"Reasons the British Should Have Won the Revolutionary War" Topic

(and Three Reasons the Patriots Did Win)

"George Washington called the American victory in the Revolutionary war "little short of a standing miracle." In 1776, an overwhelming British army had defeated his poorly trained force, driven them out of New York City, and chased them across New Jersey. Washington then lost Philadelphia, and his men had barely survived the wretched winter at Valley Forge. In 1780, the British captured the major southern port at Charleston, imprisoning the American garrison there, and utterly defeated a second patriot army. Before that year was out, his long-suffering troops were on the verge of mutiny and one of his senior generals had gone over to the enemy.

A year later he had effectively won the war. How was it possible? Of the many factors that influenced the war's outcome, here are the ones that were among the most decisive…"
Main page
link

Amicalement
Armand

Three Reasons the patriots Did Win
1 The French
2 The Spanish
3 The Dutch

There are many reasons, depending on which year you pick, but overall the lack of command coordination proved to be the death knell of British efforts to defeat the revolution. Whether it was Howe, Clinton and Burgoyne in 1777 or Clinton and Cornwallis in 1780-81, the lack of a consistent strategy and continuing personality conflicts doomed their efforts.

With regard to the French, they were very helpful and played a major role, the Spanish and Dutch were very minor contributors.

Spanish gold and silver helped pay for much of the expenses not handled by France (The Spanish "Dollar" being common currency in the new world).

The AWI succeeded not least because the British did not have a united will nor the zeal to suppress it.

George III, far from being an autocrat,had an elected House of Commons and a Prime Minister to check him. Parliamentarians were free to heckle British war plans, and members of the British press (the freest in the world at the time) openly sided with the colonists.

The American rebels, of course, were backed by a genuine autocrat/tyrant in the person of the French king, Louis the XIV.

The irony…..

Poor Louis. 'Tyrant,' I think is harsh. He really would rather have been left in peace to tinker with clocks.

Louis XVI, I assume.

Phil

That's the dude.

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Spain's contribution to the successful outcome of the American revolt is underappreciated in the U.S. This is probably because that contribution did not include Spanish troops operating along side American forces along Atlantic seaboard of North America.

The Patriots won because of the militia. Seriously. Population control wins a revolutionary war. The British could control where their three armies were; the militia controlled everywhere else. The militia ensured a steady supply of recruits for the Continental army, suppressed dissent, and forced men to commit themselves. No militia, the Brits win. They recognized this and tried to organize their own, too late when they lacked the resources.

Agree with you Bill N!.

Amicalement
Armand