The Southern prong was to go up the Mississippi, take New Orleans and paralyze the West. The Northern prong was to come down Lake Champlain toward New York, and seize parts of New England. Great Britain now turned its attention to the United States, launching a three-pronged attack. Meanwhile, Napoleon was beaten in Russia and, in 1814, was forced to abdicate. New England, hard-hit by a tightening blockade, threatened secession. After we won a battle on Lake Erie in 1813, the American commander, Oliver Hazard Perry, sent the message “We have met the enemy, and they are ours.” However, the weight of the British navy beat down our ships, eventually. It was no time for her to be involved in an American war.Īt first, our seamen proved better than the British. If he won, as everyone expected, he would control Europe, and Great Britain would be isolated. In fact, just as the United States declared war, Napoleon marched off to invade Russia. Great Britain was in a life-and-death struggle with Napoleon. For two years, we held off the British, even though we were still a rather weak country. In 1812, the United States went to war with Great Britain, primarily over freedom of the seas. So, now let me tell you how it came to be written. And again, it was the anthem, and not me. Again, there was a wild ovation and prolonged applause. More recently, while conducting a seminar, I told my students the story of the anthem, and sang all four stanzas. Let me tell you, those people had never heard it before – or had never really listened. I explained the background of the anthem, and then sang all four stanzas. “It was at the request of the kitchen staff.” One man closed the door to the kitchen, where the noise of dishes and cutlery was loud and distracting. Taking my life in my hands, I announced I was going to sing our national anthem – all four stanzas. The words are difficult, and the tune is almost impossible, but frequently when I'm taking a shower, I sing it with as much power and emotion as I can. I have a weakness – I am crazy, absolutely nuts, about our national anthem. Asimov was born in Russia, and emigrated in 1923 with his parents when he was a young child. Written by the late Isaac Asimov, in March 1991.
0 kommentar(er)
