Stars and Stripes trilogy

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The Stars and Stripes Trilogy is a collection of three alternate history novels written by Harry Harrison.

Contents

[edit] Setting

All three books work supposidly around the POD (Point of Divergence) of British involvement in the American Civil War after the Trent Affair. This happens when Prince Albert dies prematurely rather than playing his historic role in resolving the crisis. The Queen blames the Americans. She authorizes her ministers to do anything necessary to ensure that they pay for it.

There is another unexplained difference - the Duke of Wellington is still alive, though he remarks he has been 'living on borrowed time' since his illness in 1852. In our world, 1852 was the date of his death. This seems to date the PoD to before 1852, without the Butterfly Effect changing intermediate occurrences, such as the course of the Crimean War.

[edit] Historical accuracy

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The series has been heavily criticised mainly for errors found throughout the story and its heavy favoritism to America. Others consider action occurring in the story to be unrealistic with the Royal Navy acting as chronically bad navigators, Mexican guerillas defeating Gurkhas in close combat, the United States and Confederate States easily making peace, characters adopting late twentieth century attitudes towards race, to the United States being able to easily taking the war to the British Isles.

It is true that the "The Stars and Bars" was mistaken for the US flag in battle, and that uniforms were often mixed. But Confederates would surely have questions why red-coated British troops were attacking them when they were supposed to be allies. Confusions mostly happen when both units think they are fighting the actual enemy.

It was also normal at the time to demand a surrender before starting the fight, which again would have revealed the error with no great harm done. And even if they fought the wrong troops, invading Britons should have regarded Biloxi, Mississippi as friendly territory and have supposed that they were freeing it from Union occupation.

Factual errors include Texas being described as having no slaves while it was a major proponent for slavery. And misquoting General Lee about his famous quote about war being terrible. William Tecumseh Sherman is also shown as being a staunch abolitionist when in fact Sherman was racist and had no problems with slavery.

Colored units are fighting as part of the Union army in 1861. Though they had fought in the War of Independence, they were refused when the first volunteer units were formed in the North. Only in July 1862 did Congress pass two acts allowing the enlistment of African Americans. (See Military history of African Americans.)

The books have shown sloppy research in historical matters and on the conduct of Warfare around the period.

In one of the alternate-history campaigns, Grant goes back the way he came after learning of a strong enemy force ahead. The real General Grant never retreated, looking for a way round when he could not go forward. His autobiography describes how he had aversion to retracing his steps even as a child.

Later, Grant is seen fighting at the front line and leading his troops. Civil War generals very seldom did that: it was the job of captains and maybe colonels. Generals stayed behind the lines and coordinated the battle, occasionally going to the front to observe or encourage. Even this cost lives that made a difference to the war: Stonewall Jackson was accidentally shot by his own men while observing, Albert Sidney Johnston was killed by the enemy while encouraging his troops at the battle of Shiloh.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Books

  • Stars and Stripes Forever (1998)
  • Stars and Stripes in Peril (2000)
  • Stars and Stripes Triumphant (2002)

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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