The French and Indian War: Deciding the Fate of North America

by Walter R. Borneman

In the summer of 1754, deep in the wilderness of western Pennsylvania, a very young George Washington suffered his first military defeat, and a centuries-old feud between Great Britain and France was rekindled. The war that followed would decide the fate of the entire North American continent—not just between Great Britain and France, but for the Spanish and Native Americans as well. Fought across virgin wilderness, from Nova Scotia to the forks of the Ohio River, the French and Indian War is best remembered for dogged frontier campaigns to capture such strategic linchpins as Forts Ticonderoga, Duquesne, and Niagara; legendary treks by Rogers' Rangers; and the momentous battle of Quebec on the Plains of Abraham. Here are the stories of Jeffery Amherst, the loyal soldier who did his king's bidding at the expense of his home and family; the marquis de Montcalm, Canada's champion who had to fight his own governor as well as the British; and William Pitt, the man who brashly proclaimed that only he could save England. We also encounter George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, William Shirley, Edward Braddock, and, of course, Major Robert Rogers, a legend misunderstood who stands both revered and damned. Against the backdrop of Fortress Louisbourg in Nova Scotia, the forests surrounding Lake George in upstate New York, the Caribbean, and the fall of Quebec, Borneman poses interesting what-if questions, examining controversies that continue to this Did the dashing Brigadier General James Wolfe frantically wave his hat to signal retreat or to urge his troops onward to victory? What if Spain had come to the aid of France sooner? What if the affable Lord Howe had lived? The French and Indian Deciding the Fate of North America presents the triumphs and tragedies of this epic struggle for a continent, placing them in the larger context of France and Great Britain's global conflict—what Samuel Eliot Morison called truly the first world war—and emphasizes that the seeds of discord sown in its aftermath would give root to the American Revolution.

Genres: History, American History, Nonfiction, Military History, War, Military Fiction, American Revolution

360 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Walter R. Borneman, b.1952, an American historian and lawyer, is the author of well-known popular books on 18th and 19th century United States history. He received his B.A. in 1974 from Western State College of Colorado, and received an M.A. in history there in 1975 for a thesis on "Irwin : silver camp of the Ruby Mountains"; in 1981 he received a law degree from the University of Denver, and practiced law. His latest book, published in May 2012, is The Admirals Nimitz, Halsey, Leahy, and King--the 5-star Admirals Who Won the War at Sea.
wikipedia

Reviews

[Breck Baumann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfectly concise and informative, this is a fantastic history of the Seven Years' War in North America for the student of history or newcomer to this period. Split into three parts, the book aptly covers several conflicts leading up to this "first world war," including King William's War, Queen Anne's, and the humorously coined War of Jenkins' Ear. A cast of characters is related and returned to by Borneman superbly throughout his work—where well-researched backgrounds, exploits, conversations, and personalities that clash and compromise during the French & Indian War involve the likes of Pitt, Rogers, Montcalm, Wolfe, Pontiac, and Amherst among many other names to be remembered. Each battle and turning point is significant and harrowing in detail, with numerous chapter breaks and maps to help understand and familiarize with the casualties, terrain, warfare, and specific parties involved. Borneman's history easily places high on the list for those interested in a North American perspective of this global struggle.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Narrative history at its most entertaining - also at its lightest. Borneman has a great gift for narrative, for telling a story. He holds the reader's interest - the pages fly by - and he tells us much about the French and Indian War. He places this conflict in its world-wide context, not limiting it to the familiar events in North America, but detailing often neglected battles, ones in far off quarters of the world, such as the British capture of Manila. He even includes, as a bonus follow up, a brief account of "Pontiac's Conspiracy". But strangely this is not a comprehensive history of the war. He completely neglects, or severely slights, everything that can be considered controversial - everything that could possibly perturb a complacent patriotism. For example, nothing is said about Washington's second trip to the Forks of the Ohio - nothing at all about his unprovoked attack on the French, about the mistreatment of the bodies of the French dead by his Native American allies, nothing about the circumstances of his later defeat at Fort Necessity, nor about his admission of war guilt in the subsequent surrender document. Other historians treat this in great detail, regarding these actions as the precipitating cause of the war. Bornement just omits it. And his treatment of Native Americans, not just in this event but throughout the war, is peculiarly "spotty". He only details their participation in the conflict when they are part of a European force. The entire border war is ignored - the war of small Indian war parties attacking isolated farms and settlements, as well as the colonists' indiscriminate attacks on even peaceful natives, e.g. on the "Moravian Indians". One wonders if this omission is the result of his unwillingness to confront the reader's previous prejudices of Native Americans - no matter whether the prejudice is that they are blood-thirsty savages or alternatively are noble victims of the white man's genocidal greed. Nothing is said to challenge either view. Other events that might darken the story of a noble war, of heroic men struggling to win a continent, are passed over in silence. The deportation of the Arcadians, the "ethnic cleansing of Nova Scotia, receives only scant mention. Nothing is allowed to be written that might raise doubts about American exceptionalism, about Divine Providence shaping the outcome - nothing that could possibly be considered "unpatriotic". This book, while highly entertaining and full of dramatic tales, is just escapist history.

[David Eppenstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

I guess like many Americans what little I know of this war has to do with the events that occurred on American soil. However, even regarding those events my knowledge is limited. This informative book cured all my deficiencies in satisfactory fashion. I have read other books by this author and he has yet to fail in producing a thoroughly researched and enjoyable treatment of his subject. This book continues my enjoyment and my enlightenment. It would appear that this war does not get the respect that it deserves not only in our history but in world history as it was this war that resulted in the British Empire's creation. It was also the expense of this war and England's ill considered attempts to pay for it that sowed the seeds of revolution in the American colonies. Further, like the Mexican War nearly a century later, this war was a training ground for the leaders of the armies and navy that would fight each other in the revolution to come. The real tragedy of this war seems to be that there was a great deal to be learned from the experience but wasn't. Isn't that why we continue to have wars even to this day?

[Jay Schutt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 4.5 star book. Well-researched and well-written. The French and Indian War was the precursor to the American revolution. This book went into detail of this little known global war and showed how Great Britain became the British Empire. A must read for early American history readers.

[John Bohnert · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting account of the French & Indian War.

[Todd Price · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a brief history of the French and Indian War, Borneman offers succinct analysis of the mid 18th Century conflict waged largely between Great Britain and France. He provides excellent overall strategic and political analysis from both London and Paris, but relates sufficient details about various campaigns and battles throughout the war. Borneman is to be particularly lauded for his identification of British naval supremacy as the greatest strategic advantage that ultimately won that nation a victory over the French. Easy to read and informative.

However, his editorializing is an unfortunate addition. His assessments are both distracting and unwelcome, as they muddy an otherwise well written account of the French and Indian War. Borneman apparently finds a lack of competence among virtually all major political and military leaders from both sides. No one is spared, from the romanticized sacrifice of Wolfe and Montcalm at Quebec in 1759, to monarchs George II of England and Louis XV of France, to frontier heroes like Robert Rogers, virtually no one escapes Borneman’s scathing treatment. William Pitt seems to be the only major character of the conflict in which Borneman finds any redeeming qualities. This isn’t necessarily without justification, but the lens feels decidedly negative throughout, casting Borneman in the light of an armchair general, harshly judging the actions of individuals from the benefit of over two and a half centuries of hindsight.

Refreshingly, Borneman does positively portray Native Americans. Rather than casting them as background actors with little consequential influence on the greater conflict, he attempts to explore the complicated world of tribal politics and accurately relates their influence on campaigns waged in mostly virgin wilderness. However, even here Borneman missteps. While Sir William Johnson’s influence among the Haudenosaunee(Iroquois) has been somewhat overstated, Borneman unnecessarily demonizes Johnson as a largely inept poltroon. Despite this, he then later walks back those comments when relating Johnson’s involvement in holding the Haudenosaunee out of full participation in Pontiac’s War. On page 193 “Although Johnson was always inclined to overstate his personal value”(related to relations between Britain and the Haudenosaunee. However, on page 283 “the Six Nations…remained friendly to the British only because of the influence of Sir William Johnson”.

My critique of Borneman’s style is likely hypersensitive. Overall, he has written an excellent account of the French and Indian War. His inclusion of action in the Caribbean, the costal waters of Europe, Africa, India, and the Philippines was highly enjoyable, as most historians have focused exclusively on events in North America.

[Doreen Petersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting read about the early history of North America and the prelude to the American Revolution.

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me this book was interesting as it explored the war between England and France on the continent of North America that involved both Canadian and American landscapes today. It’s not far to wonder how significant the outcome of this war was for the future of the continent. The author’s style was authoritative, measured, and easy to read. Though not the most engaging, it was also not exhaustive either as the narrative flows comfortably.

[John Tepper Marlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The past two weeks in Florida I found a book to read I recommend highly to anyone interested in the origins of the British Empire and the United States of America.

Walter Borneman's 2006 book, published by HarperCollins, shows above all how the British managed to drive the French out of North America - and along with them, eventually, the Spanish and the Native Americans whom they called Indians.

So long as the French were a threat, the American colonies were dependent on the British military to defend them. Ironically, by driving out the French, the British Government under the prime ministership of Pitt the Elder was making possible the independence of their colonies.

Pitt himself would not have minded this outcome of his efforts. He was a fierce devotee of the colonies and vigorously opposed the Stamp Act in 1766 ("The Americans are the sons, not the bastards of England.), argued for removing British troops from Boston and deplored the attitude toward the colonies of Lord North. (Both Pitt and North attended Trinity College, Oxford but they are judged very differently by history.) Although Pitt never set foot in America, he wished not long before his death that he were ten years younger so that he could
spend the remainder of my days in America, which has already given the most brilliant proofs of its independent spirit. (Borneman, p. 305, citing J. C. Long's 1940 book on Pitt.)

Borneman, who lives in Colorado, has previously written about the War of 1812. He shows that George II was wrapped up in keeping his "prized possession," Hanover. The king sent his "most treasured son", the duke of Cumberland, to defend Hanover, but the duke was surrounded by the French at Hastenbeck in Germany, and was forced to surrender Hanover to the French. Cumberland escaped with the help of Colonel Jeffrey Amherst, and on his return to Britain "resigned his military offices in disgrace".

Borneman provides highly surprisingly readable (given the amount of detail involved) summaries of the different battles in North American, showing how the outcome of battles hinged on the strategic sense of commanders, and the importance of small numbers of savvy soldiers. He portrays Pontiac as an able military commander but questions how important he was as a leader of the Iroquois or other tribes. At numerous points he suggests that the early allegiance of different tribes to the British was based on lavish gifts, and to the French was based on the comfortable laissez-faire relationship that the French had with their Indian allies.

What the British had going for them is that they brought their women with them and built families. They increased and multiplied. The French came as traders and went home. The imbalance of population meant that the British were favored in the contest between British and French.

In the end, the French and Indian wars - what the Europeans called the Seven Years War - left Europe pretty much the way it started. But it made Britain lord of North America, and along the way established the British Navy as preeminent, and created bases for the British - for example, in India - that became the cornerstones of the British Empire. Pitt, and not George II, understood what was going to be important in the decades ahead.

The problem for the British after the dust settled is that the wars were costly and had to paid for and, many thought, why not make the colonies pay for their own defense? The Stamp Act imposed duties on imported goods. To which Benjamin Franklin suggested that the new fashion would be "to wear their old clothes over again." Pitt in 1766 succeeded in having it repealed. The Quartering Act billeted British soldiers on the homes of American colonists and the New York legislature voted to nullify it. The British were "aghast".

George III was "contemptuous" of the colonials. Pitt's chancellor of the exchequer, Charles Townsend, seeing Pitt ailing, moved ahead to do the king's bidding and imposed new taxes on imports into the colonies of glass, lead, paints, paper and... tea.

The last straw was the "Intolerable Acts", of which the Quebec Act of 1774 appears to Borneman as the most significant. It granted territory north of the Ohio river to the British colony at Quebec. George Washington had claimed these lands for Virginia in 1753 and in 1763 they were nominally marked as an Indian reserve, while several states had their eye on them for purposes of westward expansion. The Acts also enacted reprisals for the dumping of tea in Boston Harbor.
All this came to a head on April 18, in 1775, when two lanterns were hung in the steeple of Boston's old North Church and their beams sent messengers riding toward Lexington and Concord.

This is a fascinating book and its 400 pages read like a thriller.

[Jerome Otte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like most Americans, I knew little about the French & Indian war and viewed it solely as a sort of hazy backdrop to the American Revolution. I had read Crucible of War: The Seven Years' War and the Fate of Empire in British North America, 1754-1766, which lacks a military history-style focus but was still quite good. I also enjoyed Borneman’s book on the War of 1812, so I figured I would enjoy this book as well.

Borneman writes with a light but engaging style (although he is a fan of the exclamation point, be warned) and a well-paced narrative, and he evinces a thorough understanding of the subject matter. The book’s main emphasis is on the American theater of the Seven Years’ War, and the European theater is covered only insofar that it impacts the war in America (actually, the only such battles covered are Minorca and Quiberon Bay). However Borneman also provides good coverage of the Caribbean, Manila, and India, albeit only how it relates to William Pitt’s global strategy.

Still, Borneman provides excellent insight into the various battles that did take place in North America such as Louisburg, Oswego, Monongehala, fort Duquesne, Fort Frontenac, and Quebec. He also critiques the military tactics of the British and French, who often wanted to add a sort of European “civilty” to the savagery of combat in the North American wilderness. I felt that Borneman was a little harsh with General Abercrombie. While he may have deserved some rebuke for stretching what was supposed to be a two-hour march into a two-day affair before attacking Ticonderoga and for sending an inexperienced junior officer to reconnoiter the French lines, I think it’s too harsh to blame him for not being able to emplace artillery on Mount Defiance.

Borneman also brings to life the personalities of the war: Washington, Montcalm, Wolfe, Howe, Braddock, Pontiac and others. He spends considerable time with the famed Robert Rogers (and his fabled rangers), giving credit where it’s due but also peeling away layers of legend and chronicling the man’s weaknesses. The author also gives much attention to the ambitious William Pitt, who recognized more than any other the significance of what was happening across the Atlantic. Like many other accounts, though, Borneman focuses on the English participants.

In all, a great book on the American theater of the Seven Years’ war.

[Theresa Leone Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I most enjoyed about this book was that most of the historical events are told in narrative fashion, like they are a story, and not just a dry chronology of events. Borneman is a good writer and by writing the information this way the book is engrossing. And I love history, but when it is told broadly, as in this book: it is not just how the US, in its infancy, when it was just the colonies, or even just North America, was affected by the conflicts leading up to and including the French and Indian War, but what specifically was going on between Great Britain and France at the time that drove so much of what happened in the colonies. For all of this, the book gets four, maybe four and a half stars. If there was one drawback, it might be that some of the more far flung battles were a little too detailed, for me anyway. Nevertheless, I definitely recommend this!

[Corey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big history fan but despite this have read few comprehensive books on this conflict that was the precursor to the American Revolution. The writing is well done and entertaining enough to keep interest and I thought the author masterful in ensuring that it was understood that France and England faced off in other areas of the globe during this time period and how this changed the face of the world. All of this is accomplished without being overly verbose and while there are some necessarily "dry" parts of this book I found it to be very good overall!

[Bob Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this read. The French and Indian War is not understood well by many but it was key to the modern world that we know (and directly led to the Revolutionary War). For me, I enjoyed reading about General Forbes and the great Forbes Road from central PA to Pittsburgh. Forbes Road and Fort Loudon are near my home town. Cool to understand the context of this in the larger conflict

[Jeffbeardsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The reason I chose to read this book; 1st and foremost because it's author is Walter Borneman and secondarily it a little known or understood 9 year are in America that reaped loads if information about the British, the French and Americans that lead to the American Revolution.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

We will call this 4.5 stars, rounded up simply because it is a great introduction to the French and Indian War.

After spending a little over a year and a half reading about the American Revolution, I decided to look a little further back in American history to the French and Indian War, and this book was a great first pick.

It did a great job of not assuming I already knew everything about everyone involved. It explained allegiances and prejudices very well. It even helped to dispel some previously believed myths.

My only issue was, after a while, even with note-taking, I kept losing in the narrative who was fighting on which side and needing to stop reading to flip back and look it up. Other times, names were dropped entirely and we simply got “French” and “British” in their place. When I needed countries, I got none; and when I wanted names, they weren’t listed. 🤷🏻‍♀️ All in all, a fantastic read, and I look forward to learning more about this war.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written and easy to read story of the wars here on North America and their connections to the Seven Years War which was global in scope. Contains good lead-ins to the war, and a short analysis of how it led to the American Revolution.

Very glad I read it. Was available on Hoopla from my library.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A look at the global forces at work in this struggle, ie, war in Europe, the royal successions that led to major changes in alliances, and the relative value of the Carib islands vs Canada. Of course, the author relates the issues with the colonies and the Indian tribes and their changing allegiances in the battle for supremacy in North America. All this preparatory to the efforts by the British to replenish the coffers via a series of tax laws that led to the Revolutionary War.
Very comprehensive depiction of the state of the Western world and the empire aspirations of the European countries.

[Rena Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started this book, I thought, Oh great, another French and Indian War history, but it's giving me new insight into the French stance on the war. Borneman is fleshing out the French interests in colonial America, and their efforts to colonize and make a strong stand here, while maintaining their war with England in Europe at the same time.

There are lagging parts, but overall, I'm learning a lot of French perspective. It also explains the uprising that is always defined as Pontiac's War, about the best of any history of this period I've read.

[Nathan Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must say that as someone who reads a fair amount about the French & Indian War that there was not a great deal of new information here.  Where this book did excel was in looking at the scope of the careers of people like Robert Rogers, whose rangers have received a great deal of hype in many historical accounts and whose behavior was questionable to say the least and seldom effective when it came to pitched battles.  While many of the stories the author tells are somewhat familiar, and while the facts of the war, including the disastrous start, glorious finish, and troubling aftermath, are very familiar to many readers (especially those of us who have family connections to the areas where the war was fought), this book does a good job at putting the war in a larger context and in pointing out that the failure to put the war in its larger context is part of what made the war so disastrous for France and, later on, Spain.  The author does a good job at noting the importance of the French & Indian War in deciding the fate of North America, so this can be considered a mission accomplished for a competent historian.

After an introduction that explains why the author chose to write a book about this particular subject and some interesting features including a list of "key players" in the French & Indian War, the author begins by discussing colliding empires (I) with the period of temporary peace that followed the War Of Austrian Succession/King George's War in 1748 (1), where ambitions over Ohio immediately became more problematic (2) and where competition among various colonial powers doomed attempts at unity in Albany in 1754 (3), the defeat of Braddock's army (4), and Pitt's belief that he could save England alone (5).  The author then turns to Mr. Pitt's global war from 1757 to 1760 (II), beginning with the massacre at Ft. William Henry and a general sense of stalemate (6), the weakness of New France due to its logistical problems (7), the defeat at Ticonderoga (8), Bradstreet's logistical success in raiding a key French fort (9), the invasion of Forbes to conquer Ft. Duquesne (10), the successful Caribbean gambit that took over numerous sugar islands (11), the falling dominoes of French fortresses unable to keep fed (12), the seeming battle for a continent in Quebec (13), the making of the legend of Wolfe (14), and the decision of the fate of Canada in Montreal (15).  The author then closes with a look at the prelude to the American Revolution (III) in the efforts to take over all of the French forts (16), further British successes from the Caribbean to the Philippines (17), the peace treaty made in Paris (18), the unresolved matters of native American hostility to British control and a lack of gifts (19), and the rising unhappiness in the American colonies over taxation and settlement issues (20).

Like many books on the subject, this particular one captures a few of the key problems in understanding the context of the French & Indian War.  For one, the desire of glory for France on the continent left their empire to wither on the vine.  Similarly, the success of Great Britain in using its naval dominance to increase its empire led it to underestimate the need for support for imperialism and centralization within its settler colonies, which led to the American Revolution rather predictably.  Although like many other books this particular volume focuses on the war in North America, it does a good job in not only focusing on the battles and the tactical matters but in the importance of diplomacy, in the vital importance of logistics and naval power, and in the political will to win that must be found within nations in order to win the sort of global war that began in the backwoods of western Pennsylvania where I spent my first few years of life.  The book shortchanges neither the planners and political and military moves and shakers or the people on the ground, be they native Americans or French planters in the Caribbean who had to maneuver in the complicated world of imperial rivalry.

[Jim Mann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Seven Years War -- the North American part of it called the French and Indian War -- could be called the real First World War. It was fought in Europe, North America, the Caribbean, India, and the Philippines. It pitted Britain, which in Europe was allied with Fredrick the Great's Prussia -- against France, which was allied with Austria and, late in the war, Spain. It was the war that changed Great Britain from a country with a few colonies and mostly concentrated on trade into the British Empire, but at the same time sowing the seeds for losing most of its colonies in North America. Before the war, France had c0ntrol of much of North America; after the war, it kept holding in the Caribbean, but lost those on the continent.

The war is particularly important to me as a native of Pittsburgh, as the roots of the war really are here, in a dispute between the French and the British over who had rights to the lands around the Ohio, including the so-called Forks of the Ohio, where the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers meet to form the Ohio, the site of present-day Pittsburgh. It's here that George Washington first made a name for himself, though mostly for leading gallant retreats. And it's here that several battles over Fort Duquesne, renamed as Fort Pitt, became major parts of a war that was fought over the land between the Atlantic Ocean and as far west as present-day Michigan and Illinois.

The "Indian" part of the name of the French and Indian War is because many of the tribes allied themselves with one side or the other (sometimes switching alliances along the way). This also set the stage for brutal future encounters between the European settlers and native tribes.

While I knew the details of the parts of the war fought around Pittsburgh, having toured the remains of Fort Pitt many times and visited the museum there, and having visited George Washington's Fort Necessity many years ago on a high school field trip, I knew little of the rest of the war. Boreneman's book provides a nice overview of the war, delving into causes, actions, and the people involved. It's a relatively short book (just a bit over 300 pages) it works well as a good introduction to the subject. I now know enough to determine what other part of the war I might want to read about in more detail.

Recommended.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose to read this book because in my previous reading about the American Revolution I kept wondering the same question & none of what I had read really addressed it. That is: "Why is the US the US and Canada Canada?" -- why didn't the British colonies of Canada join the revolution? To figure that out I needed to learn more about what had happened previous to revolution. And while I still feel like I would like more information, I think that I picked the right book to start understanding.

This is a very good overview book of the French & Indian war, which preceded the Revolution. Borneman takes care to address the global war that it was a part of (7 Years War) and the links into the future (American Revolution). After I had finished the book, I felt like though it had not directly addressed my question, it had given me insight into it; then I read the appendices and found a short one titled "Why didn't Quebec Become the Fourteenth Colony?" obviously, I was pleased! There was also a little section on women during the war, which I appreciated, since women were very absent from the book itself.

Overall I felt like this was a very useful book, I learned a lot - this was the first time I had really studied the details of the French and Indian war. I never realized how important it was before, it was so glazed over in the American history courses that I have taken. I'm not sure if it is a book that will ignite the interest of those who don't already have an interest in early American history, the writing style just seemed to lack a little oomph; but for those with interest it is easy to read and useful. Like any good history book, it answered some of my questions, refined some of my questions, and left me with new ones... The most pressing of which is, "How, exactly, does one pronounce 'Michilimackinac'?"

[William Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned about the French and Indian War in school and I've read Kenneth Roberts books, Drums Along the Mohawk, Northwest Passage, Arundel and The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper. My perspective was completely based on the American Continent. I didn't realize how widespread the war actually was. Britain, France, Germany and Spain fought in Europe, India, the Caribbean during the same period. This book widened my perspective and understanding of the causes and results of the war. Author Walter R. Borneman addresses the political climate, Native American perspective, the American colonial views and goals, as well as the describing the fighting that took place around the world. The result was that Great Britain became and Empire and assumed control of Canada and the Eastern coast of America, most of the Caribbean and some of India. France lost a lot in the struggle and Spain also. Germany gained Hanover and Silesia. The real losers were the Native American tribes. They really gained nothing and lost territory to increasing European pioneer encroachment. One thing I learned was that Robert Rogers leader of the famed Rogers Rangers considered the father of the U.S. Army Special Operations units especially the Army Rangers, was born in Methuen, Massachusetts. I was born and raised in Lawrence, Massachusetts adjacent to Methuen and I never knew that! Somewhere in Methuen there is a historical marker indicating that. I'll have to find it next time I'm up there! This is an interesting book that also points out how this war planted the seeds of the American Revolution, "Taxation Without Representation." Britain had to pay for the war and that started with taxing the American Colonies!

[Jeff Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterfully researched and written, this is the epic tale of the first true world war. From the initial incidents of conflict in the Ohio Valley to back-and-forth battles in Pennsylvania, upstate New York and Michigan, to the fall of Quebec and Montreal in Canada, Borneman artfully details the struggle between France and Great Britain (and Spain, later in the war) for control of the New World. He also paints the picture of violent and strategic duels on land and sea on the European continent and the Caribbean islands that had a direct effect on this war – and still have ramifications today. What I found most poignant about this saga was the plight of the various Native American tribes who were frantically trying to navigate the encroachment of world powers on land they had loved, nurtured and called home for centuries. More than just a decider of land boundaries, the ramifications of this war would directly sow the seeds of the American Revolution. In this book, you'll find familiar names – Washington, Franklin, Gates, Arnold, Gage, Howe – that would be key players in the upcoming War for American Independence. A sprawling narrative that is highly informative yet often reads like a thriller, this is a must read for North American and world history buffs.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew little to nothing about the French and Indian War heading into this book, so it's my otherwise uninformed opinion that this is a solid story. Borneman outlines the scope and sequence (more on sequence in a bit) of the major events, several of the major personalities involved, some of the causes of the conflict, and a few of the war's legacies.

Known to Europeans as the The Seven Years War, the conflict's center of gravity was North America, but Borneman also brings in related military activity in the Caribbean (especially) and even Africa, India, and the Philippines. He mostly skips the land engagements in Europe, for reasons untold, but he does highlight a couple European naval battles that impacted the course of the wider conflict.

Because there are several theaters of battle, the book sometimes hops forward and backward in time. The text often mentions the year in which any given event takes place, so I was mostly able to follow the chronological timeline even the audiobook narrative.

[David Mitchell · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a survey of the French and Indian War, and more broadly of the Seven Years War, Borneman succeeds, but I do not believe that was his intent. As a result, The French and Indian War: Deciding the Fate of North America is both too ambitious and too superficial. Borneman captures the who, what, where and when of the war's prelude, conflict and aftermath, but he does not really give us the why or the how. As a result, the book does not really create any emotional traction for the reader.

At its best, The French and Indian War provides a strong overview of the events and decisions that lead up to the American Revolution, and documents the conflict of 1756-1763 as the kindling for America's War of Independence. Unfortunately, that is in the final two chapters of the book and by that point, I was just reading because I hate to mark a book as DNF.

I'll be looking for a better reference, because the subject matter could be -- and should have been -- more compelling.

[David Shaffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished, Walter Borneman’s, The French and Indian War: Deciding The Fate of North America. A solid history of the French and Indian War, with the final short chapter is dedicated to a quick synopsis of the causes of the American Revolution. A solid 3.5 to 4 stars but certainly not Fred Anderson’s Crucible of War: The Seven Years’ War and the Fate of Empire in British North America 1754-1766, which to me is the pre-eminent book on the topic.

Borneman touches on Pitts world view of the war against France, Spain, and the various Indian tribes and confederacies. He spends significant time on the war in the west, Canada, specifically Montreal and Quebec and the Caribbean.

If your looking for a shorter history on the French and Indian War, might I suggest this.

[preston maynard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great history of a war that is rarely discussed in American History books. The author relates the global was as France and England fought in multiple frontiers across the Americas and beyond. The author describes the battles in the northeast and Canada and the horrible casualties on both sides. Especially touching were the frontier militias who answered the call to fight and were slaughtered by native Americans fighting for the French. How the tables did turn by the end of the war, leaving Quebec a British colony and the American West (Ohio and upstate New York ready for expansion by the Colonists.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covers the triumphs and tragedies of the between France and Great Britain for control of North America in what was called the French and Indian War (1754-1763) in America and The Seven Years War in Europe starting with the 1754 defeat of British General Edward Braddock by the French at Fort Duquesne. It covers the various actions year by year by the British and French ending in 1763 with the defeat of France. While primarily focusing upon the North American campaigns, Borneman also covers actions in Europe, the Caribbean and India along with finishing up with a cursory coverage of British ineptness that led up to the American Revolution.

[Gary Schantz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is part of my bucket list project of reading about American history in chronological order. This is the sixth book so far.

My favorite part of the book was reading the short introductions to people who were small players in the French and Indian War that would become major players of the American Revolutionary War.

All of these people such as George Washington, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, etc. were young and not revered in the least. They were all British subjects who were just starting out.

[Ted Haussman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid popular history of the French and Indian War, which, while it does not go into a tremendous amount of depth, covers the major events of the war and describes how the aftermath planted the seeds that would erupt into the American Revolution. This is the second Borneman book I've read and I plan to read 1812 at some later point. In this book, Borneman relies at times on Fred Anderson's heftier tome: Crucible of War, a book that also on my "to read" list. This one is short at only 307 pages.