The American Revolution: Role of the French Essay

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The revolutionary war became the fundamental event in the history of the USA. Being dissatisfied with the extreme pressure and exploitation, the colonies stood against the British Empire to become independent a form a new state. However, regardless of the strong desire to win, the young nation possessed few resources, supplies, and a comparatively small army. It made the war for independence extremely difficult as Britain was one of the superstates of that period impacting the global policy and having almost limitless sources. For this reason, the success of the Revolutionary war depended on the strategy selected by the first leaders and the support provided by other nations. Without the French’s help, the American colonies would have lost the war.

France’s involvement in the war and the significance of its help can be explained by several factors. The French nation was still recovering from its defeat in the Seven Years’ War and its reduced influence on the global area (Taylor, 2017). For this reason, the rebellion in America became a chance to undermine the power of the British Empire and restore the balance of power. As a result, active French participation transformed a local rebellion into a fierce war, with the involvement of numerous nations (Taylor, 2017). Potentially, it could become a global war, which was a threat to the British Empire (Taylor, 2017). As a result, the British nation had to avoid direct opposition with other states, which was beneficial for the USA.

Another factor proving the thesis is the military power of the British Empire and the USA. Thus, in 1778, the royal army had about 50,000 regular troops supported by 30,000 German mercenaries (“How were the colonies able to win independence?” 2021). At the same time, Washington had about 20,000 troops ready to fight (“How were the colonies able to win independence?” 2021). The difference in resources and supplies was significant, meaning that the colonies had little chance of winning. However, France entered the conflict by providing its army, instructors to train soldiers, and supplies (Taylor, 2017). For instance, during the first periods of war, ammunition for about 25,000 soldiers was supplied (Taylor, 2017). It helped to build a strong army with powerful weapons capable of struggling with the royal forces.

Finally, France offered critical naval support for the USA during the Revolutionary War. The British Empire was considered the nation with the strongest fleet, meaning they had an opportunity to block any seaport and cut off supplies (Taylor, 2017). The first colonies did not have enough vessels to resist the threat. For this reason, French involvement became one of the critical aspects of the war. They provided battleships and transport to secure the major sea routes and transport necessary equipment and soldiers (Taylor, 2017). As a result, the British Empire could not guarantee total dominance on the sea, which became one of the major factors helping the USA to acquire its independence.

Altogether, these facts prove that without the French assistance, the American colonies would have lost the war. Regardless of patriotism, high motivation, and the desire to struggle, the young nation lacked the necessary resources and experience. For this reason, the support provided by one of the strongest European and global actors became fundamental. It altered the nature of conflict and transformed it into a serious war, which grew into a significant challenge for the British Empire. At the same time, ammunition, military help, and naval assistance altered the balance of power and helped the USA to struggle during the most difficult period and win the war.

References

Taylor, A. (2017). American Revolutions: A continental history, 1750-1804. W. W. Norton & Company.

(2021). DigitalHistory. Web.

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