how did european countries aid the american war in the war for independence?

Answer 1

Overview:

The main contributions were led by France, with later help by Holland and Spain. Their assistance was mainly financial (huge loans) and naval forces, at first more surreptitiously, then after the American success in the Battle of Saratoga, in open alliance.

Note that, as with the Seven Years' War (where the American part was known as the "French & Indian War"), the American Revolution ended up being a WORLD war -- another contest between the major European powers, focused in England and France.

"Britain won the Seven Years’ War and imposed the Peace of Paris which bred the next cycle of conflict with the Continental powers. They all hated and feared Britain as the newly dominant nation of Europe. She had stolen Holland’s priority on the seas and had swept France from the American continent and the best part of her fisheries. Spain had suffered less, but she was tied to France by the Bourbon Family Compact."
http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/ah/1956/3/1956_3_65.shtml

"France, the Netherlands and Spain entered the war against Great Britain in an attempt to dilute Britain's emerging superpower status. Early on, all three countries quietly provided financial assistance to the American rebels. France officially entered the war in 1778 and soon sent troops, ships, and military equipment to fight against the British for the remainder of the war. Spain entered the war in 1779, officially as an ally of France but not the United States. The Netherlands entered the war late in 1780, but was soon overwhelmed by the British."
http://experts.about.com/e/a/am/American_Revolutionary_War.htm

"The American Revolution was also a world war. With the American victory at Saratoga in 1778, France entered the war on the American side. The French wanted to avenge its defeat in 1763 at the hands of the British in the Seven Years' War. It had been secretly supplying the Americans with military supplies since 1775 awaiting an opportunity to side openly with the revolting Americans. By 1780, both Holland and Spain joined the French and Americans. (The Spanish, it is true, were a little hesitant to make war against another colonial power, but the possibility of destroying British trade hegemony was too powerful to resist. The Spanish monarchy would regret its decision in the nineteenth century when its own colonies would revolt citing the American example). With their seafaring fleets, America's European allies attacked British possessions in the West Indies, Africa, and India, thus spreading the war over the face of the globe.

"Historians also stress the importance of the direct assistance that the European allies gave to the Americans in their victory over the British. It is probably not going too far to say that America owes its independence to foreign intervention and aid, especially from France. The French monarchy sent arms, clothing, and ammunition to America; it also sent soldiers and the French Navy. Most importantly, the French kept the United States government solvent by lending it the money to keep the Revolution alive. The magnitude of French support of the American Revolution can be glimpsed at the battle of Yorktown. There, the majority of George Washington's 15,000 man Continental Army were French soldiers. Washington's men were clothed by the French, the rifles they used were French, and French gold paid their wages. Nor must we forget that it was the French Navy that trapped Cornwallis's soldiers at Yorktown by preventing English ships sent from New York from rescuing the British army. Perhaps the final irony of the French monarchy's assistance to America (and proving once again that no good deed goes unpunished) is that it led to the financial collapse of the French ancien regime. And the bankruptcy of Louis XVI was one of the major causes of the French Revolution."
http://revolution.h-net.msu.edu/essays/carp.html

More on

SPAIN
series on "Spain's Involvement in the American Revolutionary War"
http://www.sar.org/mxssar/spinvo-1.htm
http://www.sar.org/mxssar/spinvo-2.htm
Chronology of -- http://www.sar.org/mxssar/sphist.htm

FRANCE

"France was the guiding spirit of the anti-British coalition, which was to include Spain, the Netherlands, the colonies and several minor states. Secret aid given to the colonies by France and Spain and propaganda carried out by French agents was soon to bear fruit. "
http://www.marylandciviceducation.org/croatia/ragusa.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France_in_the_American_Revolutionary_War


AND HOLLAND
See Barbara Tuchman's book (a great read!!) *First Salute: A View of the American Revolution*
--places the war in the historical context of the centuries-long conflicts between England and both France and Holland, demonstrating how aid of both of these nations made the triumph of American independence possible. Focuses esp on the key role played by the contending navies

More on the importance of the War at Sea, which in many ways the biggest contribution of the continental powers to the war -
http://www.americanrevwar.homestead.com/files/sea.htm

Answer 2

the French who were at war with english at the time.. or just simply to bug them provided immence support in terms of money as well as commanders.. The americans at the time were disorganized farmers and would not have stood a chance against trained brittish troops. The financial suport the the french provided was so great that it almost broke the French treasure and was one ofthe causes leading up to the french revolution.

Also, a very large number of Polish troops fought for the american independence as their country had lost its independence a few years earlier

Answer 3

HELP??? what are you talking about. FRANCE fought for US
with out france we would be called english.

France and England was fighting the 100yrs war, and England could not send all of its troops to US, so it helped US to get them easier, even they were still getting slutterd. Fench kicked Brits *** and it helped US alot, since Brits and Frencys were haveing naval war, and US hated Brits so france supported US.

Answer 4

They supplied troops, weapons etc - they acted as allies and their own soldiers were involved.