The Real First Battle of the American Revolution and Elections in the United Kingdom, France, and Iran

What would it mean for the European Union and NATO if London doubles down on Europe just as France pulls away? Did the American Revolution actually start in Canada? What will Iran’s runoff presidential election look like?

War on the Rocks contributors tackled these questions, among many others, this week. Read below.

Articles

Forget Lexington. Forget Bunker Hill. The first battle of the American Revolution — the one that made revolution possible, although not inevitable — was James Wolfe’s posthumous triumph on the Plains of Abraham in 1759.

Doug Berenson reflects on his 2021 article, “The Evolving Geography of the U.S. Defense Industrial Base.”

Tensions between Israel and Hizballah in Lebanon have been on the rise in recent weeks. We asked four experts to tell us more about the threat of war and how it might be avoided.

Today, the United States faces the unprecedented challenge of simultaneously navigating three escalating factors: a denser international economic landscape, a more fiercely disputed geostrategic environment, and increasing sustainability concerns.

The United States and its European and Indo-Pacific allies must match up. And the forthcoming meeting in Washington between NATO and its Indo-Pacific four partners offers an excellent opportunity to do just that.

France’s presidents famously have a lot of power. This power, however, gets weakened in the — rare — situation known as “cohabitation,” where the president’s party does not have a majority in parliament.

Your bi-weekly update about America’s greatest challengers: China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and jihadists.

Podcasts

Erin sat down with Ulrike, author of "What France’s Surprise Elections Could Mean for Its Relations with the World," which was published on June 28. 

What would it mean for the European Union and NATO if London doubles down on Europe just as France pulls away? The Net Assessment team discusses this question and more.

After a first round of voting produced no clear victor, Iran will now hold a rare run-off presidential election to select the country’s new leader. Afshon Ostovar joined the WarCast to tell us more.

In the first round of snap legislative elections in France, the far right appeared to make significant gains, building on their success in European Parliamentary elections. Gesine Weber joined the WarCast to tell us more.

Erin sat down with Hamizreza Azizi and Erwin Van Veen, authors of “Playing with Fire: Patterns of Iranian-Israeli Military Confrontation,” which was published on June 25.