Original subtitles

- [Narrator] New York, August 15th 1914, First World War.

The fourth fleet, pride of the royal navy,

has just weighed anchor.

In a few weeks, the expeditionary force

of the 13 colonies will land in Europe,

ready to defend the motherland, the British Empire.

In the 20th century, the United Kingdom is a great

colonial power from America to Asia,

the Union Jack flies over every continent.

During the last century, she created the vastest empire

in the history of humanity.

The huge statue of her majesty, Queen Victoria,

stands triumphant at the entrance to New York bay,

reminding all of the power of the British Crown.

But none of this ever happened.

In 1759, a tiny grain of sand will decide

the fate of New France and change the face of the world.

Our history is no more than a series of incredible events.

Every one of us can influence it's course.

(upbeat music)

The most infinitesimal of our decisions

can influence the future of humanity.

To know the past is to foresee the future.

July 1534, Jacques Cartier, a French explorer,

has just made contact with the Amerindians

in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.

May 28th 1754, George Washington, a British militia man,

carries out a surprise attack

on a French embassy in the Ohio Valley.

September 18th 1759, at the end of a long siege,

Quebec, capital of New France,

falls into the hands of the British Crown.

These three events are key moments

in the history of New France.

They will lead to the creation of Canada.

Newfoundland, viking encampment.

The colony has just survived its first winter.

We are 500 years before Christopher Columbus' voyage,

and the Scandinavian explorers are the first Europeans

to set foot on the continent of North America.

A land of abundance,

roaming with mighty herds of bison and caribou,

covered as far as the eye can see with vast forests,

criss-crossed by rivers teaming with fish and beaver,

the north of America suffers from

extreme climate conditions.

Winter lasts five months,

and temperatures can drop to lower than minus 40 degrees.

And yet, in the 16th century,

daring adventurers will set out to explore its coasts,

and then its interior.

May 10th 1534, French explorer Jacques Cartier

arrives within sight of the great island of Newfoundland

for his first expedition in the name of Francois I,

king of France.

During his voyages, he will first explore the coasts,

and then venture up one of the greatest rivers of the world,

the Saint Lawrence.

But, although he was one of the first Europeans

to explore these territories,

he is far from being the first man to set foot there.

For over 10,000 years,

the Amerindians have inhabited the continent.

They are then some hundreds of thousands

divided into tribes, nations, and confederations.

In contrast to the Spanish conquistadors

with the Aztecs a few years earlier,

relations between the French

and the Natives will remain generally amicable.

This peaceful entente is the keystone

of the future French colony,

and is unique in the history of America.

What's more, from hearing the Natives

constantly inviting him to their village,

which they call Kanata,

Cartier decides to use the word to name the region.

This is first appearance of the word Canada.

Trade is rapidly established between Amerindians

and Europeans, beaver belts for rifles, clothing, or pots.

The trappers camps gradually turn into small trading posts.

Colonists begin to settle permanently,

but living conditions are testing for the French,

accustomed to a gentler climate.

Two out of every three colonists give up

and return to France after the first winter.

The others adapt, they are now no longer completely French,

they become Canadians.

July third, 1608.

After several disastrous attempts,

the embryo of a city rises from the earth

on the banks of the Saint Lawrence river.

This spot, a strategic one because

located on the main trading route for skins,

and at the precise point where the river narrows,

is well known to the Natives.

They call it Quebec.

- [Narrator] Welcome to the memory of humanity.

Here, we can control time,

analyze and compare billions of events,

and alter them to rewrite history endlessly.

All the events in our history, however minute they might be,

are memorized and interconnected.

It only requires one to be changed

for all the other to be shaken to their core.

For example, let's go back to the 17th century

and compare the Amerindian and European ways of life.

In both cases, the peoples are heirs

to a culture thousands of years old.

Linguistic differences between the Huron of the Great Lakes

and the Micmac of the Saint Lawrence

are as great as those between the English and the Germans,

and the same applies to their cultures and eating habits.

As in Europe, the Amerindian nations forge alliances,

and frequently go to war.

However, Amerindian societies are more egalitarian,

social and community life, collective property,

and equality between all,

regardless of age, sex, or filiation.

We are a long way from the caricature of the noble savage.

- [Narrator] Early 18th century.

In a century of living together, the French Canadians

have learned a lot from the Amerindians.

The colonists have made ever deeper inroads

into the country, mainly using the river network.

They are now called runners of the woods, they are hearty,

and can run for hours over hill and forest,

are sharp shooters, often speak several Native languages,

and marry with the Natives.

They will map almost half of the North American continent,

giving the regions they pass through

the names of the tribes who live there.

Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, or Wisconsin.

A century after it was founded,

the tiny trading post of Quebec is now a city of 9,000.

It has been through tough times,

extraordinarily harsh winters, famine,

and war with the Iroquois.

Along with Montreal and Louisbourg,

Quebec is one of the principal cities

of the royal colony of New France.

But, for the Crown, Canada costs a lot,

and brings in little.

Under Louis XV, the more profitable sugar islands

of the Caribbean take preference.

Furthermore, the colony is ice bound half of the year,

which interrupts trade,

and makes it complicated to provision.

In the metropole, the future of these

few acres of snow is far from being a priority.

For the United Kingdom, it's quite the opposite.

Great Britain is an island.

In order to grow, it is forced to look outwards.

Very quickly, an imperialist policy is born in London,

British possessions in America are not merely trading posts,

they are above all new territories to occupy,

exploit, and defend.

And that is how, in the 17th century,

waves of colonists founded New England,

setting out with their possessions and their families,

they have no intention of returning.

Driven from England by religious persecution,

they are carried along by the conviction

that they must establish a purer society.

Henceforth, the Amerindians, regarded as an embarrassment,

are fought and driven out.

In 1750, the 13 British colonies have more

than a million inhabitants, and they are expanding fast.

The French Canadians are barely 17,000,

on a territory at least five times greater.

Between dynamic British colonies

and underpopulated Franco-Amerindian territories,

competition is more present than ever.

- [Narrator] Adapt or disappear.

In America, the English colonists import

their way of working, and impose it on the Amerindians.

The French, in minority, and in a hostile environment,

adapt and treat them as equals.

They know that the survival of their country

depends on their relations with their allies.

Rather than fight a pitched battle, costly in men,

they prefer the skirmish, ambushes, raids,

stealthy movement and fighting in the forest.

The Canadians call it little war,

a sort of guerrilla warfare, and it's a hunt,

a man hunt, move from tree to tree to remain covered,

shoot only when sure of hitting your target,

only emerge from hiding to fire,

and then attack hand to hand.

The British army, however,

had conserved its fighting tactics,

but it does have an ace, its discipline.

In a fixed battle, it is able to fire continuously.

One line of soldiers fires while the preceding line reloads.

Guerrilla against fire power,

it's the same plan as that adopted by the Afghan Mujahideen

against the Soviet army in the 20th century.

- [Narrator] May 28th 1754.

This day marks the end of the status quo.

British militia men carry out a surprise attack

on a French embassy.

Leading them is the young George Washington,

the future first president of the United States of America.

The execution of the French ambassador

is the declaration of a war that will impact

on every continent, the Seven Years War.

France and England, the two great powers of the period,

will confront each other on land and sea,

in Europe and in their colonies.

From the beginning, England plays its trump card,

the Royal Navy deploys across the ocean, it's mission,

destroy the French Navy, block her ports,

preventing her from getting aid to her colonies.

In short, paralyze the realm.

The navy, with fearsome efficiency,

manages to cut off France's arms.

The French colonies are now left to their own devices.

In New France, it looks to be a difficult fight.

Canada is then governed by the Marquis of Vaudreuil,

a Canadian, born in Quebec, he favors the little war.

For two years, militia and Amerindians have inflicted

defeat after defeat on the English troops.

The French as masters of the terrain,

but now he has to work with the commander

of the Royal Armies, the Marquis of Montcalm,

recently arrived from France.

The latter, enjoying the same

hierarchical level as Vaudreuil,

has no taste for this inglorious form of warfare,

but he quickly learns to use it effectively.

The combined force of the regular troops

and the Canadian militia is a redoubtable one.

The English forts fall to the French shelling

while their patrols walk into ambushes

set by the Canadian militia.

From the banks of the Hudson

to the snow covered slopes of Lake Champlain,

the English troops are shoved and harassed from all sides.

But on the seas, the Royal Navy rules supreme.

On July 27th 1758, Louisbourg, key to New France,

falls into the hands of the English.

French reinforcements are arriving only in dribs and drabs,

whereas the British troops are increasingly numerous.

The fight is close.

Montcalm knows that he will finally be overwhelmed,

and begs for reinforcements,

but France is also fighting battles on the continent,

no one will come to the rescue of New France.

On June fourth, 1759, a formidable fleet of English

war ships leaves Louisbourg and heads for Quebec.

On board are nearly 2,000 cannon,

and 22,000 soldiers and seamen.

The battle for Quebec is about to begin.

- [Narrator] Control of the seas.

During the conflict, the Royal Navy is everywhere

and wins almost all its battles.

It's superiority is crushing, sailing powerful vessels

with two or three decks armed with batteries of cannon,

it controls the oceans.

The key to its success lies in its iron discipline,

constant training, and effective logistics.

Whereas the French sailors only put to sea to do battle,

the English are almost constantly at sea, training.

In the same space of time, their crews manage to fire

three rounds of cannon to a single one from the French.

Whereas in France, ship's captain is often regarded

as a mere title, the British captains are promoted on merit,

are effective and hardened by naval combat.

The spirit of initiative, daring,

and speed are the keystones to the Royal Navy.

It's motto: if you want peace, prepare for war.

In our day, its only equivalent would be

the military supremacy of the United States,

the only country capable of delivering

considerable firepower to the far side of the globe.

- [Narrator] Quebec, early 1759.

The French commanders don't agree.

Governor Vaudreuil wants to defend the entire territory,

military commander Montcalm considers it to be lost,

and withdraws the majority of his troops to Quebec.

He has 15,000 men under his orders.

The fight is still far from lost,

especially as navigation on the Saint Lawrence

is almost impossible for those who don't know the river.

But, aboard the British flagship,

General James Wolfe holds a crucial ace,

highly accurate French marine charts.

On June 26, against all expectations,

the English warships sail past Orleans island

and into sight of Quebec.

The city is immediately besieged, the French troops,

having vainly attempted to set fire to the enemy ships,

entrench in their positions.

On the 29th, the English step ashore on the opposite bank.

Cannons are set up in a battery,

and soon begin to pound the city.

Mid-July, a part of the British fleet braves

the French cannons and moves up river.

The city is now exposed on two fronts.

By the end of July, Wolfe launches a massive attack,

but the English troops suffer heavy losses.

The general now adopts a new strategy,

he sends his rangers to ravage the hinterland.

1,400 farms are destroyed and burned,

but the city, protected by its cliffs and its cannons,

still does not surrender.

Wolfe has already lost many men, more seriously,

winter's approaching,

and his fleet risks becoming trapped in the ice.

He decides to risk everything.

During the night of September 12th,

after foiling the French centuries,

he secretly disembarks a part of his troops

to the west of the city.

Reputedly impassable,

the steep relief is Quebec's best defense.

Disciplined and professional,

the British soldiers begin the assault on the cliff.

Overthrowing the French defenses, they gain a foothold

on the summit and immediately form a battle line.

Wolfe knows his position is precarious,

just one vigorous French counter attack

could destroy him and his men.

But the French fail to seize their opportunity.

When Montcalm finally arrives to face the British

on the place known as the Plains of Abraham,

they are ready to fight, muskets loaded.

They are a mere few thousand,

while Montcalm disposes of many more troops,

but half of his men are more used to

skirmishing than to pitched battle.

Large numbers of French reinforcements are on the way,

he only needs to wait a few hours to be sure of victory.

This is when Montcalm takes a crucial decision.

Anxious to see the enemy consolidate his positions,

he decides not to wait any longer and launches the attack.

The English line, impassable, holds firm.

Even when the first French bullets hit their ranks,

his Majesty's soldiers remain calm.

They wait 'til the French, in disorder,

come within range, 'til their muskets have been fired,

then, as one man, they aim and unleash hell.

The volley is devastating,

the French soldiers are cut down by a hail of lead.

In a few minutes, the fate of the battle is sealed,

the French line collapses, the regulars beat a retreat.

From the woods, the Canadian militia

riddle the British troops with lead

and wreak havoc, but to no purpose.

Two hours later, the battle is lost.

- [Narrator] We have just reached a turning point.

A turning point is a key event,

a cross roads in our history,

where the world swings one way or the other.

By prematurely attacking a troop of disciplined soldiers,

Montcalm is heading for failure.

Demoralized, the inhabitants of Quebec

surrender to the English troops.

What would've happened if he had waited for reinforcement?

If he had held the line

and ordered his militia to harass the enemy soldiers?

Once the reinforcements had arrived,

he could've defeated the British and saved the city.

Waging the little war, New France would've continued,

and would've retained part of its territory

until the end of the war in Europe.

With the French enemy still present on its borders,

the English American colonies would've probably

not have sought their independence,

and would've remained loyal to the Crown.

North America would've remained a territory

shared by British and French,

maybe even up until the dawn of the First World War.

- [Narrator] The outcome of the battle

of the Plains of Abraham was settled within minutes.

The leaders of both camps, mortally wounded, do not survive.

Five days later, the city of Quebec surrenders.

The Canadians, cut off from the kingdom of France,

unable to provision them, will fight on for a few months

with the energy of despair.

But every British soldier killed

is immediately replaced by two others.

The Royal Navy is everywhere.

After supporting them to the end,

the last of the Amerindian allies abandon the French,

inescapable victims of a war already lost.

On September eighth, 1760,

the capitulation of Montreal marks the end of New France.

The Seven Years War is a disaster for France,

which loses a large part of her colonies,

including all of her possessions in North America.

When signing the Treaty of Paris in 1763,

French diplomats prefer to save their islands

in the Caribbean rather than the vast,

icebound territories of Canada.

The Canadians become British subjects,

as a result, they must speak English and become Protestants.

The Amerindians, deprived of their allies,

now trade with the English.

A century later, the United Kingdom,

the big winner, will become an immense colonial empire,

the greatest in the entire history of humanity.

The 19th century will be British,

the English language will become universal, but ironically,

the end of a French presence in North America

leaves the 13 English colonies with no enemies.

A few years later, weighed down with taxes,

the colonists will no longer see

any interest in British sovereignty,

and will fight for their independence.

The French, eager for revenge,

will crush the British fleet in the Chesapeake Bay,

and win the war at the side of the American revolutionaries.

Without her, United States would never have seen

the light of day, but that is another story.

- [Narrator] The world's face has changed.

The Seven Years War is the first

conflict with global impact.

All the European powers took part,

involving their respective colonies,

the conflict spread across the world.

At the end of the war, the cards are dealt again.

By losing Canada, France leaves the field wide open.

The British exploit the opportunity,

the Anglo-Saxon language

and culture gradually imposes itself there.

Give or take 10 minutes, the time for a few musket follies,

and the opposite could've happened.

Today, Canada is a flourishing, multicultural nation.

At first marginalized,

the French community is now perfectly integrated,

and is a full part of the nation.

First Amerindian, then French, and finally English,

the inhabitants of Canada have learned to live together,

a blend of three cultures,

they have been able to create their own identity.

They have become Canadians.

(epic action music)