The War of Jenkins’ Ear/a.k.a. King George’s War/a.k.a. the third French and Indian War begins: George II (r. 1727 – 1760) declares war against the Empire of Spain, over a border dispute between the colonies of Spanish Florida and British Georgia. Although the provocation for the war was the loss of Seaman Robert Jenkins’ Ear, of the Royal Navy, in a barroom brawl with a Spanish Customs guard in Havana, Cuba seven years earlier.

       NOTE: The underlying cause was the claim of British merchants that they were under British jurisdiction wherever their goods were shipped.  This has given rise to the doctrine of “The law follows the flag,” i.e. a nation is militarily obligated to protect the commercial investments its private entrepreneurs.  This has formed the basis for United States foreign policy since Woodrow Wilson, and has brought misery into the lives of untold numbers of many a naïve young lad, who was eager to “serve his country.”

       [restored 6/4/2021] Thanks to Algis Ratnikas for this entry, and Jim Lorenz for his contributions.