According to Carlos A. Schwantes in his book "The Pacific Northwest: An Interpretive History," the decline of Indigenous populations was not primarily due to military conflict with Euro-Americans, but rather the devastating effects of disease. While warfare and other factors such as alcohol played roles, it was the introduction of foreign pathogens that significantly reduced the Native American population.

This perspective underscores the idea that the triumph of Euro-Americans over Indigenous peoples is largely attributed to the impact of germs rather than conventional warfare. The spread of disease among Native communities fundamentally altered the social and demographic landscape, contributing to the eventual dominance of Euro-American settlers in the region.