Naval Heritage | Kevin McCranie: War of 1812

Professor Kevin D. McCranie speaks about the continued importance of understanding the War of 1812.

"The Naval War of 1812: A Strategic Appraisal at Two Hundred Years"
Naval Heritage Lecture Series
April 2, 2012
Presented by: Professor Kevin D. McCranie, Strategy and Policy Department, and author of "Utmost Gallantry: the U.S. and Royal Navies at Sea in the War of 1812"

Professor McCranie notes:
"Two hundred years ago, the United States declared war on Great Britain. The resulting conflict, the War of 1812, pitted the greatest power in the world against a fledgling United States. On one level, the war solidified the place of the United States Navy in the country's defense establishment. Stories of valor, honor, and achievement from the war remain with us today. Based on deeper analysis, the war offers many unique operational and strategic insights. The United States possessed a small, qualitatively capable navy, but it was also a navy faced with growing pains in the areas of leadership and readiness. America's opponent possessed a very different worldview as the world's dominant naval power with near global commitments. Moreover, at the outbreak of the War of 1812, Britain was engaged in an ongoing war with Napoleonic France. While Britain managed different but multiple threats, the Americans attempted to contest the seas. Though a traditional victory was out of the question given a British numerical advantage of nearly fifty-to-one, the Americans protracted the war and made sea control a very expensive proposition for Britain. Explaining the design, execution, and effects of operations by both the British and American navies conveys the continued relevance of studying the War of 1812 on its two hundredth anniversary."

*****
Disclaimer: The views expressed are the speaker's own and may not necessarily reflect the views of the Naval War College, the Department of the Navy, the Department of Defense, or any other branch or agency of the U.S. Government.

• Category

  Education