French Aid in the American Revolution, Research Paper Example

The alliance between the United States and France during the American revolutionary war represents one of the most important factors in the colony’s struggle for independence.  The support that provided was essential in the victory of the young nation against Great Britain.   This support came in the form of naval support, financing, and material goods.  Furthermore, France set a precedent that led other nations to join in supporting the colonies against an isolated Britain.  These factors worked together in order to create tip the balance in favor of the United States.  Although there were few material gains for France they succeeded in eliminating the presence of the British Empire in the Americas.  The support of France in the American revolutionary war was, therefore, important to the development of the United States in world history.  This importance demonstrates the impact that French support had on the outcome of the war.  Through these various forms of support the capabilities of the American Revolution were strengthened to a point that allowed them to fight on even terms against Great Britain during the war.

Although France was a contender for dominance in the New World, their losses in the wars prior to the revolution prompted them to ally with the United States against Great Brittan.  Although they would not see significant gains for their investment in the struggle, it seems they were looking to upset the balance of power in the Americas in order to gain an advantage over the British Empire, which had made many gains recently.  “France came to America’s aid in an effort to redress the balance of power with Britain.”[1]  By throwing their support behind the young colonies struggle for independence France was able to strike a decisive blow against their rivals.  This was achieved through various forms of support including manpower, financing, and supplies.  These developments would eventually work to provide the colonies with the advantage that they needed in order to attain victory.  The verging interests of these powers, therefore, worked together in order to contribute to the victory of the colonial revolutionaries in the struggle.

One major way that France helped the U.S. colonies during the American Revolution was in both naval and troop support.  This includes not only combat troops but also officers, French noblemen who were granted positions through the Continental Congress.  French volunteers fought in various positions throughout the war, from commanders to engineers.  “The French volunteers contributed significant expertise in artillery, fortification, and other military sciences”[2]  This demonstrates one of the most important ways that France contributed to the victory of the United States in the Revolutionary war.  Through the efforts of these volunteers, America was supplied with skilled officers, engineers, and soldiers who were able to help to turn the tides in their favor.  While there were, at first, difficulties in the relationship between these French volunteers and colonial rebels, they were able to eventually establish a strong relationship that helped them in the war.

The French also provided support through financial contributions towards the war effort.  This was in the form of loans, donations, and other forms of economic aid.  This served in providing the colonies with the capability of pursuing the war despite its detrimental effects towards the United States economy.  These financial contributions were at the loss of France, which had little to gain from the war other than the destabilization of the British Empire.  “Without French funds the Revolution would have collapsed; by a conservative estimate, America’s independence cost France more than 1.3 billion livres, the equivalent of $13 billion today.”[3]  This demonstrates the importance of the French contributions towards the United States during this time.  Through financial support, France was able to bolster the capabilities of the U.S. military while helping to support the war effort through these contributions.

Another important way that the French helped the United States during the revolutionary war was through the supply of arms, ammunition, and other forms of material goods.  There w was a strong French campaign to provide support for the colonies through weapons, supplies, and other important goods.  This occurred despite the fact that France would not see any returns on these investments.  “Even so the flow of French aid continued, to the extent that the Americans were supplied their arms and ammunition by French merchants.”[4]  This presents the importance of the support of the French in the conflict.  The supplies that were provided through French support were essential in providing military training and technology that could effectively combat the British forces.  These capabilities allowed the colonies to effectively enhance their ability to challenge the British.  This contributed to the revolution in a significant way.

Finally, the support of France early on in the revolution had the important implication of spurring other powerful European nations to provide various forms of support, if for nothing else, than for the opportunity to cause difficulties for British control in the region.  This would lead the Dutch, Spain, and others to provide similar contributions toward the efforts of the colonial revolutionaries.  “The French-American Treaty of Alliance contained a clause specifying that other countries could join the alliance, and that no nation would make a separate peace with Britain.”[5]  This would eventually lead to various de facto alliances with other powerful European nations who had vested interests in promoting the development of the revolution due to their rivalries with Great Brittan.  This had the result of providing more sources of aid for the struggle going forward.

The various forms of support provided by France during the American revolutionary war were essential in providing the opportunities to overcome the British forces.  Through military, financial, and material support.  The French contributions also had the effect of setting a precedent that other nations would follow, alienating Britain from any potential allies.  This support was provided primarily due to the underlying desire to inhibit the capabilities of the British Empire.  The vested interests of Britain’s competitors worked together to provide a network of support for American interests in the region.  This was a necessary precondition for the victory of the colonies in the American Revolution.  The alliance between these nations was important in the result of the American war for independence.  This provided them the opportunity to challenge the European power that they were fighting against.  This was spearheaded by the French alliance, which led the way towards a more cohesive military power that could threaten Britain’s presence in the area.  Through these contributions that were provided by the French the efforts of the United States war for independence led to victory.

Bibliography

Colbourn, Andrew. Correspondence of James K. Polk. Indiana Magazine of History. (Book Reviews, 1970). 291-293.

Schiff, John. The European Dimensions of the American Revolution. (Rivier Academic Journal, 3(1), 2007). 1-24.

Schulz, Emily L. France in the American Revolution. (Anderson House, 2012). 1-25.

Wandrei, Kevin. Which European Nations Fought With the Americans Against the British in the Revolutionary War? (Demand Media, 2015).

[1] Schulz, Emily L. France in the American Revolution. (Anderson House, 2012), p. 1.

[2] Schulz, Emily L. France in the American Revolution. (Anderson House, 2012), p. 6.

[3] Schiff, John. The European Dimensions of the American Revolution. (Rivier Academic Journal, 3(1), 2007). 1-24.

[4] Colbourn, Andrew. Correspondence of James K. Polk. Indiana Magazine of History. (Book Reviews, 1970), p. 292.

[5] Wandrei, Kevin. Which European Nations Fought With the Americans Against the British in the Revolutionary War? (Demand Media, 2015).