Would the colonies have won the American Revolution without French help?

Question

Any Revolutionary scholars out there have any insight?

Answer 1

~That would depend on what other aspects of history you choose to change along with the removal of the French from the equation.

!812 is a poor analogy. The 'invasion' of Canada was never designed to annex Canadian lands. It was a ploy to bring Great Britain to the bargaining table. To say the French didn't help in that war is a bit of an oversimplification. You might want look into what Great Britain was doing in Europe when Mr. Madison started his little war. Pay particular attention to Napoleon and the Peninsular campaign.

As to the Revolution, bear in mind that only about 1/3 of the colonists favored independence and the war, about 1/3 remained loyal to the crown and 1/3 were undecided. There is no question that Cornwallis would not have surrendered at Yorktown in the absence of the French aid in getting Washington's troops to Virginia, then providing the naval support and thousands of ground troops.

On the other hand, without the French alliance, the colonists could have conceivably turned North America into Great Britain's Vietnam or Afghanistan. When the expense got too heavy and support at home waned, some settlement would have been reached.

The cost of the colonies to the Crown was already oppressive. The infamous "Stamp Act" and other 'onerous' taxes 'forced' on the colonies were, in fact, lower taxes than the ones they replaced, but they were being collected. Previously, the New England smugglers, Mid-Atlantic merchants and Southern planters were ignoring and circumventing the taxes and the Crown was letting them slide. After the North American component of the Seven Years War all but bankrupted the British, and the new taxes were imposed to offset the cost and to make the colonies, who reaped the benefit, pay some of the bills. To say the taxes were imposed without representation is ludicrous and only underscores an ignorance of the workings and composition of Parliament at the time. Be that as it may, the British in the homeland had more pressing concerns than what the British across the pond were up to and continuation of a protracted, stalemated unpopular war could easily have led to a revolution on the British Isles. If you add such an uprising into the mix, the war across the Atlantic would have been untenable.

If the colonies could have maintained the stalemate until after the rise of Napoleon, a likely prospect, then Britain's involvement in the Napoleonic wars would have had an even greater impact on the Revolution than it had on the War of 1812. Some form of peace with the colonies, probably resulting in, at the very least, 'independent' commonwealth status would have been reached.

The question is academic. The French did help and the French alliance did bring about the colonial victory. Once you change such a major fact, the Pandora's box of other hypotheticals which is opened makes any answer simply an exercise is sophistry.

Answer 2

Probably not. The supply of arms and other aid was pretty much invaluable from the French. Without them preventing the Royal Navy from getting to Yorktown then Cornwallis would have been picked up and dropped off somewhere else to continue the fight. Plus their attacks on other parts of the British Empire caused the better trained,more experienced Redcoats to be diverted to these parts of the British dominions. This just left the mercenaries, Hanoverian troops and Loyalists to fight in the colonies. Only a small amount of proper British troops ever actually got there (these were the men that won most of the battles).

If you compare this to the War of 1812 and the US invasion of Canada, where no help from the French is forthcoming, the British are able to concentrate more forces into the war. Consequently the US is summarily booted back across the Canadian border with huge loss of life; the Royal Navy blockades US ports and cripples its navy; the British army advances into the US,captures Washington and burns the White House forcing the American military retreating in disarray into the southern states. Only the intervention of a hurricane that prevents reinforcements getting to the British at New Orleans causing them to stop and allows US representatives to get the Belgians to broker a peace brings the war to a conclusion. Had these reinforcements met up with the main body of advancing troops, the US could well have come under British control again.

Answer 3

This is a good question. I would like to say yes. However, the money and supplies were greatly important towards the win. I think that the French were a major part of the win There were some other factors also. The madness of King George was one. He had no input in the war. The distance between England and the Colonies made resupplying difficult. The British could not muster enough troupes in the Colonies and England was not sending more.

Yes I guess France was important, as long as you figure in all the factors.

Answer 4

No! I don't think they would have won because the French provided the Americans with a lot of supplies (gunpowder, uniforms and weapons) and they also fought for them. And the Colonists lost most of the battles until France came to help them. And the French also attacked British ships that carried supplies for the British.

Answer 5

Some would say yes and some would say no. The french had a better Navy than we did. When Brittian wanted to retreat to the seas to try and conquer use that way, the French were there to stop them. So you could say that they kept them on the ground so we could take them out.

Others would say that we would have one the war anyway, because our dedication . The dedication of many Americans is what won us the war. Many Americans made an effort to contribute to the war. Whether it was to enter the war themselves or send their slaves to fight for their name.

So it is up to you. Its an opion based question. Also, remember that in the War of 1812, Brittian tried to take us back. The say that the War of 1812 was won with a one man row boat and a cannon. That basically means that we were out numbered again and still overcame adversity.

Answer 6

That you're French and asking this question is no surprise to me in view that France is rapidly fitting but an extra failed socialist state and does not but discover it. The British didn't furnish us illustration in parliament earlier than levying taxes on us to pay for the French and Indian struggle which on no account honestly threatened our territory effectually besides and as for explanations to be happy with the United States of America, our nation donates extra to global charity in line with capita than every other country on the earth, is the one nation that promises the proper to self safety, and estate rights. with the high-quality exception of Israel and Turkey.