Why do people say America has no history?
Who said America has no history? Because I want that person to explain to me what I just spent a year studying in AP US History...
What wars has the U.S. lost?
For me, a nation wins a war when it meets (all of) its goal(s)By that criteria, lets view the wars the US lostThe war of 1812The US wanted to annex Canada, then a colony of the UK. Instead, the got shit on by the UK and got a burning capital in return. Even if they did occupy Canada, they would have to somehow cross the ocean to another continent and fight a nation that had the most powerful navy ever. Lost cause reallyKoreaThe Korean war is technically a draw, as there was never a peace treaty. But the US failed to spearhead a massive coalition against North Korea. To me, it was a loss, not just for the US, but to all the UN nations that participatedVietnamSchools teach kids that they won the aforementioned war. The “we just withdrew” bullshit is not a reason to call it a victory. Yes, you did kill 1 million commies. But what you fail to understand is that you have a different view of human life than the Viet Cong. Your goal to establish a democratic government in a unified Vietnam. North Vietnam wanted to take over the south. So who achieved their goals? Obviously the North Vietnamese. If you didn't win, you lose, alright?War on DrugsThe goal was to reduce drug activity and trades. To this day, USA spends $500 million to aid Columbia in their fight against guerrila groups and illegal drug traders. This includes the invasion of Panama and the Bay of Pigs operation, and pretty much every operation under the label of “War on Drugs”. Nothing much was achieved. So ..War on TerrorAlthough not an official war, it is the label for wars in the middle East and Afghanistan. Yes, Iraq was a victory, but it was a total disaster too. They are still in trouble. You are getting your ass wooped in Syria and Afghanistan could have been short work for the US army, not a war that lasts for 16+ years. Not just the US army. The entirety of NATO members that participateOther than that, I can't really think of anything else
How did the British Royal Navy lose in 1812?
The Royal Navy lost some battles but did not lose the war which ended in a stalemate. The battles they did lose were lost to privateers. The Americans knew that they could not match the RN in a ship on ship battle so they decided to build a type of ship that could outgun any other vessels its same size it was likely to encounter and be fast enough to outrun anything bigger. The Americans therefore set forth building a new type of frigate that carried more guns than their British counter-parts and had thicker walls. Sx of these frigates were built which were to carry 38 guns and 44 guns (Though this was later expanded to 50 on some of the vessels) and have a crew of 340 men and 450 men. The most famous of these was the USS Constitution (44 guns) which is now a museum ship in Boston. In some actions the British cannon-balls were seen to bounce right off the sides of the American ships.(USS Constitution the last of the original six frigates of the United States Navy still in commission and is the oldest commissioned warship still afloat in the world)The USS Constitution was nicknamed ‘Old Ironside due to its thick sides and strong construction which made its sides hard to penetrate by cannon balls fired from guns of a size most likely to be found on British frigates.(Diagonal riders for hull stiffness are depicted here from the 1992 restoration of Constitution.)Another reason was that the Americans were to avoid battle with the Royal Navy and go for the merchant men. Privateers would single these out and then capture them but would use speed to avoid British war ships.In the end, though the Americans would win a number of single ship engagements they would ultimately lose the war at sea being unable to break the Royal Navy’s blockade of the American eastern seaboard. During the cause of the conflict the United States lost 1,407 merchant ships and 148 privateers. American privateers reported taking 1300 British merchant vessels, compared to 254 taken by the U.S. Navy. The British reported that only 1,175 British ships were taken, 373 of which were recaptured, for a total loss of 802. However as Britain was the primary naval power in the world with the world’s largest number of merchant ships it could better avoid the losses than the Americans.(The British ship HMS Shannon captures the USS Chesapeake on the 1st June 1813. By William Elmes)
Who won the War of 1812? Was it Britain/Canada or the US?
Cone All You Bold CanadiansThis is a tune that I’m sure all Americans are not familiar with. bold canadians youtube - Bing videoThere were three blocks of peoples…. of course we have the Americans and the British. What we don’t know too much about is the third block… the Canadians. This third block was made up of British pioneers and retired regulars (soldiers), Loyalists (American Revolutionary War), Native Americans (Indians to some), Quebecois (French Canada or Quebec loyal to the crown with rights, Quebec Act 1774), people of African descent who found sanctuary in British North America, and Metis in various regions. These people numbering at best 1/10 of America, along with limited British regulars, pushed back 11 American invasion attempts. They did so as a united people to defend their form of self rule, their way of life and their freedoms.It is difficult for Americans to grasp the possibility that in some parts of their journey as a nation, there were times when they too were considered invaders and tyrants. It is understood. In the last century, America has done much for democracy. But this has not been the American standard throughout its history. To argue contrary to this point, especially as it is related to the War of 1812, does not bode well with character.Canada exists today, a small nation by population…. only 36 million in a huge country. A small nation with a heart of a lion who prefers not to boast about its war triumphs because she views such human debacles as a great tragedy of human suffering; something that should not be celebrated. But please, do not insult the dead by claiming that America won the war. Because if America did, there should be no Canada. The mere fact that Canada exists today, with the Union Jack as one of its standards, is testimony that she did win.