The War of 1812 in the Age of Napoleon (Volume 21)

Campaigns and Commanders #21

by Jeremy Black

The War of 1812 is etched into American memory with the burning of the Capitol and the White House by British forces, The Star-Spangled Banner, and the decisive naval battle of New Orleans. Now a respected British military historian offers an international perspective on the conflict to better gauge its significance. In The War of 1812 in the Age of Napoleon , Jeremy Black provides a dramatic account of the war framed within a wider political and economic context than most American historians have previously considered. In his examination of events both diplomatic and military, Black especially focuses on the actions of the British, for whom the conflict was, he argues, a mere distraction from the Napoleonic War in Europe. Black describes parallels and contrasts to other military operations throughout the world. He stresses the domestic and international links between politics and military conflict; in particular, he describes how American political unease about a powerful executive and strong army undermined U.S. military efforts. He also offers new insights into the war in the West, amphibious operations, the effects of the British blockade, and how the conflict fit into British global strategy. For those who think the War of 1812 is a closed book, this volume brims with observations and insights that better situate this “American” war on the international stage.

Genres: History, Military History, American History

306 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2009

About the author

Jeremy Black is an English historian, who was formerly a professor of history at the University of Exeter. He is a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of America and the West at the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US.
Black is the author of over 180 books, principally but not exclusively on 18th-century British politics and international relations, and has been described by one commentator as "the most prolific historical scholar of our age". He has published on military and political history, including Warfare in the Western World, 1882–1975 (2001) and The World in the Twentieth Century (2002).

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite an interesting book, as it is about an obscure war in North America from the British perspective, somewhat dryly written, but with some thought provoking insights. I was tickled once I started discovering the dry writing style masked a very English dry sense of humor also, which many American readers might completely miss. The last two chapters (Consequences and Conclusions) were the most interesting, as they tied the politics & policy discussions in the previous chapters together into a whole understanding of why the British administration fought a war they didn't want, the way they did. Definitely a specialized read, I could only recommend it to serious history buffs with an interest in this period.

[Schoppie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The War of 1812 took place against the larger backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, and events in America were heavily influenced by what happened in Europe. Jeremy Black addresses this subject in depth in his book, and the author does a fine job interweaving the events. While this book is not an exhaustive treatment of the conflict, it is well worth reading for anyone who seeks a true understanding of the context of the War of 1812 within the larger military picture.

The writing style is academic, but it includes a lot of interjections which are a bit distracting at times; however, one gets used to this as the reading progresses and it becomes less of an issue. All writers have bias. American authors tend to stress American victories and perspective, and Canadians and British historians do the same. Black's treatment of all sides in the war are generally fair - among the most fair that I have experienced. He avoids the haughty British attitudes so common in works by historians of that nation in regard to the War of 1812, and he also avoids perpetuating the ridiculous Canadian myths that the war was all about them. In like manner, the Americans are given a fair shake on most issues by this author.

I had high hopes that the author would continue this pattern of fairness and avoid the problematic mess of trying to declare a winner. The War of 1812 was a near run thing in many ways, and it is difficult, at best, to declare a "winner" because none of the sides in the conflict got all of what they wanted, and there was plenty of embarrassment to go around. However, Black just could not resist declaring his own nation (Great Britain) as the winner - albeit in only two sentences buried deep within one of the later chapters, and despite proving the opposite throughout the book. I was disappointed by this unconvincing assertion.

Remarkably, even the author does not seem completely convinced of this declaration of a British victory when he admits on page 240 that "the outcome was a standoff that initiated a long-term willingness by both powers to settle their grievances short of war." If this is true - and the author argues throughout the book that it is! - then this reader is justified in his doubts about the author's previous assertions that the British won the war.

In a conflict where one side has to argue fine points to "prove" whether it won or lost, it makes the a declaration of victory problematic at best. However, three things are certain - and the author points them out: Britain never again pressed unwilling Americans into its service and it acted with restraint toward the U.S. ever after; Canada was never annexed by the U.S.; and the United States of America continued its continental expansion, in spite of Britain's best efforts, with increased vigor after the war, on its way to supplanting Britain as the world's superpower. If that amounts to a loss of the war, the author could have fooled me!

With that said, author Jeremy Black grandly succeeds in his goal of presenting the War of 1812 within the context of the Napoleonic Wars, and all scholars of this conflict will find this book a generally fair work and a valuable addition to their libraries. Highly recommended!

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with most Americans I knew very little about this particular conflict in our history, and yet in reading this book, along with other sources, due to the 200th Anniversary of the War, I am impressed by its significance, not only in American history but also Canadian.

I have learned much from reading this book and intend to read others about the War of 1812 as this year progresses.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has non-American perspective, which is interesting to read. It is not written too well, but it does make some thoughtful points.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are wanting a narrative history studying tactics of the War of 1812 then move on, if you are wanting an insightful and thought provoking look at the causes and affects of the War of 1812 then you have found a good book. Black looks at the War of 1812 not in the narrow focus of the war between the Americans and the British but as to the world as a whole. Many books on the War of 1812 make mention in passing of how the Napoleonic Wars were going on giving the Americans an advantage but they don't place the war into a global perspective as Black does. While not agreeing with all of his interpretations they are thought provoking and challenge the perceptions and interpretations I had before opening this book and that is what a solid work of history should do.

[Dave · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought this book was poorly written and did a terrible job of explaining what happened during the war of 1812. I stopped reading after 60 pages (25% of the book) because I was more confused by what was going on. Not worth the time to read.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent overview that places the War of 1812 in worl context. Latimer's book is more readable for a British point of view.