Strategy of Protest and Revolution 3: The American Revolution (1763-1775) [16/4/2021]

 

 

 

Hi, and after a long hiatus, welcome to Strategy Stuff. This is the third video on “The Strategy of Protest and Revolution”, where we’ll look at how ordinary revolutionary and protest movements win against establishments with the state’s power at their fingertips. In particular, we’ll focus on the following questions:

 

                - How do activists turn public discontent into a coordinated movement?

                - What do successful movements do to achieve their goals?

                - And how have successful strategies changed over time?

 

To answer them, today, we’ll be looking at the American Revolution from 1763 to 1775.

 

The Naval Strategy of Alfred Thayer Mahan (12/04/2019)

The Naval Strategy of Alfred Thayer Mahan

November, 1873. The Virginius, an American ship smuggling arms to Cubans rebelling against Spain, is captured by a Spanish warship in open waters. Ignoring American protests, Spain declares the crew pirates, and swiftly executes them.

The American public demands revenge. But Washington faces an inconvenient fact: the US no longer has a ship that can defeat an ironclad on the high seas – and Spain has four. War would only place US shipping and even the US coast in dire peril.

The Virginius Affair will not only expose the US’ naval impotence, but also raises an unsettling possibility: what if a future enemy targets not just smugglers, but every US ship at sea? What will happen to the US if it is boxed within its own shores?

US Strategy in Latin America, 1939 – 1949 (24/03/2019)

US Strategy in Latin America, 1939 – 1949

Introduction

This video will be about US strategy towards Latin America from 1939 to 1949, covering policy towards the Caribbean and South America during the ‘Good Neighbor’ Era and World War II. To prepare this side theater for the broader conflict, the US made use of a host of policy instruments: not just traditional political-military power, but geoeconomic and cultural diplomacy as well.

Union Strategy During the American Civil War, 1861-1865 (18/05/2017)

Union Strategy During the American Civil War

This video is about the strategies the Union adopted during the American Civil War of 1861-1865, how they evolved, and how they ultimately brought about victory over the Confederate States.