A Compact History of the Revolutionary War

The Boston Tea Party, Brandywine, Germantown, Bunker Hill, Lexington, Saratoga, Charleston … George Washington, Paul Revere, Daniel Boone, Benedict Arnold…

These are just a handful of the now legendary incidents and battles fought and of the men who waged the war that was the painful birth-pangs of a nation.

The American Revolutionary War, in which the Thirteen Colonies of European settlers demanded independence from Britain between 1775 and 1785, is such an important event in world history that it can be hard to separate myth from fact the further away from the events we get.

But that is the task that military historians R. Ernest Dupuy and Trevor N. Dupuy set themselves on behalf of us all in A Compact History of the American Revolutionary War – to bust the myths that reveal the truth behind the momentous events that saw a rag-tag crowd of reluctant amateurs take on and eventually beat the mighty military power of Britain.

The result of their painstaking study is a fascinatingly detailed account of the unfolding of the war – painting in a background in which Britain rules the waves, lording it over rival European powers, notably France but also Spain, Germany and Holland.

It was the need to raise money for hard-up Britain to continue its burgeoning imperial projects around the globe that led to levying of taxes on the Thirteen Colonies that sparked first indignation and then rebellion which ultimately led to the call for independence – for freedom.

The rest, as they say, is history …

Praise for Trevor N & R Ernest Dupuy

“It is a comprehensive treatment of its subject, covering the good leadership as well as the bad. It is well worth reading for military and civilian alike. Besides this, it is entertaining reading.” – >General Gavin

“Superb...enthralling...highly recommended.” — Library Journal

“Concise, well-written...a wide selection of paintings and photographs and excellent maps...aid in understanding the complexities of strategy and following the action.” — The New York Times

Colonel R. Ernest Dupuy (1887- 1976) was a newspaperman as well as a National Guardsman as a young man. He saw action in both World Wars. He was an artillery battery commander in the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne campaigns. Twenty-five years later, as acting director of the SHAEF public relations division, it was his voice that announced the Normandy landings. After his retirement in 1947, he specialized in writing military history, and authored or co-authored many books on the U.S. Army, West Point, and military affairs.

Colonel Trevor N. Dupuy graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1938, and in World War II spent more combat time in Burma than any other American. Brave Men and Great Captains was the third of fifteen book collaborations between father and son. Since his retirement from the Army in 1958, he devoted himself to writing, to military analysis, to computer simulation, and to lecturing. He has written many books and articles on military history and military affairs.