The War of American Independence: 1775-1783

Written in accessible and engaging prose, The American Revolutionary Waris a concise but comprehensive exploration into a war which affected both sides of the Atlantic, and contains all the useful features expected from a book in the Wars in Perspectiveseries. Wars rarely turn out as expected. This book shows how Britain entered a conflict that it believed could not be lost. The American Patriots were similarly optimistic about their martial prospects. Although they eventually secured independence, it was only with the assistance of France and indirectly Spain, who diverted British resources from the conflict in America, allowing France eventually to deliver a knockout blow at Yorktown. Ironically it is America and her NATO allies that are currently involved in neo- colonial military ventures.   This extensive yet accessible exploration into the War of American Independence provides aclear analysis of why this complex conflict occurred and why it ended as it did, revealing the fragile nature of the American Patriot cause. An essential guide for any history student, including those specializing in war/peace studies and the study of international relations, as well the general reader with an interest in the study of war.

Richard Middleton was for many years Lecturer and Reader in American History at Queen's University Belfast. Among his various publications are The Bells of Victory: The Pitt-Newcastle Ministry and the Conduct of the Seven Years' War, 1757-1762 (Cambridge University Press, 1985 and 2002), Colonial America: A History to 1763 (Blackwell, 1992, 1996, 2002 (and 2011 with Anne Lombard) and Pontiac's War: Its Causes, Course and Consequences (Routledge, 2007). He is now an independent writer and scholar.