Obama Campaign Celebrates Independence Day ... with Fundraiser in Paris

Goodness, do you need some deeper reading in American History.

America had been at war for nearly 3 years when the French finally got on board (Apr '75 - Mar '78). Their goal was to get even with their perpetual foes, the British. Louis XVI wasn't into this 'democracy thingy', and in the end, you could probably say he 'lost his head' over it.

The Comte d'Estaing eventually showed up in Rhode Island in August of '78 after avoiding the British fleet in New York (sand bars were supposedly the problem). The mission was to disembark French troops to aid in General Sullivan's siege of Newport. When the Brits arrived, d'Estaing cited the weather as an issue and headed for the West Indies. No French troops were disembarked to aid Sullivan.

The good Comte next appeared in September '79 at Savannah, GA, implemented a poorly planned attack, had his butt handed to him, and once again, headed for the West Indies. He never came back.

The next helping hand from the French was in the person of the Comte de Rochambeau. He showed up in Rhode Island in July, 1780 (right place, just 2 years late!) and proceeded to sit there until July 1781. Washington finally came to an agreement with the French to attack Cornwallis at Yorktown in September, culminating in the British surrender on 19 October.

In February, 1781, our good allies had suggested we settle for the status quo, leaving the British with New York and several other areas under their rule. Wisely, we said "Up yours!", or words to that effect. After Yorktown until the Treaty of Paris was signed on 3 September, 1783, our Froggie Friends were conniving with the British to limit the territory to be surrendered to just that East of the Appalachians.

Now you've got the whole picture:

1 No show
1 Ass-kickin'
1 Success
? attempts at back-stabbing an ally

I'll leave you to assess exactly how much of a help they were.

As to their record before and after the Revolution, they're the only people Americans have faced across a battlefield on 6 different occasions:

King William's War
Queen Anne's War
King George's War
The French and Indian War
The Quasi-war of 1798-1800
and, lastly, North Africa in 1942 (No, Patton didn't land against the Germans!)

Like I said, America's oldest enemies.

For additional reading, check out French intereference during Washington's tenure (The Genet Affair), the XYZ Affair, Napolean's intentions for re-occupying Louisiana after secretly buying it back from Spain (he sold it to Jefferson to finance his wars against those pesky Brits), Napolean III's attempt to establish Maximilian in Mexico, Clemenceau's under-cutting of Wilson at Versailles guaranteeing a second World War, and De Gaulle being a general pain to the Allies both during and after World War II.

France supports French interests and no one else's!

Whether we agree or not, if I've kindled or re-kindled your interest, I've achieved my purpose!

Research the 4 French and Indian Wars a bit more. Most Americans were more concerned with the depredations of the French and their Indian allies than with anything occurring in Europe. Many still considered themselves loyal subjects of the Crown, but their interests were decidedly 'American'. For the last one, the Seven Years' War, let me suggest "Crucible of War" by Fred Anderson. If you can't find it, he has somewhat of a 'condensed' version titled "The War That Made America".

Also check out the peaceful yet forceful rebellion of the New Englanders in response to Britain's attempts to tax them and the reaction of the Coloninsts to the 1763 decree limiting settlement to only those areas east of the Appalachians. Britain's control over the interior of Massachussetts was virtually non-existant. Virginians and Carolinians on the frontier tended to ignore her. Never forget that 'the Boston Massacre' and 'the Boston Tea Party' occurred well before Captain Parker formed his troops on Lexington Common. Britain was slow to realize it, but they'd already 'lost' the colonies before the first shot was fired.

By 1781, the Bristish were ready to toss in the towel. The whigs and, in particular, William Pitt the Younger, were denouncing the continuing war. Parliament was unwilling to send any more troops, and the average British citizen was, once again, being taxed to the limit because of 'those damnable colonials!'

Washington had the advantage throughout the war. All he needed to do to win was maintain an Army in the field. The Brits couldn't send enough of their own troops nor could they ever hire enough mercenaries to secure the entire country. After Yorktown, the war in the South became a virtual 'civil war' with patriot versus tory more so than any redcoat. Though it might have taken a bit longer, independence was going to be achieved, with or without the French. 190 years later, we learned pretty much the same lesson as the British at the hands of the Vietnamese Communists.

Yes, the French did come through with some funds. They also came through with some used muskets the French Army had turned in for newer models. But don't forget that at the start of the Revolution, Louis XVI had forbidden French subjects from joining the American Cause. Lafayette was actually declared a criminal because he came anyway. The Netherlands, the Spanish, and the oldest of all our allies, the Oneida and Tuscarora branches of the Iroquois Confederation, were at least as much help as Louis XVI. We give the French much more credit than they were ever due, and after bailing their butts out in WWI, WWII, and picking up after 'em in Vietnam, it's high time we quit fawning over their limited and self-serving contributions.

Suggested readings:
"America in 1750" - Hofstadter
"Crucible of War" - Anderson
"The Radicalism of the American Revolution" - Wood
"First Salute" - Tuchman
"The Divided Ground" - Taylor
"Forgotten Allies" - Glatthaar & Martin
"The First American Army" - Chadwick