Most of
the major conflicts of the 20th and 21st century have been covered in detail
from various viewpoints, but the events of the 1982 South Atlantic Conflict
(although covered in depth in non-fiction) remain largely unrepresented in
works of fiction and on the big screen. With the sovereignty issue back on the
political agenda and the fact that the dispute remains unresolved, it’s not
hard to see why publishers and film studios would shy away from a topic that
may be perceived as too contentious for a mainstream international audience; it
divides opinion and any story about the conflict told from one perspective is
likely to alienate those on the other side. Put bluntly, it’s less likely to be
a commercial success.
A story
told from one side, however, will not necessarily prove to be divisive. It can
unite. Both sides suffered losses and discovering what veterans feel about what
happened rather than focusing on what actually took place is a positive step
that can help unite veterans on both sides. Like Argentine veteran Roberto
Herrscher who talked in the Daily Mail about his experiences and how he felt
after serving his country in the South Atlantic Conflict. He talks about
feeling angry, sad, and lost when he returned from the conflict. He says he
found it difficult to sleep, hard to communicate his feelings, and, when he
started talking, he couldn’t make himself shut up. He hated everyone around
him. Many British veterans have experienced this same inner torment, the torment
that others don’t see in a war hero who – on the outside – has everything to
live for. It’s not uncommon in any war veteran. Sometimes it’s hard to
integrate back into civilian life. In extreme cases, after a desperate struggle
to adjust after war, some veterans see no way out – it’s claimed that more
veterans of the South Atlantic Conflict have taken their own lives since the
end of hostilities than died in action. It might have been a short conflict but
the story of the human cost to this war continues to this day. It’s a story that deserves to be told, a story about the far-reaching consequences of war and how it can touch the lives of so many long after the fighting has stopped.