Book Review: Jefferson's War
America’s First War on Terror (1801-1805)
By: Joseph Wheelan
After Islamic terrorists brought down the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001 our political leaders declared that we were at war with terrorism. Yet many Americans are unaware that the 21st century war on terror is not the first time the United States has gone to war to combat Muslim terrorism. In fact, America’s first war on terrorism was conducted at the dawn of 19th century, when America was but a fledgling nation, dwarfed by the great European empires of the time. Author Joseph Wheelan maps out the so called “Barbary Wars” between America and the North African Barbary States battle by battle and skirmish by skirmish, while exploring the root causes of the conflict in Jefferson’s War: America’s First War on Terrorism (1801-1805).
By the beginning of the American experiment in 1776, the North African Barbary States of Tripoli, Tunis, Algiers, and Morocco were old hands at state sponsored terrorism and were well entrenched as political and military powers in the Mediterranean Sea. For 200 years the Barbary States had preyed on the Christian powers of Europe by raiding coastal towns, pirating trading ships, and extracting protection money. Over time they had convinced the countries of Europe that tribute, bribes, and negotiation were much more palpable than an all-out war in North Africa, especially since the Europeans were usually at war with themselves.
When America became a sovereign country, the Barbary States treated it just like a European power by raiding American shipping and demanding protection money. However, they quickly found out that Americans had little patience for terrorism and tribute. The undoing of the Barbary States began in 1800 when Thomas Jefferson, the man many consider to be a president with pacifist leanings, was inaugurated as America’s third president. It was Jefferson’s determination to destroy the Barbary States militarily that ultimately insured America’s victory.
In Jefferson’s War, Wheelan focuses on the causes of Jefferson’s declaration of war on the Barbary States while also devoting much of his volume to detailing its battles. In the end, American resolve and overwhelming naval power destroyed the Barbary fleets and effectively ended the centuries old threat from North Africa.
Not only did America’s victory in the Barbary War greatly increase the prestige of its military in the eyes of Europe, but the conflict taught America how to wage a distant war by operating from foreign bases, making short-term alliances, and using local troops. In four short years, and with almost no help from the European powers, Thomas Jefferson and the American military conducted a naval war on the other side of the Atlantic that rid the western world of the Muslim scourge that was the Barbary nations.
Interestingly, while not the primary focus of his work, Wheelan considers the similarities between the Barbary War and today’s war on terror. Since both conflicts deal with Muslim use of terror to advocate and support a political agenda, terror prosecuted in the name of “jihad” and America’s decision to repel force by force, readers may find insight into the war on terror conducted today. In Jefferson’s War, Joseph Wheelan reminds everyone of the little known conflict that was America’s first operation against the forces of terrorism. Let us hope that America’s present war on terrorism is as successful as the first.
Any comments or questions can be received at whyyouareaconservative@gmail.com
~ The Conservative Guy
By: Joseph Wheelan
After Islamic terrorists brought down the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001 our political leaders declared that we were at war with terrorism. Yet many Americans are unaware that the 21st century war on terror is not the first time the United States has gone to war to combat Muslim terrorism. In fact, America’s first war on terrorism was conducted at the dawn of 19th century, when America was but a fledgling nation, dwarfed by the great European empires of the time. Author Joseph Wheelan maps out the so called “Barbary Wars” between America and the North African Barbary States battle by battle and skirmish by skirmish, while exploring the root causes of the conflict in Jefferson’s War: America’s First War on Terrorism (1801-1805).
By the beginning of the American experiment in 1776, the North African Barbary States of Tripoli, Tunis, Algiers, and Morocco were old hands at state sponsored terrorism and were well entrenched as political and military powers in the Mediterranean Sea. For 200 years the Barbary States had preyed on the Christian powers of Europe by raiding coastal towns, pirating trading ships, and extracting protection money. Over time they had convinced the countries of Europe that tribute, bribes, and negotiation were much more palpable than an all-out war in North Africa, especially since the Europeans were usually at war with themselves.
When America became a sovereign country, the Barbary States treated it just like a European power by raiding American shipping and demanding protection money. However, they quickly found out that Americans had little patience for terrorism and tribute. The undoing of the Barbary States began in 1800 when Thomas Jefferson, the man many consider to be a president with pacifist leanings, was inaugurated as America’s third president. It was Jefferson’s determination to destroy the Barbary States militarily that ultimately insured America’s victory.
In Jefferson’s War, Wheelan focuses on the causes of Jefferson’s declaration of war on the Barbary States while also devoting much of his volume to detailing its battles. In the end, American resolve and overwhelming naval power destroyed the Barbary fleets and effectively ended the centuries old threat from North Africa.
Not only did America’s victory in the Barbary War greatly increase the prestige of its military in the eyes of Europe, but the conflict taught America how to wage a distant war by operating from foreign bases, making short-term alliances, and using local troops. In four short years, and with almost no help from the European powers, Thomas Jefferson and the American military conducted a naval war on the other side of the Atlantic that rid the western world of the Muslim scourge that was the Barbary nations.
Interestingly, while not the primary focus of his work, Wheelan considers the similarities between the Barbary War and today’s war on terror. Since both conflicts deal with Muslim use of terror to advocate and support a political agenda, terror prosecuted in the name of “jihad” and America’s decision to repel force by force, readers may find insight into the war on terror conducted today. In Jefferson’s War, Joseph Wheelan reminds everyone of the little known conflict that was America’s first operation against the forces of terrorism. Let us hope that America’s present war on terrorism is as successful as the first.
Any comments or questions can be received at whyyouareaconservative@gmail.com
~ The Conservative Guy
posted by The Conservative Guy at
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