Colloquy Podcast: Was the American Revolution a War Against or for Empire? In his forthcoming book, Aim at Empire, University of California, Berkeley historian Brian DeLay, PhD ’04, argues that the great paradox of the Revolution was that the Patriots were fighting not only for their independence, but also for an empire of their own — and that their surprising ability to access guns and ammunition enabled their success. Emily Crowell Thu, 06/18/2026 - 13:14