The American War of Independence 1774-1783 (Essential Histories)

Also, the idea that the American Rebels won the war by sniping at the dumb, inept British redcoats from behind trees with accurate rifles is false. In fact, both sides used riflemen, but mostly smooth-bore muskets.

George Washington is correctly exposed as a mediocre general who lost two-thirds of the battles he fought against the British and spent most of the war on the defensive. Of the battles he won, he had a large numerical advantage over the enemy in each. Washington certainly wasn't the great military genius his sycophantic admirers would have us all believe today.

Interestingly, the myth about 'British tyranny' provoking the American Colonies to rebel is examined and smashed. In fact, the American Colonies had all the freedoms that the Britons back home did. Trouble started when a radical, hard-line group of the American elite came to power and wanted to break away to pursue their own, selfish, agenda.

Only when this demand was refused did the cries about 'British tyranny' begin. But if you're an American Rebel trying to engineer a war and stir up unjustified trouble, what else are you going to say to encourage fellow Americans to join the army and hate the British! British tyranny towards the American Colonies was merely a myth to justify the war.

Also, there were thousands of Americans who didn't support the Rebels and wanted to remain loyal to Britain. Some even supported the British by fighting in the British Army. However, loyalist activity like this is all but erased from the American version of evens, in the same way the French don't want to talk about their collaboration during WWII.

The reality was that the British won most of the battles and captured most of the biggest settlements. The Rebels spent most of the war on the defensive, usually retreating instead of risking pitched battles where possible. The French came in and saved the Rebels by giving them money and military aid!

That's more or less the truth of it, as demonstrated in this book. Of course, modern Americans don't want people to know that, so they assault us with fanciful, Brit-bashing, historically inaccurate, drivel on paper and film such as Mel Gibson's 'The Patriot' instead.

For example, the idea, popular amongst Americans today, that the Rebels won the Battle of Bunker Hill. In fact, as this book convincingly demonstrates, the British actually won the battle but the Americans are too proud to admit it and thus claim victory even today!

This is a great book! Acquire and read at all cost if you want to know about the REAL American War rather than the popular American nonsense that gets pu about.

It really does explode some outrageous myths and puts it straight for once and all...