DOC Military Advisors in Korea: KMAG in Peace and War by Robert K. Sawyer in History

Description

In this sweeping; enthralling biography; acclaimed historian David Hackett Fischer brings to life the remarkable Samuel de Champlain -- soldier; spy; master mariner; explorer; cartographer; artist; and Father of New France. Born on France's Atlantic coast; Champlain grew to manhood in a country riven by religious warfare. The historical record is unclear on whether Champlain was baptized Protestant or Catholic; but he fought in France's religious wars for the man who would become Henri IV; one of France's greatest kings; and like Henri; he was religiously tolerant in an age of murderous sectarianism. Champlain was also a brilliant navigator. He went to sea as a boy and over time acquired the skills that allowed him to make twenty-seven Atlantic crossings without losing a ship. But we remember Champlain mainly as a great explorer. On foot and by ship and canoe; he traveled through what are now six Canadian provinces and five American states. Over more than thirty years he founded; colonized; and administered French settlements in North America. Sailing frequently between France and Canada; he maneuvered through court intrigue in Paris and negotiated among more than a dozen Indian nations in North America to establish New France. Champlain had early support from Henri IV and later Louis XIII; but the Queen Regent Marie de Medici and Cardinal Richelieu opposed his efforts. Despite much resistance and many defeats; Champlain; by his astonishing dedication and stamina; finally established France's New World colony. He tried constantly to maintain peace among Indian nations that were sometimes at war with one another; but when he had to; he took up arms and forcefully imposed a new balance of power; proving himself a formidable strategist and warrior. Throughout his three decades in North America; Champlain remained committed to a remarkable vision; a Grand Design for France's colony. He encouraged intermarriage among the French colonists and the natives; and he insisted on tolerance for Protestants. He was a visionary leader; especially when compared to his English and Spanish contemporaries -- a man who dreamed of humanity and peace in a world of cruelty and violence. This superb biography; the first in decades; is as dramatic and exciting as the life it portrays. Deeply researched; it is illustrated throughout with many contemporary images and maps; including several drawn by Champlain himself.