Jefferson's War

America's First War on Terror, 1801-1805

By: Joseph Wheelan

Narrated by: Patrick Cullen

Two centuries ago, without congressional or public debate, a president who is thought of today as peaceable, Thomas Jefferson, launched America's first war on foreign soil, a war against terror. The enemy was Muslim; the war was waged unconventionally, with commandos, native troops, and encrypted intelligence, and launched from foreign bases.

For nearly 200 years, the Barbary pirates had haunted the Mediterranean, enslaving tens of thousands of Europeans and extorting millions of dollars from their countries in a mercenary holy war against Christendom. Sailing in sleek corsairs built for speed and plunder, the Barbary pirates attacked European and American merchant shipping with impunity, triumphing as much by terror as force of arms.

The author traces the events leading to Jefferson's belief that peace with the Barbary States and respect from Europe could be achieved only through the "medium of war".

©2003 Joseph Wheelan (P)2005 Blackstone Audiobooks

DON'T LET THE TITLE FOOL YOU!

The title and cover of this book are a little deceptive. Even though Jefferson was president at the time, he is not the key player in this book. The pirates are! They steal the show - and everything else that isn't nailed down. The book tells the story in graphic detail of how the Muslim Barbary pirates held the world hostage for years, pillaging, raping, killing at will, any who crossed their paths, especially Christians. Jefferson did wage a war-of-sorts on these pirates. A holy war, using every sneaky trick in the book and many that weren't in any book, to end the reign of terror inflicted by these savage seafarers. One more example of murder and death in the name of God/Allah. This was a good read, though a bit tedious in places. I would still read it again.

The war that changed America.

Ever since I visited Morocco and learned a little of its history and also discovered that Morocco was the first nation to recognize the United States (I would have assumed that it was France), I have had a fascination with North Africa. I had also heard of the Barbary pirates, though they were mostly the kingdoms of Tripoli, Tunis, and Algiers, and had some understanding that a battle with them was the basis of that line in the Marine’s hymn “to the shores of Tripoli.” But, that was probably the extent of my understanding of the affair. So, when I saw this book, I knew that I had to read it. And, reading it around Veterans Day and the 245th anniversary of the US Marines was perfect timing. 

What I didn’t realize was how the Barbary pirates had such a huge influence on the US and how it became what it is today. After the surrender of the British, the US could only be barely considered a nation. We were more like states (a term that means nation to the rest of the world) united in their desire for independence, but united in little else. When that clearly was not working, a Continental Congress was called and our constitution was crafted mostly by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison. But, we were still not truly united in purpose. However, we were deeply in debt, still vulnerable to attack, and needed to rebuild an economy, which required trade. Most of what we had was agricultural and the most likely market was Europe. 

However, the kingdoms of North Africa had built an economy based on piracy, ransom for the ships and men taking, and tribute paid to their protection racket. It was a form of terrorism. The great empires of Europe paid huge sums yearly to these kingdoms to buy safe passage for their vessels, but America, after independence from Britain, had no such protection. The losses were staggering and the number of Americans held captive as slaves was huge and growing. John Adams, ambassador to Britain called for Thomas Jefferson, ambassador to France, to join him in negotiation with a representative of Tripoli and the tribute required was far beyond what this new and struggling nation could possibly afford and that was just to one kingdom. 

The US had had a tiny navy during the war of independence, and a marine force, but the marines were disbanded and most of the navy’s ships decommissioned. When Adams became President he believed that the only solution was war, but believed that Congress would never approve and tried to rely on negotiation and ransom for slaves. When Jefferson became President, he tried to build a navy, but Congress would only approve a few ships, and the first 4 ships were sent in 1801. What followed was a series of disasters and defeats, but a growing determination that peace could only be won through war. 

This is the story of that war and how America slowly learned from her defeats and began to rebuild a true navy and a restored corps of marines. Europe had given up on fighting and simply paid the tribute, but the great powers then also had closed markets and could afford the payments. It was this upstart nation, mired in debt, but with the confidence of just having beaten Britain and the determination to open up markets for free trade who decided to fight. 

In this book there is intrigue, there is brilliant strategy, there are acts of boldness and bravery, but also there are examples of sloth and incompetence. For us looking back, it is eye-opening as we see the huge differences between that world and today. Communication was slow and everything took far more time than we are used to today. Ships depending on the wind could not just maneuver around at will and there were no charts for the location of the rocks, sandbars, and harbor channels. It took more than 4 years, but in the end Barbary kingdoms all were defeated through a combination of naval blockade and bombardment, sea battles, and a small group of marines gathering an army  of Arabs, Greeks, Bedouins, Tripolitans, Egyptians, along with a few French and British and marching from Egypt across the Libyan desert. 

The result was a growing respect for this new nation among the European powers and the Arab states. It provided a training ground to prepare the nation for the 2nd war with Britain, the War of 1812 which saw an even greater involvement of the US Navy than in the War of Independence. There were some major gaffes as well. One incident near the end when the US dumped an ally led to ongoing resentment and a renewal of hostilities during the War of 1812 against Britain but after that war, the US returned to defeat the Barbary States again, and this time the defeat was final. The peace won by the US would benefit all of Europe as well and would weaken the states for European conquest with all the major powers taking over some part of North Africa. It also led to a great increase in respect for this new nation and ensured that it would have to be reckoned with. With this show of strength and courage that was lacking even in those nations that were so much more powerful, it gave weight to President Monroe’s  later call for the European powers to remove themselves from and stay out of the Americas.

And, it set the direction for the US that prepared them for becoming the world power that it became a century later. The irony is that Jefferson had always promoted the US as being an agricultural and rural nation with minimal government and without a national military, but under his presidency, the US central government became stronger and the US became the main proponent of free trade, is one of the things that made her become so powerful. And, as it became such a great trading power, it also developed into a highly inventive, manufacturing powerhouse. 

The book is an excellent and highly readable history of one of the major turning points in American history. It’s well worth the time spent reading it. 

interesting, well narrated

Great American history, hated to have it end. is this 15 words yet? how about now?

A true adventure story, well narrated

A war story with heroes and fools and great achievements and blunders. Reminds one of the present struggle against Islamic fanatics.

In those early days we were challenged by a pirate nation and could have chosen to pay ransom but instead decided to fight for honor.

for hardcore history buffs only

This book was just OK, and probably only worth it for hardcore history buffs. I found it hard to get through, even though the events should have made for an interesting book. Not sure how much to blame the reader vs. the author, but it was not in the same league with many of the other authors I have tried.

It's worth the money

History, to many, is dull and dry, but not this reading. It takes a look at an often forgotten part of American History and brings it to life. The parallels to todays world are often uncanny. A great deal of background material is presented to flesh out the characters and their historical importance. After listening to the book I was left with that distinct feeling that our technology has changed in the last 200 years, however, as a nation, the actions and intents of elected officials has not.

History repeats!

Wow what a tale...Benzgazi was releavant. 200 years ago. Muslim troubles and terrors was bad then and now we have it currently. Well researched book that will enlighten anyone today.

Well worth your time

It’s written in the shadow of 9/11, the comparisons to that event and subsequent war are incredibly dated in 2022 considering how that war has recently ended. That being said, this book succeeded at opening my eyes to yet another forgotten war in America’s early history. It was a huge gap in my understanding of one of my favorite periods that I’m glad is now filled. Legendary ships such as the Constitution and Enterprise, and figures that deserve more recognition such as Edward Preble and William Eaton all get their stories told in a well researched book. One of the reasons I suspect it’s so forgotten is the fact that it tends to upset the traditional narrative of President Jefferson’s decentralization of the government. Watching Ken Burns Jefferson series (which skipped the Barbary War entirely) it’s clear his expanding the navy and enacting this conflict without consulting congress complicates an already complicated political career. Recommend

A Great Read

Jefferson, long thought of, as a "pacifistic" president declared America's first war on foreign soil in response to "Islamic Jihad".

European nations had given in to buying off "peace" with the Barbary Coast states. Many of their citizens being subjugated to slavery and all of the attendant horrors. The Barbary Coast states (North African
states of Morocco, Tripolitania, Tunisia,Algeria) declared Islamic Jihad on America because Jefferson refused to pay the extortion fee.

This is an interesting bit of American/World History.The correlation with today's current events will not be missed by the listener. The narrator is excellent.

A logical extension of "Empires of the Sea".

Pirates and slavery were a historical problem in the Mediterranean for centuries prior to Jefferson's birth. Roger Crowley chronicled this in his book "Empires of the Sea". This plague on the people of the Mediterranean, and the World, was ended by Jefferson's Barbary War's. The ingenuity, courage, and daring of the American troops and their leaders changed the the path of history and secured support of the major European to end this blight.

The writing was interesting and the reading was good and at times powerful. This a book that should be read to gain a viewpoint of the attitude of many of the leaders and people Muslim world toward the "unbelievers" or infidels. A problem that we, or children and future generations will have to deal with.