So this is a huge issue with American history.

The war of 1812 was lost. It was a war of aggression to stab the British in tbe back while they were fighting a scourge on the continent of Napoleon.

The idea was America could capture Canada and steal the land while Britain was unable to fight back properly as they were fully engaged elsewhere.

It failed miserably. Long story short American soldiers were terrified to even attack the British and their native allies and at one point refused to cross a river to attack. Americans lost at almost every turn and ended with the capital invaded and the Whitehouse on fire.

It was an embarrassing defeat with the fledgling US navy bottled in port and America on the verge of bankruptcy and that was with the UK not even focusing or sending many ships and troops.

America had to save face to its people, a disaster on this scale would mean heads would roll so the propaganda machine went into overdrive. It became a war about Americans favourite fantasy… being free.

The lie became America fought a second independence war to ensure their freedom. From that day forth they were free and the British would no longer try to take the colonies back…

It ignores the fact the British had given up the colonies long ago, ignored the fact if they wanted them that badly they could have taken them and ignores the fact it was a war started by America to take Canada.

But what it did do was allow this embarrassing defeat to be treated as a victory. The new story went that the tyranny of British trying to take over failed. We became a world power that day and no one messed with us again. Where the reality was America realised its weakness vs a superpower and never dared to face the British Empire in conflict again and instead went on to focus on minor players on the world stage.

Edit : Always a painful part of history for Americans when 1812 is brought up as its their first real war and first real loss.

Some arguments people have brought up which are common.

The British were impressing sailors and we went to war to stop it and got them to stop.

Americans pressed British sailors. It was standard practice. This wasn't the reason to go to war with a global superpower. They might have been stupid but were not that stupid. Impressment stopped with the Napoleonic wars ending but the British continued impressment when they needed it so… this alleged war goal wasn't managed.

We won some battles so we drew/won (however they claim below)

You can't start and offensive war to Conquer a neighbour and then when you get counter invaded and manage to win odd battles call that a win… or a draw. Just for context if the ukraine push Russia out and then lose a battle outside of Moscow. Did the Russians win? Really…