascension island, which also served to further strengthen the ties between Reagan and Thatcher. American influence was also importnant in ensuring Argentina could not purchas arms to severly threaten the British

Question 7

Why was the Falklands important for Thatcher

Answer 7

Huge resurgence in national pride and she was viewed as a steadfast leader who would not compromise on important matters. Her popularity boomed and unrest over her domestic policy was dampened

Question 8

What unpopualr decision did thatcher take in 1986 to the USAs benefit

Answer 8

Allowed the use of UK bases to bomb Libya

Question 9

What type of missiles did Thatcher agree to station in the UK, as a provocation of the USSR

Answer 9

Cruise Missiles

Question 10

What apocalyptic fear returned to the national consciousness in the 80s, and name some content covering it

Answer 10

Nuclear war, with the election of Reagan, Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and heightening of Tensions
Threads was a 1984 documentary about post-nuclear war Britain
When the Wind Blows was a 1986 comic about a couple preparing for nuclear war

Question 11

In 1983 how many people marched with CND in London

Answer 11

200,000

Question 12

What did Thatcher say she could do with Gorbachev after meeting him for the first time

Answer 12

She could do busness with him

Question 13

What summit did Thatcher help organize with Reagan and Gorbachev in 1986

Answer 13

Rejkyavik summit

Question 14

What treay was signed between USA and USSR in 1987, limiting certain nuclear weapons

Answer 14

Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty

Question 15

What was Thatchers first goal for Britain in regards to the EEC

Answer 15

To reduce Britains contributions, which were much less than it got back in subsidies, so Thatcher campaigned for a rebate

Question 16

When did Britain finally get a rebate from the EEC, at what conference and for how much

Answer 16

1984, The Fountainebleau Conference and it reduced britains contribution from over a billion to around 600 million or around 66%

Question 17

What architectural project did French President Mitterand and Thatcher announce in 1986 and when was it finished, symbolic of their close working relationship

Answer 17

The Channel Tunnel, opening in 94

Question 18

What treay did Thatcher negotiate in 1986 with the EEC and what did it mean

Answer 18

Single European Act- Changed the european Assembly into a European Parliament and aimed to make a single European Common Market a reality

Question 19

What was the Westland Affair

Answer 19

1986-Failing British Helicopter company Westland was due to be taken over. Heseltine, secretary of defence favoured a buy out from a European consortium but Thatcher believed that there should be no govt interference, even if it ended up going to American company Sikorsky.

Question 20

What did Heseltine allege about Thatchers behavior during the 1986 Westland affair and what was his response

Answer 20

That she blocked discussion about the decision of the sale in parliament and refused to listen to advisors. Heseltine resigned

Question 21

What was suprising about the Single European Act

Answer 21

Not many tory politicans voted against it; even the ones who would later become outspoken eurosceptics voted for it, except in fringe cases such as Enoch Powell

Question 22

What nickname did Thatcher gain because of her diplomatic and govermental style

Answer 22

Iron Lady/The Milk Snatcher/Grocers Daughter/The Great Elephant/That Bloody Woman

Question 23

What did Denis Healy call Tahtcher over the ‘Special Relationship’

Answer 23

Reagans Poodle