Why the Treaty of Ghent changed nothing

In this episode, we delve into the topic of Why the Treaty of Ghent changed nothing. {"transcription":"WEBVTT\n\n00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.240\nWhen you picture the end of, well, of a major\n\n00:00:03.240 --> 00:00:06.620\nmulti -year war, you generally expect to see\n\n00:00:06.620 --> 00:00:09.720\nlines being permanently redrawn on a map. Right,\n\n00:00:09.900 --> 00:00:12.839\nabsolutely. You envision some conquering general\n\n00:00:12.839 --> 00:00:16.160\ndictating terms, these massive shifts in global\n\n00:00:16.160 --> 00:00:19.199\npower, territories changing hands. You basically\n\n00:00:19.199 --> 00:00:21.460\nexpect a before picture and an after picture\n\n00:00:21.460 --> 00:00:23.750\nthat look fundamentally different. Because, I\n\n00:00:23.750 --> 00:00:26.629\nmean, historically speaking, altering the geopolitical\n\n00:00:26.629 --> 00:00:29.469\nreality in your favor is the entire point of\n\n00:00:29.469 --> 00:00:31.910\nspending blood and treasure on a conflict. You\n\n00:00:31.910 --> 00:00:34.090\nfight to secure a tangible advantage that you\n\n00:00:34.090 --> 00:00:36.429\njust you didn't have before the shooting started.\n\n00:00:36.789 --> 00:00:39.210\nExactly. But then you look at the --> 00:08:19.360\nand arrogantly refuse to yield empty territory\n\n00:08:19.360 --> 00:08:23.040\nwhen your own capital city is currently a smoking\n\n00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:26.259\nruin? It is one of the most remarkable diplomatic\n\n00:08:26.259 --> 00:08:29.680\ngambles in history, frankly. The Americans were\n\n00:08:29.680 --> 00:08:32.639\nessentially calling Britain's bluff. Really?\n\n00:08:32.759 --> 00:08:35.980\nYeah. They wagered that Lord Liverpool's government\n\n00:08:35.980 --> 00:08:38.519\nwas so desperate to end the financial drain of\n\n00:08:38.519 --> 00:08:40.860\nthe war that they would eventually abandon their\n\n00:08:40.860 --> 00:08:43.279\nindigenous allies rather than let the peace talks\n\n00:08:43.279 --> 00:08:45.279\ncompletely collapse over the issue. And they\n\n00:08:45.279 --> 00:08:47.779\nwere right. They guessed correctly. The British\n\n00:08:47.779 --> 00:08:50.259\nrealized enforcing a buffer state isn't worth\n\n00:20:40.140 --> 00:20:43.900\nthe cost anymore. The muddy, unresolved waters\n\n00:20:43.900 --> 00:20:47.140\nof a geopolitical stalemate actually created\n\n00:20:47.140 --> 00:20:50.259\na permanent peace. It is wild to consider that\n\n00:20:50.259 --> 00:20:52.920\nlasting peace wasn't the result of victory, but\n\n00:20:52.920 --> 00:20:55.279\nthe result of two empires simply being too tired\n\n00:20:55.279 --> 00:20:57.400\nto keep swinging. Really makes you think. It\n\n00:20:57.400 --> 00:20:59.019\nmakes you look at the lines on a map of North\n\n00:20:59.019 --> 00:21:00.940\nAmerica in a completely different light. Thank\n\n00:21:00.940 --> 00:21:02.839\nyou for joining us on this deep dive into the\n\n00:21:02.839 --> 00:21:04.900\nhistorical documentation of the Treaty of Ghent.\n\n00:21:05.380 --> 00:21:06.000\nWe'll see you next time.\n","format":"vtt","status":"published"}