The process of the American-Canadian war

1 812 On June1day, the US Congress passed President james madison's proposal to declare war on Britain. 181June18, the United States declared war on Britain, and the second American-British war broke out. The reason why the United States launched the war is euphemistically called: maintaining freedom of navigation, but its real purpose is to occupy Canada and continue to expand its territory.

Adams, the American president after Washington, once said: "The United States is destined to expand to the whole western part of the northern hemisphere." Obviously, in American eyes, Canada should belong to the United States. 18 12 At the beginning of this year, the US Department of War drew up a strategic plan to seize Canada. The reason why the time to declare war on Britain was set at 18 12 was because Britain was at war with French Napoleon in Europe. The number of British troops in North America is less than 20,000, while that in Canada is only 4,500. All aspects are beneficial to the United States. Americans believe that Canada at this time is definitely a "good bone." Before the war, the United States secretly made a plan to attack Canada in three ways: one was to attack Montreal, Canada from the east road; The second is to attack along Niagara, enter the banks of Lake Ontario and move northward; The third is to attack Canada from Detroit. However, after the war, due to the reluctance of American States to participate in the war, the number of American troops was seriously insufficient. The U.S. military was forced to change its plan to attack Canada on three sides and concentrate its forces on capturing the tributaries of the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes region first. As a British colony, Canada is vast and sparsely populated, and its defense is lax. The United States wants to expand northward and expects Canadian residents to regard the US military as a liberator. 18 12, the outgoing American president Thomas Jefferson said: "If Canada, including Quebec, is merged this year, the British forces will be completely expelled from the American continent as long as they move forward and attack Halifax." The belief that the United States must control the whole North American continent was later called the American theory of destiny.

At the beginning of the war, the United States expanded its troops urgently, bringing the number of volunteers from the regular army and militia to 65,000. The navy owned 10 warships, 150 speedboats and 3 18 privateers. And Britain is inextricably linked with France in Europe and has no time to take care of the United States. In Canada, there are only 7,000 British troops, 1000 militia, and some Indians have been recruited as allies. The United States has an absolute advantage in weather, geography, people and peace. Theoretically, it was easy for the United States to defeat Britain and seize Canada, but the development of the war was unexpected. 18 12 from June to the beginning of 18 13 is the strategic offensive period of the United States. At sea, American warships and privateers launched a full-scale attack in the Atlantic Ocean with brilliant results. In just a few months, they sank three British ships and captured more than 500 British ships. On land, however, American troops lost the battle. The land war is mainly carried out in the northwest of the US-Canada border. The US military launched a three-way offensive in an attempt to invade Canada. In July and August, British general Brock led the army to repel the attack of the marked army and captured several important fortresses in the western United States. The American army was vulnerable, and 2,500 defenders in Detroit surrendered to 700 British troops without firing a shot. Then, the British turned to the middle road. 18 12, 10 In June, American general Stephen Van Rensselaer crossed niagara river with about 3 100 people and set up a position on the cliff overlooking Queenston Heights in Ontario. 10, 12 On the night of June, the British army defeated 3000 troops with 1000. 1 1 yuedong road's offensive was also abandoned halfway because of the uncooperative militia. At the beginning of 18 13 and 18 14, the British army turned to the defensive, and a large number of British navies rushed to North America to control the sea power.

The British navy blocked the east coast of the United States and captured more than 200 American ships in 18 13. American ships are hiding in the harbor and it is difficult to do anything. Only a few American ships broke through the blockade and fought on the high seas. During this period, the two sides fought fiercely in the Great Lakes region, the gateway to Canada. At the beginning of 2003, the US military counterattacked Detroit in three ways, and the British army defeated two of them, and the US military lost 900 people. After the American army took control of Lake Erie, it opened the passage to Lake Ontario and cut off the supply line of the British army, so the British army was forced to withdraw from Detroit. The United States commanded 3,500 men to pursue victory, 10/0. On 5 October, the United States overtook the British-Indian Coalition forces in Moravia on the Thames with 1600 men. After fierce fighting, the US army destroyed more than 500 enemies and captured 600 British soldiers. American troops brutally killed tecumseh, the famous Indian leader, in the battle, and peeled off the skin of the body to make a razor belt. Then, the American soldiers split into two ways, and * * *13,000 people launched a pincer attack on Montreal, the capital of Canada, but were defeated by 2,000 British and Indian Coalition forces. By the end of the year, the British fought back and drove the American troops out of Canada.

During this period, the war also spread to the east coast of the United States and the Gulf Coast. 18 13 In the spring, Lu Haijun, England harassed and attacked the coastal areas from Maine to Virginia. The American army won the battle of Norfolk and repelled the attack of 2000 British troops. But in the Battle of Meeksburg, Florida, the American army was defeated by Indians, and more than 400 people were killed and more than 500 people were captured. On the east coast, British general Ross led 4000 troops to land in chesapeake bay on the east coast of the United States on August 19, and went straight to Washington, DC. The us military concentrated 7000 regular troops and militia to meet the attack. However, as soon as the British vanguard of 300 troops launched a charge, the American army was wiped out. President Madison and members of the government fled to the mountains of Virginia. British troops easily occupied Washington. In retaliation for the US military burning down the Parliament Building in Toronto, the British army also set fire to the White House, Parliament Building and other government buildings. The United States has since given up its territorial claim to Canada. Since then, Americans have turned their attention to the land of Mexico and Indians for territorial expansion.