One of the key missions of the U.S. Army in the nineteenth century was garrisoning the coastal defenses along the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts. John C. Calhoun initiated what today we know as the Third System of fortifications. This brief episode provides a broad overview of this critical mission, exploring the comprehensive planning required to protect the important commercial and population centers along the country's coastline. Take a listen!
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In the aftermath of the War of 1812, John C. Calhoun was appointed Secretary of War. He took a close look at the performance of the U.S. Army during the War of 1812 and absorbed its lessons. He reorganized the staff in his office to make the administrative functions more efficient. Moreover, he advocated for a plan to allow the army to expand and contract in its manpower during emergency. While the plan was not enabled by Congress, his ideas continued to resonate throughout the nineteenth century. Take a listen!
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The War of 1812 is done. In this episode we summarize the war and its legacy. In a sense, it solved nothing. The end of the war in Europe had a greater effect than American arms in persuading the British to end their onerous policies. It also marks a jumping off point for the rest of the nineteenth century up to the beginning of the Civil War. Take a listen!
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The last year of the war, 1815, saw some success and failures for both the British and the Americans. The Americans had some success on the northern border, fighting some of the bloodiest battles of the entire war. While they fought the British to a stalemate, it showed how far the Americans had come. In spite of these successes, British naval power allowed them to land in the Chesapeake and attack the nation's capital, burning many of the public buildings to the ground. In contrast, the British attack on Baltimore failed. In the end, it is fair to say that after several years of war, they fought themselves to a draw. Peace negotiations, in the meantime, had advanced to the point of a agreeing to a provisional treaty, but not before the final British attack took place at New Orleans. A busy year. A useless war? You decide.
Have a question, comment, or compliment, contact us at americawarpodcast@gmail.com. You can also leave comments and your questions on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/americaatwarpodcast/. Thanks for listening!