"European Friends of the American Revolution" Topic

"American independence would not have been achieved without diplomatic, financial, and military support from Europe. And without recognition from powerful European nations, the young country would never have assumed an independent status "amongst the powers of the earth." This collection of essays not only offers new glimpses into the ways in which various European powers and actors enabled American patriots to fight and win the war, it also highlights the American Revolution's short- and long-term impact on the Atlantic world.

Because of the strength of European support, Great Britain found itself diplomatically isolated, without an ally in a war that had become a global conflict, and with a navy outnumbered by the combined fleets of America's friends. This volume is a timely reminder of the importance of international support for the winning of American independence and the global context of the American Revolution as we approach its 250th anniversary…"

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Armand

I suspect they were less friends of the Revolution and more enemies of England.
As the old saying has it: my enemy's enemy is my friend.

+1 for BillyNM.

Ha!…

Armand

Yes, the French and Spanish very much saw the American Revolution as their chance to pay the British back for the Seven Years War, which they had been planning for before the colonies revolted.

The Spaniards were extremely reluctant to support a colonial rebellion against a Crown, suffering two in New Granada and Peru at that time, and never accepted to be allied to such insurgents of United States contrary that it is often repeated to rewrite the relationships between Spain and United States
and Louis XVI shared the same scruples not to mention that the Angloamericans were in first line to fight the French playing a major role in the loss of New France
the French had traditionnaly a major interest in ground and European affairs than naval and colonial explaining the lack of means Overseas and loss of the first colonial Empire it is worth to have one square league in the Lowlands than the whole Canada
the former ennemies new allies newpapers themselses saw the landing of the French Army as an army of papists coming with wafers and chasubles in their vessels to convert the good protestants and puritans of New England
I don't know where it is the chance because France didn't win nothing in comparison to United States or Spain, nor Canada nor Louisiana nor all former French West Indies retaken to the British throughout the war but one or two

It might be better to say the King of Spain was extremely reluctant to publicly support a colonial rebellion. It does not appear to have taken much arm twisting for Spain to help supply the rebelling colonies at the start of the war. Plus Galvez in Louisiana was very supportive to the rebels even before Spain entered the war.

The Spanish main war effort took place at her door to not say at home, in Gibraltar, then to recover Florida lost in 1763 thanks to Louisiana generously abandonned given by France, it will be more accurate to describe the participation of Spain as an Anglo-Spanish war than allied to United States while France operated a World War and suppoted not only United States but also sent French troops to the Spaniards and Dutch, however the great winners were United States and Spain certainly not France, especially taking into account the level of involvement of both Bourbons allies

But France was recompensed for the help, with both WW1 and WW2. So it worked out in the end.

France was nickamed "Hercules' mother" and each time she takes a look to the West the Atlantic and her lost New France she can also contemplate and savour her most spectacular perennial definitive revenge who belittles Perfidious Albion hubris since 1783