The Military History Society of New South Wales Incorporated presents
Did America win the War of Independence or did Britain lose the American colonies?
Mr Robert Muscat is a Council member of the Society with an interest in the American War of Independence. He is a secondary school Principal and once a Rifleman in the Australian Army Reserves.
The Delaware Regiment at the Battle of Long Island.
“There are but two sorts of men in the world, freemen and slaves.” (John Adams 1775)
The British government entered into a war, fervently led by King George III, to punish its rebellious “child”, without a true understanding of American grievances or socio-political circumstances. The British were obsessed with reaping the rewards of the emerging- rich mercantile industry and regaining a tight grip of internal American politics.
Once a commitment to retaliate was made, British commanders, although competent and experienced in the art of war, did not have a systematic and coordinated strategy or the operational wherewithal to gain any supremacy over any American forces. Furthermore, apart from a few well executed battles, British commanders were less inclined to cooperate and thus forge any significant headway into American interior lines. Consequently, the British were never able to deeply influence the hearts and minds of many local colonists.
The Saratoga Campaign of 1777, which for many historians stands as a turning point in the war, will be offered as a case study illustrating British inadequacies and American tenacity.
Saturday, 12th August 2017, 2.00pm – 3.00pm
Anzac Room, Level 2, 99 York St Conference and Function Centre, Sydney CBD
Entry is free. RSVP is essential by Wednesday 9th August 2017 as numbers are restricted. Call 0418 671 582 or email rsvp@militaryhistorynsw.com.au
Did America win the War of Independence or did Britain lose the American colonies?
