Did the French fund our Revolutionary War?

Question

Did the French fund our revolutionary war and provide us with military forces to defeat the British?

Answer 1

To supplement some of the other answers here, it was Adm. de Grasse's French fleet, ordered up from the Caribbean, that blockaded Yorktown, preventing the British from reinforcing Cornwallis from New York, thus ensuring his surrender.

Earlier, Franklin got the French to outfit U.S.S. Bonhomme Richard (named after Poor Richard's Almanac) for John Paul Jones.

Actually, the American Revolution proved to be a good investment for France, at least in the short run. As a longtime rival of England, it was cheaper for France to bankroll the Americans than to finance a war of its own. Before the French ponied up, however, they wanted to see some positive results, and that was provided by the "turning point" victory at Saratoga.

Less than two decades later, however, the American precedent proved disastrous for the Bourbon monarchy. Inspired in part by the American Revolution, "Liberte, Egalite Fraternite" toppled the Old Regime.

Answer 2

They did help fund our Revolutionary War, but more than lending us military forces, they provided a major military distraction for the British, thus giving us a fighting chance; with them attacking the British on the home front, the British found the close threat much more of an issue, and practically gave the war to us. They left troops here, but you might say their heart wasn't in it.

Answer 3

In part. It was already well underway by the time the French got involved. Benjamin Franklin approached the French king and asked for support. Needless to say, the king wasn't very thrilled about financing the toppling of another monarch--his own people might get ideas. But Ben was the toast of Paris, getting invited to the best salons, and playing the backwoods American to the hilt, complete with coonskin cap. Finally, the king agreed to finance the war, and French soldiers came along to fight. Also, the French king declared war on England, and siphoned off British troops to defend the Bahamas, other gulf territories, and India. It wasn't so much that we won the Revolutionary War as Britain was trying to fight to protect its territories, and we were the most expendable. The fighting continued after our part in the war was over.

Answer 4

No. It is all a rumor. This was planted in the liberal media by Charles DeGaulle in the 50s. He thought it would help the Northeast break away and form a Francophone country with Quebec. The Revolutionary War was funded by Ireland. The relatives of Michael Collins were extremely wealthy. They sold potatoes to Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson for decades. The wealth they had saved up was more than ample to finance the colonial rebels. Don't be fooled by the cunning French.

Answer 5

Yes.

The defeat of Cornwallis at Yorktown was a direct result of a French fleet driving off a British fleet that had been sent to relieve Cornwallis. French troops were a significant portion of the Revolutionary forces at that battle.

Answer 6

They did indeed fund our revolution, and supplied us with a desperately needed navy. Spain also funded us. Understand that neither cared a whit about us....they just wanted to humiliate the British...and France wanted territorial concessions...