American Revolution viewed by a British historian as a single facet in England's world-wide struggle against its two great Bourbon adversaries, France and Spain.

Lord Dartmouth's War -- The coming of Germain -- The great concentration -- The arrested offensive -- The planning of Saratoga -- Philadelphia and Saratoga -- The morrow of Saratoga -- The naval mobilisation -- War plans and preparations -- The command of the seas -- Crisis in America -- The southern offensives -- The cracks in the foundations -- The strategy of 1779 -- The western Atlantic : the design miscarries -- The defence of England -- Towards the Caribbean -- The loss of the initiative -- Gain and loss in America -- The home front, 1780 -- The shadows gather -- The defence of the east Atlantic -- "Cornwallis led a country dance" -- The anatomy of disaster -- Saving the ship -- The ship afloat -- The end of the ministry -- The new brooms -- The sky suspended.