William pitt's military campaign

The easy victory inspired a number of French and Indian raids into the British colonial settlements. The British had to defend themselves. Militia was formed to guard the western border of the British empire in America. It was then that George Washington was appointed a commander of the Virginia militia to guard the colony. He had only three hundred men under his command, but all the Virginians were eager to defend their country, and they fought heroically.

The undeclared war of 1754-55 merged into great political and military conflict. In 1756 the British started a full-scale invasion of Canada. They tried to attack a number of small French forts at a time. As they attacked them simultaneously, their troops were dispersed over a large territory, and could not act effectively. It would have been much better if they had thrown all their strength at Quebec and Montreal. If they had managed to capture these strongholds, it would have been much easier to capture other French posts. They would have fallen one by one.

Troubled by a series of defeats in Canada, the British Parliament appointed William Pitt to head the war effort. William Pitt entered the Parliament at the age of twenty-seven and became famous as a bold and fine speaker. He was also celebrated for his honesty. An American city of Pittsburgh was named after him.

William Pitt worked out his own plan of the military campaign in America. He substituted incompetent generals by capable young officers. Pitt wanted the whole army in America to concentrate on Quebec and Montreal.

In 1758 Pitt strengthened the navy, and a powerful expedition against Louisbourg was dispatched. The fortress soon fell. Inspired with that significant victory, Pitt set another expedition, now against Quebec. General James Wolfe was chosen to lead the British William Pitt troops.

Notes:

had to retreat — были вынуждены отступить

to guard the western border of the British empire in America — охранять западную границы британских владений в Америке

The undeclared war — Необъявленная война

a full-scale invasion — полномасштабное вторжение

simultaneously — одновременно

troops were dispersed over a large territory — войска были разбросаны по большой территории

stronghold — оплот, твердыня, опорный пункт

They would have fallen one by one. — Они пали бы один за другим

William Pitt — Уильям Питт (1708-1778), английский премьер-министр.

war effort — военные усилия

substituted incompetent generals by capable young officers —

заменил некомпетентных генералов способными молодыми

офицерами

strengthened the navy — укрепил флот

to dispatch — отправлять

EXERCISES

1. Переведите на русский язык:

The easy victory, the British colonial settlements, appointed a commander of the Virginia militia, the undeclared war of, his own plan of the military campaign in America, the British empire in America.

2. Выпишите из текста предложения, содержащие следующие словосочетания и переведите их на русский язык:

Militia was formed, he had only three hundred men, the undeclared war of 1754-55, at Quebec and Montreal, troubled by a series of defeats.

3. Составьте предложения со следующими словами и словосочетаниями:

Victory, settlements, British empire, simultaneously, a large territory, to capture these strongholds, political and military conflict.

4. Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

1. What did the undeclared war of 1754-55 merge into?

2. When was a full-scale invasion of Canada started?

3. What did William Pitt do?

4. Who was chosen to lead the British military expedition against Quebec?