Episode 1: Half a Million Sheep Can't Be Wrong

Episode 1: Half a Million Sheep Can't Be Wrong

From The Belgrano Diary by The London Review of Books

March 28, 2024 · 53 min · Season 1 · Episode 1

About this episode

The episode explores the events surrounding Argentina's invasion of the Falkland Islands and the subsequent military response led by Margaret Thatcher, through the diary of Lieutenant Narendra Sethia aboard HMS Conqueror.

When Argentina invades the Falkland Islands, Margaret Thatcher sends a huge flotilla on an 8000-mile rescue mission – to save a forgotten remnant of the empire, and her premiership. Onboard the nuclear submarine HMS Conqueror, Lieutenant Narendra Sethia starts to keep a diary. The Belgrano Diary is a six-part series from the Documentary Team at the London Review of Books, hosted by Andrew O’Hagan. It investigates the bloodiest and most controversial military action of the Falklands War: a story of government cover-ups and conspiracies; of whistleblowers, crusading politicians and journalists fighting for the story. And caught in the middle of it all, a young officer whose account of what happened contradicted Thatcher’s in every crucial detail. You can listen to exclusive interviews and other bonus material, all for a one-off payment of just £4.99 at: ⁠https://lrb.me/belgranodiarysc⁠ Archive: ‘Good Morning Britain’/ITV/TV-Am, ‘Newsnight’/BBC/BBC News, ‘Falkands War – The Untold Story’/ITV/Yorkshire Television, ‘Leach, Henry Conyers (Oral history)’/Imperial War Museum, ‘President Regan’s Press Briefing in the Oval Office on April 5, 1982’/White House Television Office…

People in this episode

Host: Andrew O’Hagan

Topics covered

  • Falklands War
  • military action
  • government cover-ups
  • whistleblowers
  • journalism
  • diary

Keywords

  • Falklands
  • Thatcher
  • military
  • diary
  • HMS Conqueror
  • Argentina
  • conflict
  • cover-up

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: HMS Conqueror

Books & works: The Belgrano Diary

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