The French historian wrote: "Those who don't read history are condemned to repeat it." I wonder which country that most applies to. The War With Tripoli made it to the Marine Corps hymn, Stephen Decatur almost made it to the White House but the story of initiating a large scale action against the third largest port in the ottoman empire is rarely told accurately in the US, if told at all.
Meet William Eaton he sees weakness and seizes upon it. With luck, Arab rebels and Greek Mercenaries he takes the fortress city of Derna protecting the port of Tripoli which has notoriously sought handsome bribes from the US to return US seaman taken on the high seas in state organised piracy.
Will the US march on to Tripoli or will the pacifist Jefferson blink and resume tribute to the Barbary pirates?
Watch the excellent history channel production. The documentary does leave out some minor details such as the war had been going on for a couple of years unsuccessfully and the British allowed US warships access to the Mediteranean possibly as a countermeasure against the French.
