The Forgotten World War: Exploring the Secret History of the American Revolution, from Spain to India and Back Again

Rediscover the Revolutionary War as a global fight for freedom

What does Bunker Hill have in common with a jungle in Central America, a fort in India, and the towering Rock of Gibraltar? The answer—that they were all battlefields in the Revolutionary War—might astonish you. Blending modern experiences with historical research, Derek Baxter embarks on an adventure-filled quest across three continents, uncovering the truth behind the American Revolution and revealing the unlikely group of nations that united to take on the British Empire.

On the windswept island of Jersey in the English Channel, Baxter discovers how France attempted a full-scale invasion of England. At a Fourth of July party in Spain, he helps the descendent of a Spanish leader make a giant paella. In India, he investigates one of the most surprising victories of the entire war. And in upstate New York, he discovers the story of the Oneida warriors, America's first allies. Along the way, he meets historians, reenactors, and others who have helped keep the hidden history of the war alive.

This is the other half of the story of the American Revolution, the one you probably didn't learn in school. With his trademark humor and empathy, Baxter finds the human stories behind this long-ago conflict, expanding the universe of those who contributed to the cause. He delivers a powerful message: The United States only exists because peoples of different races, languages, and religions learned how to fight together, writing an unexpected story of independence that continues to resonate and inspire today.

"Think you know the American Revolution? The Forgotten World War reveals the globe-spanning battles, back-room diplomacy, and unlikely players that turned a rebellion into a worldwide war." —Chuck Schwam, Executive Director of the American Friends of Lafayette