The Most important war in your countrys history

Oh the big American counter attack. It's important to here for one reason only you (ie. US forces) invaded the colony call Canada. The battle of new Orleans really plays no role in the war of 1812-14 as it was over when the batlle played out. Yes it was a US victory, but the war was over. And then after their defeat the British take fort boyer and control Mobile bay. At that point word gets to boths side that war end in dec 1814. All offensive actions by the US failed in every attempt to capture Canada. And there were many clear battles with victories, list me list a few for you. The battle of detroit in which US gerenal hull surrender detroit to a small band of british regs, Canadian miltia and natives. I could say obliterating US forces only Hull didn't fire a shot. The The Battle for Queenston Heights again a fail attempt to invade canada. "stopped the British from attacking Baltimore" True but they burn Washington D.C and eat dinner in the whitehouse, which a surprised mrs. madsion has left only minutes before.

Maybe the real reason this war gets so little play in the US is because you didn't win it. It was thought at the time that US would have an easy time invading Canada, and this turned out to incorrect. yes its turn canada was a colony but that doesn't discount that most the troops in the land battles of 1812-13 were Canadian or native. And the US had more than one objective and that invading and taking over canada, and in that the US failed. There were US victories, but no war winning victories; no expansion your nation which was one the goals of war. For the British and Canadian colonist a draw was more enough and victory in it's self.

"The War of 1812 had one overall objective, to end impressment of American sailors and merchants by the British and what do you know, that ceased to be."

Since the signing of the peace treaty in Ghent convenienty coincided with the end of England's interference in American affairs, they imagined it as a second successful end of the War of Independence. US's new freedom depended not on the Treaty of Ghent but on the Treaty of Paris in 1814 . It was not the little war against England that won America the blessing of being left alone but the much larger war in Europe against Napoleon, with Napoleon defeated and Britain supreme at sea the world was to see peace for one hundered years. And during this peace America was safe and grew strong.


"I guess this highlights the difference between our two nations. What is seen as one of the most important wars in Canada's history is in America seen as a minor skirmish with Britain, the most lasting impact of which was the creation of the Star Spangled Banner, if not for that we probably wouldn't study the war at all in school."

Yes that highlight a major difference, its a war that the US clearly didn't win so is thought of a minor skirmish. But it in Canada it was clearly a victory and a major war as Canada con't to be British and then a nation. the fact that US go the got the star spangled banner is really a minor part when you look at from the canadian point of view. [/i]
 
hammerlock848 said:
Yes that highlight a major difference, its a war that the US clearly didn't win so is thought of a minor skirmish. But it in Canada it was clearly a victory and a major war as Canada con't to be British and then a nation. the fact that US go the got the star spangled banner is really a minor part when you look at from the canadian point of view. [/i]
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I did not understand a word of that.

The War of 1812 was fought to end impressment (achieved), the force the British out of their forts east of the Mississippi (achieved), and to force the British to stop arming the Indians to attack American settlers west of the Appalachians (achieved).

Apparently this is a war that everyone and nobody lost, invading Canada was always of secondary priority, if you want a more modern day comparison look at the Korean War. Every nation involved had an objective, North Korea wanted to unite all of Korea under Communist rule, South Korea wanted to force the North Koreans out of their country, America wanted to force the North Koreans out of South Korea and China wanted to maintain a buffer between the American forces and their own nation. Everyone but North Korea completed all their primary objectives, for the South Koreans and America invading North Korea was of secondary priority and for China invading South Korea was also of secondary priority, nobody completed any of the secondary priorities but yes three of the four parties were able to claim victory. Also, wasn't the White House burnt down in revenge for the US forces burning all the government buildings in Toronto or something like that? One building is not that important when compared to saving an entire city such as Baltimore, which was an important commercial center at the time.
 
I think the Boer War 1899-1902 (CANADA)

The Boer War was a first in many ways for Canada. It was the first time we sent troops abroad. It was the first time French and English Canada fought over sending troops overseas, and it was a time when the Canadian military discovered Canadians are not born soldiers, but must be trained like everyone else.
In the end, 8,300 Canadians served, with 242 killed in action


V.C Recipients

COCKBURN, Hampden Z.C. (RCD)
HOLLAND, Edward J.G. (RCD)
RICHARDSON, Arthur H.L. (LdSH) (RC)
TURNER, Richard E.W. (RCD)



Canadian Volunteer Regts

Canadian Artillery: "C ", "D" and "E" batteries
Canadian Scouts
Royal Canadian Dragoons
The Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry
The Royal Canadian Mounted Rifles
2nd Regiment Canadian Mounted Rifles
Lord Strathcona's Corps (LdSH) (RC)
 
Victoria Cross - Great Britain and the Commonwealth nations' highest award for valor in direct combat with the enemy.
 
MontyB said:
Technically I would say the Maori land wars as we ended up with a treaty that was kind of radical for its time followed pretty closely by WW1 or more specifically Galipoli which gave us a national identity.
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My friend, I'll disagree with you here as I believe that it is a myth that Gallipoli gave us our 'national identity'.

What happend 24 years later? New Zealand just followed Britain's lead like a little lamb [excuse the pun].

Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage [1935-1940] stated in his somewhat famous speech ; "Where-ever she [Britain] goes, we go. This shows that we had not learned anything at all from the Gallipoli disaster, attributed to our friends the British. Our economy was still totally dependant on Britain at that stage as Britain and Australia were our sole export markets at that time we relied heavily on Britain, and to some extent we still do, for our economic growth and for defense. The Statute of Westminster, which gave us and all other dominions self-governance was not enacted until 1931.

Prime Minsiter of Great Britain Winston Churchill stated that Britain could not protect New Zealand from the Japanese and she would defend us AFTER she had delt with Nazi Germany and her allies. Australia and the United States of America were the only nations standing in the way of a Japanese invasion of our our beautiful country. Hense after the war, as we were seen to have been left to our own fate by Britain, our economic and political aims were focused primarily on the Pacific. We signed the ANZUS treaty, among others, and SEATO, which led to our involvement in the Korean and Vietnam wars.

The Second World War was New Zealand's most important as it was a direct threat to our national security and did more to establish a national identity than any other conflict.
 
I would half to save the War of 1812, because if the americans won Canada would have been part of america. but luckly they didnt:rock: and we went on to burn down the white house and capital hill. sorry we had to, but anyhoo it ended up as a draw thats right a war with no winner. Now that i think about it, what a waste of time.
 
I think one of the most important victories in Turkish history is the Conquer of Istanbul against Byzantine Empire which took place in 1453 and ended the Middle Age...Isn't it?
 
and we went on to burn down the white house and capital hill.


Your just asking to get flamed. Implying that modern canada burnt down the white house is laughable. The superpower of the day burnt down our whitehouse and then was forced to come to sighn a peace agreement that really accomplished american goals.
 
Qadisia battle in which Arab tribes invaded Iran and occupied Iran 1400 yrs ago and destroyed Persia, burnt books, raped women, got men into slavery and imposed their hateful religion upon Iranians.
 
8 years imposed war between us and whole of the world :exactly WWIII!

and maybe the great conquest of athen by achaemenian!
 
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Every war is an important war to your country even more so if you lose it.
Now being a Brit lets have look at some the major conflicts that have have helped to change the world.
Stamford Bridge 1066
Hastings 1066
The Armada and the break from Rome
The defeat of Charles the first during the civil war here, for these battle really did change the world from being ruled from Rome and ridding our selfs of the restrictive thinking of a fanatical clergy.
Marlborough's victories over France.
The Defeat of Napoleon
WW1
WW2
To name but a few
 
For (almost) everyone its got to be WW2. Wars have changed nations throughout the ages but only WW2 would have ended with with worldwide domination by one nation.If Germany had won I wonder how long before there would have been a German empire v Japanese empire war?
 
What about the Armada then, if that had been successful Spain would have ruled the world, there would not have been an America as you know it, nor Canada, Australia or New Zealand. Holland would have still been under Spanish Rule along with France. People mainly think of the wars that still the closest to them, but really all wars are important and even more so if you lose them.
 
But going back in time is kinda pointless. What would of happend if hte neanderthols beat the cro-mangons!
 
The American Civil War easily. It was great and terrible; the death of democracy and the beginning of a great world power.
 
The American Civil War easily. It was great and terrible; the death of democracy and the beginning of a great world power.
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The death of democracy? and the spanish american war set us on the path to becomeing a world power much more so than the Civil war. IMO
 
To me, it was Vietnam, because it gave us a kick in the butt as to our limits and strengths, as well as giving a good hard slap as to picking good presidents.
 
I would say the 80 years war when the Dutch republic fought against Spain from 1568- 1648. This war gave birth to our nation and the foundation of our monarchy. The whole constitutional mornarchy has been influenced by this war and the effects on how we run our nation is still felt.
 
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