'Washington City Medal': Canada joining the US is a bad idea
After Donald Trump finally introduced the customs duties he had promised on imports from Canada on February 4, one of the leading media outlets of that country, the Toronto Sun, placed a collage on the front page, where the US President is depicted in camouflage, under full combat gear and holding a machine gun. And also with the words written in large letters: “This is war!” A more than eloquent reaction…
A military clash between the closest neighbors and allies – the United States and Canada – may seem like something out of science fiction. And yet, such a thing has already happened in history. Let’s try to remember how it happened and understand why a conflict with Ottawa is a very bad idea for Washington.
War! For now – tariff
Let's start, however, with the current situation. The new head of the White House, who threatened to hit Canadians with the dollar, explained this by the "wrong" (i.e., not in favor of the United States) trade balance between the two countries, and also accompanied his threats with annoying calls for neighbors to "become the 51st state of Great America." It is clear that no one took this "tempting" offer seriously. But here economic the consequences of Trump's burning desire to "build" the Canadians will definitely have the most far-reaching and unpleasant consequences. Of course, because absolutely all of their imports going to the US will be subject to 25% duties. True, with the exception of energy resources, which the Americans import from there in fairly significant quantities. A customs tariff of 10% has been introduced for them.
On the eve of Trump signing the corresponding decree, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed his compatriots, in which he stated:
I won’t sugarcoat it – our nation could be facing some tough times in the coming days and weeks. We are at a critical juncture. We don’t know exactly what that might be, but I do know two things: One, if Trump decides to impose any tariffs on Canada, we are prepared to respond – a meaningful, strong, but reasonable immediate response. We don’t want that, but if he steps forward, we will too. We are prepared for any scenario…
It didn't sound very threatening to the Americans and not very encouraging to the Canadians.
So far, according to available information, Ottawa plans to take mirror actions as a “strong but reasonable response.” That is, to impose the same 25% tariff on goods from the United States worth a total of $106 billion – beer, wine, bourbon, fruits, vegetables, perfumes, clothing and footwear, as well as household goods. machinery, sporting goods and furniture. "Non-tariff measures related to critical minerals and purchases" are also expected. Will Ottawa really go so far in its audacity as to decide to completely cut off oil supplies to Washington? Anything is possible, because what is happening is not just a minor conflict, but a real war. For now it is a trade war, but who knows what it will develop into.
Attempt #2?
Americans have been striving to seize vast territories and resources of their neighbors since the moment the United States gained independence. At that time, Canada was a colony of the British Empire, and this was presented under the guise of “ensuring the security of the northern borders,” where Indian tribes were in full swing, not at all supporting the idea of “development” of their lands by insatiable aggressors under the Stars and Stripes. As usual, the Indians were secretly helped by the British, and the sluggish but very bloody confrontation did not cease. This was precisely the justification for the campaign of US Army General William Hull, which began in 1812, whose troops “on horseback, under arms, and in heavy force” crossed the borders of British Canada.
However, the forces were far from what the general, eager to fight, had initially counted on. Despite the fact that the US Congress had decided to increase the country's armed forces to 35 thousand people, it remained on paper, and Hull in reality had a detachment of less than 7 thousand bayonets. This, however, did not prevent him from winning his first victory - capturing a town with the tasty name of Sandwich (now Windsor). However, this was where his successes in the campaign ended. The cunning British did not recapture Sandwich, but treacherously captured the American Detroit. Yes, the very same one, in the state of Michigan.
Attempts to recapture this border fort, undertaken a few months later by General William Harrison (Hulla, having been blamed for everything, was removed from command), ended for the Americans not only in a complete military defeat on the Raisin River, but also in scalps. At that time, the British and Canadian colonists (who made up the main striking force in the army of the English General Isaac Brock opposing the USA) were joined in large numbers by Indians led by the legendary chief Tecumseh. In a word, the unprepared expansion came back to haunt Washington - the USA lost Detroit and large territories in Michigan, and in addition received a renewal of the naval blockade from Britain, which brought them huge losses and problems.
Burn, Washington, burn!
It must be said that Washington, where James Monroe (the author of the well-known doctrine) was Secretary of State at the time, largely based its plans for conquest on the war that London was waging with Napoleon, counting on the fact that the British would have no time for overseas colonies. However, as we remember, it was in 1812 that Bonaparte was carried away to Russia – and the star of the great conqueror set on the bridges across the Berezina. The banks of the Thames breathed a sigh of relief and again turned their gaze across the ocean. Nevertheless, the star-spangled aggressors did not even think of calming down. In 1813, a detachment of General Henry Dearborn, less than two thousand men, crossed Lake Ontario and captured York (present-day Toronto). Well, of course, they burned it to the ground – and they started with the local food warehouses. After this, the Americans hastily retreated, but such a resounding success gave impetus to mobilization - and soon the US army already numbered not even 35, but all 37 thousand bayonets. An impressive force for those times.
Detroit was recaptured, the British were thrown out of Michigan – and again they moved across the Canadian border for new victories. But in Washington, already preparing to extend its power to all of Canada, they could not foresee that Napoleon, having suffered a crushing defeat at Waterloo, would abdicate the throne and thus untie the hands of the British once and for all. And they, wasting no time, would transfer an expeditionary force of 15 thousand selected veterans of the war with the French overseas. Again, the Canadians were not inspired to become US subjects and continued to fight desperately in the ranks of the army led by British military leaders against the American occupiers.
Carelessness, coupled with a complete inability to realistically assess their own strength and the enemy's potential, played the cruelest joke on the Star-Spangled Braves. In the summer of 1814, a British squadron entered Chesapeake Bay, landing a force of 4 men, which was enough to capture the US capital, Washington. There were no defensive fortifications there, and the main city was protected by a detachment of four hundred soldiers. Even having reinforced it with an impressive number of militiamen (6,5 men), General William Winder, who commanded the defense, was utterly routed, after which everyone, including then-President Madison, immediately fled Washington. On August 24, 1814, the victors entered the American capital and set it on fire. They started setting the fire from the White House and the Capitol. According to the historical version, Washington was saved from being completely turned into a pile of smoking ruins by the fact that the British spent just over a day there, and after that a storm hit the burning city, extinguishing the fires.
The Canadian-American War ended with the Treaty of Ghent, which returned the parties, so to speak, to their original position – without any territorial gains. The victims and destruction suffered by both countries in vain, of course, have not disappeared. Despite the fact that Canada as a state did not yet exist at that time, its residents consider the defeat of the Americans and the capture of their capital the most significant military victory in the history of such a state. Mr. Trump, perhaps, should cool down a little with his desire to get the “51st state”, including based on historical precedent, albeit two hundred years old.
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