<p>Why did the United States fight the Barbary Wars? How did early American diplomacy, economics, and naval power converge to confront North Africa's Barbary states?</p> <p><br /></p> <p>In this episode of the U.S. Naval History Podcast, Chase Dalton interviews Professor Abby Mullen from the United States Naval Academy, author of <em>To Fix a National Character: The United States in the First Barbary War, 1800-1805</em>. Together, they explore the Barbary Wars through the lens of diplomacy, economic strategy, and naval action.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>We discuss:</p> <p>- The diplomatic landscape between the United States, Barbary states, and European powers,</p> <p>- The importance of trade routes and the Mediterranean post-Independence,</p> <p>- How American naval captains operated under minimal guidance, acting as both diplomats and warriors,</p> <p>- The ideological motivations driving early U.S. foreign policy, and</p> <p>- The role of European powers and international relations in shaping the outcome of the Barbary Wars. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>We also dive into how the U.S. Navy developed through these conflicts and the lessons learned for future engagements.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Subscribe to support the show ($3/month):</p> <p><a href="https://www.usnavalhistory.com/#/portal/signup" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠https://www.usnavalhistory.com/#/portal/signup⁠⁠⁠</a></p> <p><br /></p> <p>Email me at: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">[email protected]</a></p> <p><br /></p> <p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fix-National-Character-Barbary-1800-1805/dp/1421449269" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Buy To Fix A National Character here! (https://www.amazon.com/Fix-National-Character-Barbary-1800-1805/dp/1421449269) </a></p>