The Seven Years' War sat within the longer Anglo-French rivalry that historians sometimes call the Second Hundred Years War. Peace treaties repeatedly ended individual conflicts without resolving the contest between the two states. Governments therefore used peace to stockpile food and ammunition and build more warships for the next round. This longer cycle explains why an officer such as Rodney moved through periods of demobilization, patronage, and renewed command.
Notable Point · 1:24:01-1:24:51
Why peace meant rearmament in the Second Hundred Years War
Peace within the longer Anglo-French contest became a period for rebuilding fleets and stockpiling supplies for the next conflict.