What Dominic Sandbrook has said about War of 1812

Sandbrook argues that the War of 1812 is obscure even in the United States, partly because it ended in a draw.

“And even for American listeners, I think, would have to concede that this war is very obscure as, in fact, reading an American historian about it”

The Rest Is History: 677. USA: The Star-Spangled Banner (Part 1) (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 5:28

Sandbrook says the war is chiefly remembered in Canada, where the defeat of American invasions became foundational to national identity.

“And this is, of course, a foundational moment in Canadian identity. So the one place where people do talk about the War of 1812 is in Canada”

The Rest Is History: 677. USA: The Star-Spangled Banner (Part 1) (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 8:45