New Delhi: US President-elect Donald Trump has shared a new map of the United States which shows Canada as one its territory, specifically as the 51st state of the country. Also, Trump has threatened to use “economic force” to absorb Canada into the US. He reiterated that he intends to put “substantial” tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico. While addressing his concerns over US military assistance and trade deficits with its northern neighbour, Trump said that absorbing Canada into the US “would really be something”. However, this is not the first time that the US has aimed to make Canada a part of its territory. It tried something like this more than 200 years ago, and failed miserably.
When the US wanted to annex Canada
The United States, in June 1812, declared war on Great Britain due to several grievances including the removal of sailors from the American merchant ships and engaging them in the British Navy. The US was also miffed with the steps to halt its trade with Napoleonic France and with the fact that Britain supported the unrest among the Native Americans. Following the declaration of war on Great Britain, the then-US President James Madison gave his approval for the invasion of Canada.
To the Americans, the proposed invasion of Canada appeared to be a cakewalk. While Thomas Jefferson, the former US President said that the troops merely had to march to invade Quebec, Henry Clay, Speaker of the House said that Upper Canada and Montreal would be captured with utmost ease. Earlier, the US troops had marched to the Quebec city during the American Revolutionary War in 1775 but they were defeated. By 1812, the US was once again looking to invade Canada. At that time, US had around 7.5 million people while Canada had only about 500,000 people.
Despite having a numerically superior population, the US had only around 12,000 men in its army. On top of that, the Great Lakes were controlled by the British which enabled them to better move troops and supplies. Moreover, the Canadians did not at all welcome the Americans as their liberators and the Native American tribes were also against the US due to their expansionist policy.
The unsuccessful invasion of Canada
The US was terribly underprepared and to make matters worse, the British found about the plan of US General William Hull who assembled about 2,000 men and led them to Detroit to attack the nearby Fort Malden in Upper Canada. The US Army found itself in more trouble when 200 Ohio militiamen refused to leave the American territory.
Nevertheless, Hull took his men into Canada and on July 12, 1812, and proclaimed themselves as ‘liberators’ who would free the people in the country from oppression and tyranny. Hull briefly laid siege to Fort Malden but was forced to withdraw soon after his supply train was intercepted. British commander Isaac Brock not only chased the US troops back to America, but also prepared a fake document saying that a large number of Native Americans were marching to Detroit and also mentioned to Hull that the Native Americans could not be controlled after the fighting began. Hull was intimated, and he surrendered his entire army in August.
US General Stephen Van Rensselaer decided to invade Canada in October by attacking Queenston Heights. However, this plan also failed after New York militiamen refused to leave the US land and help them. In November, US General Henry Dearborn led at least 6,000 troops from Albany to Plattsburgh in New York to invade Canada. But this also failed after his men refused to leave the US. They had to retreat without ever entering Canada.
In 1813, the US tried to capture Canada with an improved army, navy and new military commanders. It took control of Fort George and Detroit, and also captured York (now known as Toronto). However, the US troops failed in Montreal and the tide of the war turned again, with the Americans pushed back to their country. In 1814, after some more fighting, the last of US troops left Canada. Since then, the US and the Canadian armies have not fought against each other.
Donald Trump’s recent threat to annex Canada echoes a historical attempt over 200 years ago. In 1812, the US launched a disastrous invasion, hampered by poor planning, insufficient troops, and a lack of Canadian support. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
