World War Two Essay -- WWII World War 2 Essays

World War Two On June 18, 1812, President Madison of the United States and Congress declared war on Great Britain. On June 25, the French emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte led his army in Europe across the Nieman River into Russia.(1) Although these two events were thousands of kilometers apart they were right away connected to each other. To some extent, the Americans declared war in protest against measures that were part of Britains effort to defeat Napoleon with the use of blockades. There are numerous interesting aspects to the War of 1812, including the fact of why it even happened. Britain and the United States had more reasons to remain friends than to start a war. The intent of this essay is to examine American and British objectives during this war, and despite the Treaty of Ghent, conclude Canadians won the War of 1812.Britain, in their eagerness to starve out France, set up a series of blockades along the European coast.(2) These blockades sought to exclude neutral ships fro m trading with France and her Allies. The very powerful British proud Navy would search American vessels, most times within horizon of land. British deserters provided England with the excuse it needed to search American ships at sea. Desertions were commonplace in the Royal Navy, harsh treatment and punishments were a way of life to British seamen. In comparison, crews on American merchant vessels enjoyed much better treatment, lots of food, good pay and above all, limited punishment. Royal Navy boarding parties every which way selected deserters who, for their crimes were whipped, strung up by the yardarm or keelhauled.(3) As a bonus, the British impressed, kidnapped would be a better word, the most fit and healthy among the American crews into the Royal Navy, and in most cases seized the cargo. Facing well armed British warships, American merchant ships were powerless to resist and were sometimes captured outright. This treatment of American people and vessels at sea would not go unnoticed by the newly formed colonies of the United States. In his speech to congress June 1,1812 President Madison anger at the British Royal Navy and their tactics on the open seas, was very apparentThousands of American citizens under the safeguard of public law and the national sag down have been torn from their country and everything dear to them... Against this crying enormity, which Great Brit... ...ton, Flames Across The Border, p.224-543.Ibid., p.22544.Ibid., p.22645.Ibid., p.22746.Stanley, 1812 domain of a function Operations, p.26047.Ibid., p.26148.Ibid., p.26849.Berton, Flames Across The Border, p.4050.Ronald Way, The Day of Chryslers Farm, Canadian Geographic Journal (June,1961) p.21651.Berton, Flames Across The Border, p.28352.Stanley, 1812 Land Operations, p.34053.Ibid., p.37754.Ibid., p.33855.Ibid., p.38156.Ibid., p.39357.Glen Frankfurter, Baneful Domination (Ontario, 1971) p.113-458.Morton, Military History. p.7059.Berton, Flames Across The Border. p.40560.Ri chard Gwyn, The 49th Paradox Canada in North America (Toronto, 1985) p.2261.Frankfurter, Baneful Domination. p.113-462.Berton, Flames Across The Border. p.22-363C.P. Stacey, The War of 1812 In Canadian History. Ontario History (Summer 1958) p.154-564.Arthur Campbell Turner, The Unique Partnership Britain and The United States(New York, 1971) p.3365.Robert Craig Brown and S.F. Wise, Canada Views The United States (Washington, 1967) p.42