The War of 1812 – A Win Win War
Who Won The War of 1812
The War Of 1812 as reported by CNN’s Crossfire. We hear from generals and politicians on all three sides: British, American, and Native American. It appears the British and Americans are claiming victory, while the Natives are claiming foul.
Original Air Date: July 24, 2004
YouTube Transcript
Hello and welcome to History Bites I’m Rick Green. Canada and the USA share the world’s longest undefended border, but
200 years ago things weren’t so
buddy-buddy Canada was a British colony
but America had declared independence
unfortunately it was still being treated
like a British colony British
interference with American ships was a
major sort so in 1812 America declared
war against Britain by way of Canada
after two years of fighting back and
forth the war was turning ugly British
troops stormed Washington and burned the
White House on the Capitol buildings
before moving on with information
traveling at the speed of sale British
commanders in England had a hard time
keeping up with events if only they’d
had television in 1812 that way they
could have watched the battle for North
America provided of course they won the
battle for the remote
after a stunning attack on America the
president launches a new offensive in
the war on tyranny ISM America is a
nation at war a war we keep losing once
it was a war we fought in Canada now
we’ve been pushed back in August
enemies of American freedom committed
yet another act of war against our
country but their cowardly burning of
Washington is revenge for us burning
York and Newark will not go unpunished
we will make war against Britain and its
axis of evil England and Scotland Wales
and Ireland by attacking its colony
Canada
how long before Canada becomes US
from George Washington’s old house all
pegleg the gala and same old enemy
tyranny and the tyranny ists in the past
few months this nation has been shaken
by scenes of violence tragedy and wanton
destruction after the tragic events of
August 24th when a few cowardly British
fanatics laid waste to the heart of
Washington the American people are
united as never before after two years
of defeats America is finally flexing
its muscles the attack on Washington is
one more example of the gaping holes in
our national security perhaps the people
are united but our military is still
losing battle after battle the question
remains how did this attack at our
heartland succeed and when will America
show some backbone and strike back
accurate Americans have backbone that is
senior volunteer workers in Washington
my point is it’s that tragic as the
events of 824 were our real problem in
this country isn’t the destruction in
Washington well you tell that the
problem is that America is losing this
war on tyranny
we’ve lost bigger battles in Washington
even when we outnumber the tyrannous we
lose and I shouldn’t need to remind you
that this war didn’t start with the
British attacking our cities it started
the British sneaking aboard our ships
with weapons plant debris mustering
American crews taking over from the
ships and mid courses forcing our seamen
to serve in the British Navy it’s like
slavery hey looking for a challenge and
regular meals try the British Navy our
naval press gangs are ready willing and
able to abduct the industry and or she
went to years of service aboard his
Majesty’s ships
want to know more just turn your back on
our recruiting representatives or join
the American Navy and be captured and
forced into the British Navy so how’d it
go Jerry
joining the militia was the smartest
thing I ever did why is that this hat is
gonna help me get with that Canadian go
I’m telling it’s this hat she’s hot for
this hat the three corners wanting to
know what we do in the militia really
what we’re gonna do next huh
too bad she had to run off like that
luckily she gave me a name what is it
Laura Secord but we Americans have to
start taking an interest in world
politics British no we don’t we don’t
look at these British have established a
worldwide network of tyranny an empire
just look at recent events like the
seizure of the Cape Colony and look at
what they did to France the French
leader Napoleon was defeated and we
didn’t lift a finger
who wants to get sucked into ancient
ethnic conflicts in the old world well
maybe that’s the problem this European
war is now America’s war the problem is
that we have these fanatical soldiers
working for foreign dictators coming
into this country across our porous
borders and destroying buildings and
property right here on American soil
that we took fair and square from the
interviews 200 years before NAFTA Goods
and people passed freely across the
canada-us border many Americans settled
in Canada and vice versa so the war of
1812 forced some folks to fight their
friends and neighbors no wonder many
Canadians and Americans wanted peace but
their voices were drowned out by the
shouting and shooting of those who
wanted war 30 years ago we had a war
sure the Revolutionary War Revolutionary
War the War of Independence operation by
the eagle call it what you will where we
took a stand for democracy yes and we
defeated King George and drove his
forces from America
but then we stopped we stopped short we
had a chance to sort things out for good
and no no no you’re not so we should
have taken a revolutionary war attack
entered 1770 no no no because that was
never the mandate of that conflict
independence was very clear all the way
to London London we didn’t have that who
shifted King George because until
Britain has true democracy this world
and our way of life will never be safe
learn new skills repairing rope
spreading tar fixing sails feeding
sharks
I learned self-respect and how to rob
Dutch ships take pride in your
individuality no fancy uniform I were
the clothes I was abducted in with a
ripe melon many of the farmers joined
the militia and are away fighting but
those who leave the militia and come
back to harvest their crops are branded
deserters and shot on sight that’s why I
decided to help the war effort by
harvesting their crops so they don’t go
to waste
mmm this corn will make a wonderful corn
bread or I may feed it to my hogs for
extra fat into my bacon and do leave a
couple of cobs in the field that way if
the farmers sneak back home
they’ll think those rotten Canadians
stole their crops it’s another wonderful
way of scapegoating the Canadians so our
farmers fight even harder for my freedom
reading anti Canadian sentiment it’s a
more thing we have had our problems with
the British but if we pursued
negotiation peacefully rather than
forgets that the American government has
tried to resolve the issue through
peaceful means with the Embargo Act of
1807 waste of quails and ink sure and
the non-intercourse Act of 1809 well
here of course very familiar with the
act of non intercourse
no need to get resentful Annie you’re
just not mind is the British are
laughing at her Jimmy just like America
with some second-rate minor world power
they could just push around it will hold
on but we are a second-rate power still
got that red coat in your class force us
to wear british crowns and fraid of
buckingham palace he was a turncoat who
sold out his country and his flag but
his collection of greatest hits I’ll
have you pledging allegiance a new man
Benedict and he’s sold secrets yes to
the enemy a general dissatisfied with
our middle I’ve been short on money he’d
stab your back
step your bag
I sure miss a cure
mr. Benedict ha no
thank the Lord put the nighttime so I
can run til I thrive
I’m deserting the army
to go harvest my crops I am my spy with
my
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something tough
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and what we’ve seen after months of
pressure from these rabid congressman
the Warhawks
is President Madison declaring war
against Britain then sending American
military forces off to invade Canada now
is is it just me or does attacking the
guys in caves and woods up north seem
like a very roundabout way it’s going to
war with you know it isn’t
should we not know you know for years
these British tyranny as’hab n using
Canada as a base for their training camp
is a launch point for a taps into the
United States
this is how they took Detroit machan Act
one domestic security we need to bomb
the British out of Canada these British
tyranny is have pushed us around on the
sea for years flatting international
laws it’s time America sent a strong
message is the American military even
right now and then tell them pass it on
to lower canada only they’d Prince
Edward Island and captured Prince Edward
take the King out of Kingston the Queen
out of the incident on the land out of
coming up Uncle Sam gets hungry for land
and it makes the natives Restless
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the war of 1812 was a hard sell for both
sides Americans were told that it was a
fight for sovereignty at sea but back on
land it was also a chance to get some
primo real estate I mean both sides were
itching to grab more of North America
and the Indians who were already living
there had to choose sides we will be
speaking to us by satellite hi Annie
well general Harrison America entered
this war with a sense of optimism some
say we were overly optimistic in fact we
were not at all I mean who knows how it
will end an American victory or a
resounding overwhelming total victory
for us
America is won every war it sought which
so far was just the one war but if we’d
lost that then we wouldn’t be America
we’d be British which would which would
be ok because the British seem to be
winning this one and then we’d be on the
winning side again general we’ve already
lost Fort Detroit and Fort mechanic to
strategic locations sir is it fair to
say that the US military was totally
unprepared for this war no no not fair
at all not fair at all accurate
yes accurate but not fair but but the
thing is this war is changing it’s now
small mobile forces like those that hit
Washington they sail in they hit hard
like get out again instead of risking
soldiers by direct confrontation we’re
we’re sending in Indians as have the
British yes yes the so called stealth
fighter they cross into the US without
being detected by our observers like we
travel the woods rather than in there on
the roads it’s a it’s a smart weapon ok
let’s talk about the native issue we all
saw disturbing footage of Indians
celebrating when they heard the news of
Washington being burned mister rinse
caca let’s go to you why the resentment
why do your people hate the United
States so much why side with the British
to fight against America home of the
brave and land of the slave-owning free
because white America betrayed us first
with its thievery and lies there can be
no peaceful coexistence between the
Indian and the white man in your country
well certainly not with that attitude
as far as we are concerned all the
United States has ever done is try to
impose its standards its values and our
people you have no respect for our
native ways and religion now that is
nonsense
in fact our missionaries have worked
hard to give you you ignorant savages
cultural this is exactly the kind of
attitude I’m talking about the problem
with the United States you don’t like
America then why did you come here the
British look at our American Way of life
and you are jealous look you’re
suggesting King George wants to live
like an American oh not the king because
I can assure you no the British people
the cockneys and your keys and you have
these other rival ethnic groups plus
their worldwide network in India on
Africa their network known as Empire
okay is everything that our Empire
Network has been in place for years I’m
not saying the British government is
perfect well good because I have a
tradition comment we have a freedom of
expression okay your troops burned down
our Library of Congress and we really
freed a lot of expression there didn’t
you get a straight my pointy please this
chart shows the world network controlled
by King George and his ministers now can
you look at this chart and deny that
your nations embroiled in a massive
world network of tyranny it’s an empire
Empire of tyranny no this chart isn’t
even accurate the East India Company is
a private company the private company
has its own army yeah they are dealers
in tea and financed by drug sales to
China I have no knowledge of any highly
profitable but illegal opium sales to
China and I will stand by that until
further instructed by Home Office
anybody oh just a great day there either
they went into Jefferson on the way home
Thomas just an old slave Jefferson not
tell you the Neue them college – you
know Jeffers has seen me coming honey
don’t even move he just stands right
there on the sidewalk see what did you
think he was gonna do well jump into the
gutter eat if Willie belongs now we’ll
get me a meal
I’ll tell ya the nerve of that guy not
only do I gotta walk around him when he
don’t even doff his cap and respect for
a white mare she doesn’t have to know
your past a law against slavery
Michael’s right daddy mr. Jefferson is
free now Oh free well he sure went free
when I bought him little girl but maybe
you should have treated Jefferson better
when you owned him give me that I never
waited complain oh right yeah I guess
it’s hard to hear a guy when you’re
whipping him now Jefferson had it coming
he was a lazy slave in New York he
doesn’t like it when you talk mean about
the doggies
whoa anybody approves of slavery it’s
gone what I can’t believe you said that
about me Dad the bride was full of slave
hopeful locusts
now with her husband away at the army
surely has to run their small farm
surely you have a few slaves but you
have difficulty disciplining them is
that right well they’re really great
slaves but they don’t work very hard and
they’re always complaining that they’re
sick and even when they’re not sick they
work slower in molasses if things keep
up cotton ain’t gonna get picked this
year surely we teach people how to
behave around us and slaves are like
people surely you are a woman who’s
grown up with slaves all her life now do
you wanna have to work those fields
yourself you might just have to if you
don’t get them going heck you might end
up having to sell your whole farm now is
that what you want
that’s why you either use it or you’re
gonna lose it Oh doctor pill I can’t
beat him those lines are like family
actually knowing my husband some of the
young ones probably our family so take
the whip I don’t know take a church
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[Applause]
coming up the spoils of war go to the
winner and assuming there is a winner
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[Applause]
the war of 1812 was a conflict filled
with missed opportunities delayed
communications and general bungling a
war where civilian armies were not all
like keen to be involved the
battlefields were farmers fields and
many people on both sides would rather
have been harvesting their crops than
shooting at their neighbors
unfortunately this was war and the only
one doing any harvesting was the grim
reaper
general Harrison why is it that the
people responsible for pushing America
into this war the congressmen known as
the war hawks why are they all from
western frontier states like Kentucky
the war hawks represent concerned
America it’s partisan politics the war
on tyranny is becoming pork-barrel
everyone who opposes British tyranny
from New England I’m from New England
when the British started seizing ships
and seamen it affected us on the coast
far more than you in India and to heard
of Prairie but-but-but-but people in New
England don’t want war and didn’t push
for it the American people are united
against tyranny almost every other money
only Americans who want this war are men
with a vested interest and pushing my
people even farther west than taking our
land we have to take the Indians land
cuz they’re fighting for the British we
are now but you started taking our land
hundreds of years ago no that was a
preemptive strike in exchange for
helping the British defend their land
they’ve agreed to help us create a
separate native state a homeland for our
people sorry room second we already have
an Indiana and it’s taken or it will be
once we clear out all the Indians the
British don’t support you but only on
your side because they’re there they’re
showing a man they need someone to do
the grunt work for the fur trade if they
could teach Scotsman to trap beaver why
you be history
daddy slavery is wrong only north of the
mason-dixon line are you wrong there art
it’s not just the northern states the
whole world is turning against slavery
Britain ban the slave trade are just
another good reason for us to be at war
with them
come on arch face it sooner or later the
Negroes are gonna have equal rights
she’s what’s next the vote for women
ridiculous in America all men are
created equal that means white man red
men and black men oh geez call of the
author there will ya the me then is gone
colorblind twice as long to get things
done sorry I’ve never been slavery
they’ve better legalize polygamy thanks
Connie
what’s on tap for Connie Chung tonight
tonight we look at why American men
aren’t living as long as they used to
could the war be responsible gyah I
thought that’d have been a foregone
conclusion wouldn’t it I don’t know I
apologize my staff should have had a
scripted answer for me to read thanks
Connie
and now it’s time for you the viewer to
fire back with your comments our first
message comes to us from Steve in Boston
Steve writes the tragedy of this war is
that it was unnecessary
two days before America declared war the
British repealed their policy of
blockading and seizing Yankee Clippers
the very reason we went with the war of
course it took weeks for word to reach
America by Yankee Clipper and by then
the musket balls were flying
excellent point accepted seizing ships
and seamen isn’t the reason we’re at war
it’s the excuse well all I can say is we
won’t let that kind of mistake happen
again I agree alas it did happen again
the war of 1812 plagued by communication
problems ended with the Battle of New
Orleans a dramatic victory for the
Americans too bad it was fought a week
after the truce was signed in London in
the end things returned to the status
quo the canadian-american border was
redrawn exactly where it was before the
war
they say 1812 was a war no one won but
no one lost unless it was the Indians
who lost any hope of establishing a
separate nation for them and for those
who died in that unresolved War history
bites they say in our
travels on its stomach british troops
may be traveling fast without fasting
meat the tin canister or tin can for
short or can for even shorter american
experts discovered a can of food takes
several hours to open should the british
someday develop a can opener they may
very well become unstoppable and our
troops will kick the can for this is a
weapon of mass consumption
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