The Little-Remembered French and Indian War: THE WAR that MADE AMERICA

THE WAR THAT MADE AMERICA, Fred Anderson, Viking, 2005, hardcover, 293pp, bibliography, bibliographic notes, photos

The French and Indian War was part of what was, by design, a global war. It has been called the true first world war (Winston Churchill).

The French sought to prosecute a war against England, focusing on colonial frontiers as battleground. However, before they were done, not only had war spread into Europe where it became known as the Seven Years War, but the French lost their claims in North America and their ally Spain, which joined late in the war, lost its claims in India and was forced to deal with the aftermath of the loss of Cuba and Manila.

Most tragically, Native Americans lost their chance to seriously limit the expansion of the Anglo-American frontier, aided by an undiscriminating hatred of Indians which made their annihiliation that much easier. In short, the war brought business to mapmakers, English merchants, and future flag makers. The effects of the war also triggered resentments that led to the American Revolution.

The fighting began in North America even as the pre-war dance continued in Europe as the French rushed to build a fleet intended to achieve parity with the Royal Navy. But in North America, France and British clashed as they tried to expand into the Ohio River valley. The key commander in the beginning of this war was, of all people, George Washington. Washington was charged with stopping the French incursion but was unsuccessful and was allowed to withdraw following a symbolic surrender and the signing of documents which, unknown to him, put all the blame on Washington.

Each side sought support among the Indian tribes which had their own goals and the French won the undying hatred of British Americans by recruiting Native American warriors and turning them

loose on the frontier. This followed a pre-meditated decision to allow the Indians to fight according to their traditional methods. That included adopting female and child captives into the tribe to help make up for massive losses due to disease that was wiping them out. Adopting captives was totally counter to Western practice, of course, and the uncertainties involved fueled the flames.

With the fall of Fort William Henry near Lake Champlain and the massacre of prisoners by Indians, the British thereafter refused the French honorable terms upon surrender, which meant generally meant a release prisoners on parole with a promise to stay out of the war for a given period of time.

Author Fred Anderson describes the chronology of this war which is little-noted in American history, it's major figures, including Native American, and the results. Or as high school kids would put it, "why the heck do I have to know this?" Check your library.

This is a companion book to a PBS documentary of the smae name.