vincentML
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France established a colony at Port St. Louis, on East Falkland's Berkeley Sound coast in 1764. The French name Îles Malouines was given to the islands – malouin being the adjective for the Breton port of Saint-Malo. The Spanish name Islas Malvinas is a translation of the French name.
In 1765, Capt. John Byron, who was unaware of the French presence in the east, explored Saunders Island, in the west, named the harbour Port Egmont, and claimed this and other islands for Britain on the grounds of prior discovery. The next year Captain John MacBride established a British settlement at Port Egmont. These events were nearly the cause of a war between Britain and Spain, both countries having sent armed fleets to contest sovereignty of the strategically important islands.
In 1766, France agreed to leave, and Spain agreed to reimburse Louis de Bougainville, who had established a settlement at his own expense. The Spaniards assumed control in 1767 and re-named Port St. Louis as Puerto Soledad.
Meanwhile, the British presence in the west continued, until interrupted by Spain during the Falkland Crisis from 10 July 1770 to 22 January 1771. As a result of economic pressures stemming from the upcoming American War of Independence, Britain unilaterally chose to withdraw from many overseas settlements in 1774.[1] On 20 May 1776 the British forces under the command of Lt. Clayton formally took their leave of Port Egmont, while leaving a plaque asserting Britain's continuing sovereignty over the islands.[2]
Spain ruled the Islands from Buenos Aires until 1811, withdrawing due to the pressures of the Peninsular war against Bonapartist rule at home and the moves toward independence by her South American colonies. Like Britain earlier, Spain left behind a plaque proclaiming her sovereignty.
<BIG SNIP>
As well as the military build-up, the UK also passed the British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983 which granted full British citizenship to the islanders. Read more here . . .
quote:
As for Hong kong, we didnt give it up, we gave it back. The colony was on lease from China and returned, much against the wishes of the locals, when the lease ran out.
So much for local self-determination. And of course the "lease" was actually three treaties obtained by holding a canon to the heads of whatever weaklings were ruling China at the time. Can you spell "Gunboat Diplomacy?"
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RE: When did Sean Penn become a politician??? - 
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