English Adventure (Napoleon's World)

The English Adventure is a term referring to the United States' involvement in England during the Anarchy. The term was used instead of the phrase "English War," due to the Bush administration's awareness of strong public opposition to a full-scale war. The term was continued in its usage by the subsequent Russell administration, which escalated the American presence on English soil and drastically altered the goals and stakes of the occupation and interference, making the term "English Adventure" obsolete and instead brought about the term "English Conflict," the Democrats again wanting to avoid charges of starting a war.

Historians cite the beginning of Operation Beachhead in the summer of 1952 as the start of the English Adventure and the victory at Gateshead in January 1956 as its conclusion, making the war a three-and-a-half year investment by the Americans that resulted in over 50,000 American deaths.

In modern-day usage, and even during the 1950's, the term is used derisively and ironically due to the almost propagandistic optimism inherent in its name. Former Bush foreign policy advisor Courtney Phillips later commented that "Calling our operations in England the 'English Adventure' might have been one of the biggest blunders in the history of White House public relations - the Democrats mocked the name, and the people rejected the idea that there was anything adventurous about shell-shocked veterans, body bags and the horrors they encountered while literally fighting for every inch of ruined English cities." Serious historians and both American and English government officials typically refrain from using the term English Adventure in modern speeches or texts due to its negative connotation and prefer the "English War" or "English Conflict," although in popular media the original term has, unfortunately and against the wishes of many, stuck.