How do you perceive the loss in the American War of Independence (1781) by Britain?

How do you perceive the loss in the American War of Independence by Britain?

Could the outcome of the war be different for Britain?

It started off with the British colonists in North America being unhappy with taxes overly imposed on them. The American War of Independence or Revolutionary War was a colonial revolt first.

The British sent in troops and fought for a while until in October 1781 General Cornwallis was surrounded and forced to surrender.

So the War ended up in British Empire having lost its most valuable colony and the creation of a new independent nation, a democracy.

How do you feel about it, rather happy or unhappy? Do you agree Britain might well have won the War? Let's discuss what could have been and how things could be different for us today.

Reply 1

CTLeafez

22

I went to the USA for 11 weeks this summer and celebrated Independence Day with the Americans. I told them it was traitor day! :biggrin:

I don't really have an opinion on them fighting for independence. But I do find it ironic that they dub themselves the 'land of the free' but had racial segregation into the late 1960s...

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 2

Vinny C

20

I see it as gross ingratitude. Without the backing of Britain, the pilgrim fathers would have faltered and there would be no USA.

Reply 3

Vinny C

20

Original post by AstronautID

How do you perceive the loss in the American War of Independence by Britain?

Could the outcome of the war be different for Britain?

It started off with the British colonists in North America being unhappy with taxes overly imposed on them. The American War of Independence or Revolutionary War was a colonial revolt first.

The British sent in troops and fought for a while until in October 1781 General Cornwallis was surrounded and forced to surrender.

So the War ended up in British Empire having lost its most valuable colony and the creation of a new independent nation, a democracy.

How do you feel about it, rather happy or unhappy? Do you agree Britain might well have won the War? Let's discuss what could have been and how things could be different for us today.

It was close.. if not for the end of Empire we could now have an Africa akin to the USA. Instead it became white man out and we folded! America responded with white man out? Sod this... white man is here to stay... and you became a great nation.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 4

fallen_acorns

20

I mean for the Uk, it was a disaster. Not only did it lead to the formation of a new country, it lead to the formation of a country that was against and upposed to britain.

People forget that despite having a 'special relationship' today.. the UK and USA were not friends for the vast majority of our history, and we only got towards freindly terms after we bent the knee and accepted our role as the smaller partner. Back when we were their rivals internationally, it was not a friendly relationship. They were much closer with france back then who were in opposition to the UK.

They were reluctant to join the world wars, and didn't do so to save britain as we may believe, but rather for their own gain, to make sure the outcome came out in a way that benifited them. Whilst doing so they 'funded'/lent money to the uk that in the first world war we defaulted on. and then they made us pay dearly for their support and help in the second world war, a debt we only cleared recently. After WW2 they were against us in the suez crisis, and they were strong supporters of irish indipendance and a united ireland.

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The only reason that its not viewed as a disaster is because, luckily, America went on to become a great nation, so its hardly possible to view it as a bad thing for the world. Had the empire played the situation better america could have been a canada/australia type situation, and that would have been much better for the UK, but maybe not as good for the world as a whole.

Reply 5

Vinny C

20

Original post by CTLeafez

I went to the USA for 11 weeks this summer and celebrated Independence Day with the Americans. I told them it was traitor day! :biggrin:

I don't really have an opinion on them fighting for independence. But I do find it ironic that they dub themselves the 'land of the free' but had racial segregation into the late 1960s...

Rofl... they see Lincoln as the great emancipator. He saw the Southern states importing 30 times as many blacks as whites and thought at this rate... it will become another Africa! That is why he blocked the importation of slaves. Finally... his masterstroke in the war.. grant them citizenship. Will deny the South their labour force and get me loads of recruits. Great emancipator, my ass! You may notice the welcome mat was withdrawn to black guys after he took power but you tend to ignore that. Instead it was Europe... bring me your huddled wretches... your poor. We need to ensure this nation is white! I need millions of huddled white wretches to throw at the next problem... the indian! ****... he did genocide with flair.