Ever wonder why the British lost the American Revolutionary War? And how the United States managed to win its independence? The triumph of a colonial insurgency over a mighty European empire is understandably seen as an astonishing upset. Yet re-imposing royal authority over the rebellious colonies was perhaps always going to be a tall order, given the vast distances involved. Was former prime minister Lord Chatham correct to assess, as he did in 1777, that Britain had committed itself to an unwinnable war?
I convened an international panel of experts to ponder these questions as part of the UK National Army Museum’s commemorations of the 250th anniversary of the American War of Independence. My enlightening discussion with Friederike Baer, Kevin Weddle and Mark Urban, which was recorded earlier this year, goes live on Sunday, 19 October.
1812 and all that 