Almost a Miracle:The American Victory in the War of Independence

The American Victory in the War of Independence

Nonfiction, History, Americas, United States, Colonial Period (1600-1775), Revolutionary Period (1775-1800)
Cover of the book Almost a Miracle:The American Victory in the War of Independence by John Ferling, Oxford University Press, USA
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: John Ferling ISBN: 9780199758470
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA Publication: June 4, 2007
Imprint: Oxford University Press Language: English
Author: John Ferling
ISBN: 9780199758470
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Publication: June 4, 2007
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Language: English

In this gripping chronicle of America's struggle for independence, award-winning historian John Ferling transports readers to the grim realities of that war, capturing an eight-year conflict filled with heroism, suffering, cowardice, betrayal, and fierce dedication. As Ferling demonstrates, it was a war that America came much closer to losing than is now usually remembered. General George Washington put it best when he said that the American victory was "little short of a standing miracle." Almost a Miracle offers an illuminating portrait of America's triumph, offering vivid descriptions of all the major engagements, from the first shots fired on Lexington Green to the surrender of General Cornwallis at Yorktown, revealing how these battles often hinged on intangibles such as leadership under fire, heroism, good fortune, blunders, tenacity, and surprise. The author paints sharp-eyed portraits of the key figures in the war, including General Washington and other American officers and civilian leaders. Some do not always measure up to their iconic reputations, including Washington himself. Others, such as the quirky, acerbic Charles Lee, are seen in a much better light than usual. The book also examines the many faceless men who soldiered, often for years on end, braving untold dangers and enduring abounding miseries. The author explains why they served and sacrificed, and sees them as the forgotten heroes who won American independence. Ferling's narrative is also filled with compassion for the men who comprised the British army and who, like their American counterparts, struggled and died at an astonishing rate in this harsh war. Nor does Ferling ignore the naval war, describing dangerous patrols and grand and dazzling naval actions. Finally, Almost a Miracle takes readers inside the legislative chambers and plush offices of diplomats to reveal countless decisions that altered the course of this war. The story that unfolds is at times a tale of folly, at times one of appalling misinformation and confusion, and now and then one of insightful and dauntless statesmanship.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

In this gripping chronicle of America's struggle for independence, award-winning historian John Ferling transports readers to the grim realities of that war, capturing an eight-year conflict filled with heroism, suffering, cowardice, betrayal, and fierce dedication. As Ferling demonstrates, it was a war that America came much closer to losing than is now usually remembered. General George Washington put it best when he said that the American victory was "little short of a standing miracle." Almost a Miracle offers an illuminating portrait of America's triumph, offering vivid descriptions of all the major engagements, from the first shots fired on Lexington Green to the surrender of General Cornwallis at Yorktown, revealing how these battles often hinged on intangibles such as leadership under fire, heroism, good fortune, blunders, tenacity, and surprise. The author paints sharp-eyed portraits of the key figures in the war, including General Washington and other American officers and civilian leaders. Some do not always measure up to their iconic reputations, including Washington himself. Others, such as the quirky, acerbic Charles Lee, are seen in a much better light than usual. The book also examines the many faceless men who soldiered, often for years on end, braving untold dangers and enduring abounding miseries. The author explains why they served and sacrificed, and sees them as the forgotten heroes who won American independence. Ferling's narrative is also filled with compassion for the men who comprised the British army and who, like their American counterparts, struggled and died at an astonishing rate in this harsh war. Nor does Ferling ignore the naval war, describing dangerous patrols and grand and dazzling naval actions. Finally, Almost a Miracle takes readers inside the legislative chambers and plush offices of diplomats to reveal countless decisions that altered the course of this war. The story that unfolds is at times a tale of folly, at times one of appalling misinformation and confusion, and now and then one of insightful and dauntless statesmanship.

More books from Oxford University Press, USA

Cover of the book The Tibetan Book of the Great Liberation : Or the Method of Realizing Nirvana through Knowing the Mind by John Ferling
Cover of the book Great Games, Local Rules:The New Great Power Contest in Central Asia by John Ferling
Cover of the book The Pope's Daughter : The Extraordinary Life Of Felice Della Rovere by John Ferling
Cover of the book Listening through the Noise : The Aesthetics of Experimental Electronic Music by John Ferling
Cover of the book The Man Behind the Microchip : Robert Noyce and the Invention of Silicon Valley by John Ferling
Cover of the book Friendly Fire : American Images of the Vietnam War by John Ferling
Cover of the book The Casualty Gap : The Causes And Consequences Of American Wartime Inequalities by John Ferling
Cover of the book A Genius for Deception:How Cunning Helped the British Win Two World Wars by John Ferling
Cover of the book Abortion in America : The Origins and Evolution of National Policy by John Ferling
Cover of the book Slapped by the Invisible Hand : The Panic of 2007 by John Ferling
Cover of the book A Cinema of Loneliness by John Ferling
Cover of the book Soul Searching : The Religious And Spiritual Lives Of American Teenagers by John Ferling
Cover of the book Desperate Passage:The Donner Party's Perilous Journey West by John Ferling
Cover of the book Law 101 : Everything You Need To Know About The American Legal System by John Ferling
Cover of the book The Art of Teaching Art : A Guide for Teaching and Learning the Foundations of Drawing-Based Art by John Ferling
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy