****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
One of the things you can gain from reading history is a new, different outlook on familiar subjects. While I was generally familiar with the events of the Revolutionary War, Piers Mackesy's The War for America not only provides an illuminating view from the English side, it gives an object lesson in how knowing the events of history can help one avoid making similar mistakes.I have always wondered how England, one of the super powers of the day, could have lost this war to a group of undisciplined farmers. Mackesy provides a detailed account of the problems facing the English and the decisions which led to their defeat. The book is painstakingly annotated throughout and shows a depth of research that gives credit to the efforts of the author.It is written from the English point of view, with detailed descriptions of the English leaders' strategies, their internal politics and how they responded to the events on the ground. Be ready for a wealth of detail concerning English politicians, their relationships, culture, and how all these factors affected their actions in pursuit of the war. This strength is also its weakness: it would have been a stronger book if more information had been given about the strategies of the Colonial forces and the other European nations in the conflict.The book was written in 1964 as the US involvement in Viet Nam was just beginning. The similarities between the difficulties faced by the English and the difficulties the American forces faced 200 years later and a continent away were too clear to be overlooked. Perhaps if the problems faced by the English had been better absorbed by our military leaders, we would have pursued a different path.While occasionally Mackesy's roots show through in his semi-apologetic descriptions of the English side's problems and losses, all in all it is a well written and dispassionate description of the times and the conflict. I recommend it for readers looking for a deeper understanding of the Revolutionary War and of the problems faced by any nation attempting to impose its will on a foreign population.
