Geoffrey Plank interview about his 15th to 19th centuries military history book “Atlantic Wars” (Oxford University Press, 2020)

Geoffrey Plan military historyGeoffrey Plank interview about his 15th to 19th centuries military history book “Atlantic Wars”

Check out this book here   https://amzn.to/3j22eMb

Interview Summary

Geoffrey Plank has been a historian for many years focusing on Nova Scotia, Quakers, and now military history. He’s written an expansive review of warfare across the Atlantic from the 15th to 19th centuries. We talked about this period, the book, and the immense impact the slave trade had on the formation of the nations along the Atlantic seaboard and on warfare.

(THE AUDIO PLAYER IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST.)

0:40 – Geoffrey explains how he ended up writing an expansive book on Atlantic Wars.

2:02 – Geoffrey explains how he organized the book since it covers so much time and countries.

3:16 – Geoffrey talks about warfare at sea.

5:24 – Geoffrey addresses the idea of democracy and piracy.

7:14 – Geoffrey explains why he started the book in the 15th century.

8:53 – Geoffrey explains why he ended the book at the Age of Revolution.

11:37 – Geoffrey addresses the North Africans raiding Europe.

13:17 – Geoffrey talks about the shift to larger sailing vessels.

16:18 – Geoffrey talks about indigenous populations involvement in the Atlantic war at sea.

18:32 – Geoffrey talks about the war on land around the Atlantic basin and the involvement of indigenous populations.

21:27 – Geoffrey talks about the West African coast.

23:11 – Geoffrey talks about military forces in West Africa.

24:11 – Geoffrey talks about the North and South Atlantic.

26:09 – Geoffrey talks about the development of racism in this period.

30:24 – Geoffrey talks about how often whole colonies were evacuated from the New World to the Old. He also addresses the connection between the slave trade and military operations.

34:40 – Geoffrey talks about the meeting between African slaves and indigenous Americans.

36:38 – Geoffrey talks about a millenarian religious movement.

38:40 – Geoffrey talks about how he did his research.

43:09 – Geoffrey talks about including all of North America within the Atlantic World.

45:20 – Geoffrey talks about the importance of military history in the Atlantic World.

47:46 – Geoffrey talks about galleys being used to block forts in the Caribbean.

50:17 – Geoffrey talks about how rough the lives of sailors were in this period.

54:40 – Geoffrey talks about the role of Central and Eastern Europe in the Atlantic World.

Links of interest

https://amzn.to/3j22eMb

https://global.oup.com/academic/product/atlantic-wars-9780190860455?cc=us&lang=en&

Contact Information

For more “Military History Inside Out” please follow me at www.warscholar.org, on Facebook at warscholar, on twitter at Warscholar, on youtube at warscholar and on Instagram @crisalvarezwarscholar. Or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify Please see historyrabbithole.com for a list of my dozen or so blogs and podcasts. You’re sure to find something you like.

Guests: Geoffrey Plank

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: Books, audio interviews, author, academic, podcast, Oxford University Press, age of sail, American history,  General military history, 19th century war, 18th century war, Renaissance warfare, Naval Warfare, Slavery history, native american, indigenous peoples,

Check out this book here   https://amzn.to/3j22eMb

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War of 1812 military history book – “The Papers of James Monroe, Volume 7” – (ABC-CLIO, 2020) – Dan Preston interview

Check out this book here   https://amzn.to/3dIM4ok

Dr. Daniel Preston has spent much of his career compiling and editing the papers of early American Revolution hero and then President James Monroe. We spoke about the latest completed volume of his papers, volume 7, which covers the middle and end of the War of 1812 and then naval expeditions to the North African coast.

1:23 – Dan talks about how he got into studying James Monroe.

2:30 – Dan talks about the War of 1812.

5:16 – Dan talks about US incursions into foreign territory.

6:48 – Dan talks about Monroe’s feelings on the readiness of the US Army in this time.

10:11 – Dan talks about Monroe’s feelings about the War of 1812.

13:20 – Dan talks about what Monroe did as Secretary of War in the fall of 1814.

20:16 – Dan talks about worries that the British would win.

24:58 – Dan talks about the US military and Native Americans.

28:57 – Dan talks about the Native American military threat to the US.

34:37 – Dan talks about the Second Barbary War with Algeria and the South American revolutions.

38:31 – Dan discusses details of the Second Barbary War.

42:14 – Dan talks about the possibility of a US Britain alliance against common enemies.

46:29 – Dan talks about the financial troubles of both the US and Britain and the burning of Washington, DC.

49:56 – Dan goes into detail about the burning of Washington.

51:04 – Dan talks about Monroe’s ideas on defending Washington.

59:43 – Dan talks about the large volume of letters he had to research.

1:02:57 – Dan talks about where the Monroe letters and documents are found.

1:04:35 – Dan talks about President Madison’s cabinet.

1:06:32 – Dan talks about commentaries on the documents

1:09:29 – Dan talks about documents they couldn’t find.

1:10:55 – Dan talks about Monroe’s uncertain birthday.

1:12:43 – Dan’s work and the papers can be found on amazon and on the University of Mary Washington website and by searching “Monroe Papers” or at Academics.umw.edu/jamesmonroepapers.

 

Links of interest

https://amzn.to/3dIM4ok

https://products.abc-clio.com/abc-cliocorporate/product.aspx?pc=B5565C

https://academics.umw.edu/jamesmonroepapers/

For more “Military History Inside Out” please follow me at www.warscholar.org, on Facebook at warscholar, on twitter at Warscholar, on youtube at warscholar1945 and on Instagram @crisalvarezswarscholar. Or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

Guests: Dan Preston

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: military, history, military history, conflict, war, interview, non-fiction book, James Monroe, Jefferson, James Madison, Presidency, Florida, Texas, Virginia, militia, Continental Congress, filibuster, France, Napoleonic Wars, engineers, coastal defenses, British Army, Royal Navy, Chesapeake, Baltimore, Washington, US history, American history, Andrew Jackson, Mobile, New Orleans, Long Island, New England, New York, Henry Dearborn, Canada, Maine, Tennessee Volunteers, Europe, Great Britain, Monroe doctrine, Republicanism, French Revolution, Native Americans, Creeks, Shawnee, Miami, Winnebago, Wyandot, Huron, Algiers War, Spain, Barbary, Libya, Tripoli, Morocco, US Navy, merchant fleet, Mediterranean, American Diplomatic Service, Great Lakes, Michigan, Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York, Patuxent, Alexandria, Stephen Decatur, Oliver Hazard Perry, Library of Congress, New York Public Library, National Archives, Barbary War

Check out this book here   https://amzn.to/3dIM4ok

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.