The Falklands War was a turning point in more than one sense, for the
United Kingdom it was the chance to establish that she was still a
player in the international field, and it stuck out in relief to the general trend of
devolution and
dissolution of the
British Empire that has been in existence since the
WWII. The main principle established was that British Territory could not ever be taken by
force or
guile without some sort of massive
retaliation by the government, however it could be taken by
democratic reform or (as mentioned before) devolution.
Northern Ireland is a case in point of this, where while the majority of the Island of Ireland became Eire, a new and autonomous country offshore of the United Kingdom mainland, the North (Ulster) was retained because the majority of people there wished to remain in the United Kingdom.
The recovery of the Falklands led in effect to the temporary cowing of the Argentinian government and restoration of faith in British power on the world stage. Since then Britain's main aim in the world political stage has been to stay there.
This is usually done by the simple expedient of following along in America's wake and carrying out the dirty work in it's self-appointed role as policeman around the world.
Harsh but true, look at Iraq, Bosnia, and other recent examples.
If the Falklands War had gone the other way (inconceivable, I know) then the United Kingdom would have learnt some humility and faded to become a true part of Europe as opposed to the current situation where it is almost entirely economically and politically autonomous.