"Western War Aims, 1811–1812" Topic

"It is an interesting paradox that a war of such insignificant proportions as that of 1812 should have produced such controversy concerning its causes. Nineteenth century historians, with a unanimity more characteristic of that century than of this, in general accepted the view that the war was essentially a struggle to defend American neutral rights and the national honor against the aggressions of Great Britain. In the present century this unanimity has been shattered. Historian after historian has placed his own particular interpretation on the events preceding the outbreak of war in June, 1812.

Of all the works produced during these years, undoubtedly the most influential has been Julius Pratt's Expansionists of 1812, published some thirty years ago.1 Professor Pratt stated in his introduction that he only intended to examine one set of causes of the war,2 but this has not prevented later historians from according the work an importance far out of proportion to this statement. Pratt's main thesis was that a factor of primary significance in the causes of the war was the western demand that the British, accused of instigating Indian troubles, should be expelled from Canada. This, he argued, was matched by a southern demand for the Floridas for agrarian, commercial, and strategic reasons. Thus the northern and southern Republicans arrived at an understanding that the acquisition of Canada on the north was to be balanced by the annexation of the Floridas on the south…."
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Amicalement
Armand

War aim number one- beat the French
War aim number two- keep the Russians on a short short leash
War aim number three- maintain the Austr/Hungarian empire at all cost
War aim number four- Great Britain to stick it to everyone else, especially
Anyone who may have a fleet!