Falklands invasion 'surprised' Thatcher

Margaret Thatcher's private reflections反射 about the Falklands War are contained in包含 evidence證據 she gave to a committee of inquiry調查委員會 after the conflict.

"I never never expected the Argentines to invade入侵 the Falklands head-on," she said. "It was such a stupid thing to do ... I did not think it would happen."

But two days before Argentine forces went ashore岸上 Mrs Thatcher was told an invasion侵略 was imminent即將來臨. She thought this was the worst moment of her life. And she said at the time no-one could tell her whether British forces could retake the Falklands.

The government records also describe her determined efforts to prevent France from selling Exocet飛魚 missiles導彈 to Peru because of fears they would be passed on to Argentina.

In a confidential機密的 telegram電報 to President Mitterrand in May 1982 Mrs Thatcher warned him that if it became known that France was releasing the weapons, it would have a devastating破壞性的 effect on the relationship between Britain and France.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2012/12/121228_witn_thatcher_falklands.shtml