US War of Independence

[techumseh]

Originally posted by Dr Strangelove

The invasion of Canada was a desultatory affair initiated by one local commander. You should be reminded that your troops invaded first and got sent packing back to Canada by a smaller American force. The commander's orders were to defend the Northwest Territory, which he definately did. After his foray into Canada British forces no longer threatened to invade from the North.

American schools....

[JohnT]

Hell, it wasn't until this thread that I realized we were actually once at war with Canada. Even now I'm like WTF?

Canadian schools blowing insignificant events all out of proportion as a salve to national pride...

American schools teaching only the events that matter...

[JimmyCracksCorn]

Lets be honest guys. 1812 was like a school yard slapping fight between a bunch of nerds.

Both the US and "Canada" were terribly puny at the time, and neither one gained anything. That war was an embarassment to everyone involved. Let's just forget it ever happened.

[JimmyCracksCorn]

1846, on the other hand, was a real, kickass kind of war.

Two big, strong countries beating the hell out of eachother.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by JimmyCracksCorn
Lets be honest guys. 1812 was like a school yard slapping fight between a bunch of nerds.

Both the US and "Canada" were terribly puny at the time, and neither one gained anything. That war was an embarassment to everyone involved. Let's just forget it ever happened.

And we ***** slapped you good, several times when you got up the nerve to cross the border. Come back, and we shall do it again.

It may well be an embarassment to you, but it is not so to us. So kindly step off one of our national 'myths'.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by JohnT
Canadian schools blowing insignificant events all out of proportion as a salve to national pride...

American schools teaching only the events that matter...

Matters not to you. Insignificant to you. You lost.

We won. To us, it is a significant event on the bumpy road to modern Canada.

You back stabbers jumped the Brits when they had their backs turned. Your dear leaders thought you'd stroll in and add us to your jacobin nightmare while the British Empire was elsewhere occupied. Well, Madison thought wrong. We loyalists kicked your Yankee asses so hard that the numbers 54 and 40 have disappeared from the American ability to enumerate to this day.

[Kuciwalker]

JohnT, do you hear someone irrelevent talking?

[mrmitchell]

1846, on the other hand, was a real, kickass kind of war.

Two big, strong countries beating the hell out of eachother

You talking about the Mexican War!!?? That was mostly just one speedy demolishing of Mexico's ass....I don't remember them returning any "beating the hell out of" to us

[techumseh]

OK, how to frame this in a way you Yanks will understand? The Revolutionary War was what determined that the United States would be a free and independent nation, yes?

So it was with the War of 1812 and Canada. Although it wasn't fully realized at the time, Canadian independence from Britain was inevitable. Independence from the US was not.

The War of 1812 ensured that Canada would develop into a free and independent nation. The successful defense of Canada from repeated invasions in that war meant that 55 years later, Canada would become a nation. And that is why, as far as we are concerned, we won.

[JimmyCracksCorn]

Originally posted by techumseh
OK, how to frame this in a way you Yanks will understand? The Revolutionary War was what determined that the United States would be a free and independent nation, yes?

So it was with the War of 1812 and Canada. Although it wasn't fully realized at the time, Canadian independence from Britain was inevitable. Independence from the US was not.

The War of 1812 ensured that Canada would develop into a free and independent nation. The successful defense of Canada from repeated invasions in that war meant that 55 years later, Canada would become a nation. And that is why, as far as we are concerned, we won.

These are all good points. But it would serve you to realize that Americans see the war in a very similar way and for very similar, almost identical, reasons. Let's cast nationalism aside and see things for what they really are, then we can get back to the lighhearted country bashing.

[Ecthy]

Originally posted by Dr Strangelove You mean you, Austria, and Russia kicked Poland's arse. Were they really that dangerous that it took all three of you to hose them? What did they do to deserve it?

They were there and they were weak.

[Dauphin]

If Canada had been beaten in 1812 and become an occupided territory (i.e part of the glorious US of A) would they have declared independence and fought against 'the North' in the American civil war 50 years later?

[Az]

Oooh, interesting question.

The answer is no, I think.

Did canada have any slaves?

[Ecthy]

I don't think they did seeing how Britain abolished slavery much earlier. So they probably would have sided with the north, ending the war 2 weeks after it begun. No big deal for US history. With no experience of hard fighting, the US join Germany in WWI lightheartedly. We rule.

[Az]

With no experience of hard fighting, the US join Germany in WWI lightheartedly. We rule.

or maybe join the brits french and russians. lightheartedly.