In 1776, 90% of American gunpowder was imported, mostly from France. French naval help was crucial to the victory at Yorktown, as the British were surrounded on land and sea. Also French, Spanish and Dutch navies held down the British navy at sea. So do you think that the Americans could have won the war of independence without foreign aid? Personally I doubt it.
2007-10-12 10:25:19 · 11 answers · asked by Paranormal I 3 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
No. I doubt it aswell. We would have corrupted at Valley Forge if it wasn't for the reassurants of the foreign help. Americans hate to say it, but we owe A LOT to the French. And we havn't really paid them back, thats the sad part.
2007-10-12 10:32:35 · answer #1 · answered by Buffy 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not as easily (it was difficult!) nor as soon.
It is militarily impossible to hold a country captive without the consent of the populous, a lesson which the US is learning today in Iraq. It would have been an even longer and more bloody war of attrition that would have left both the US and the British Empire weaker. The fact that they could not hold the land is demonstrated in the famous battle of New Orleans a generation later, where American forces routed the British invaders by firing from behind cover and at a distance.
Canada was far more wisely separated from the parent country, and is the better for it today.
2007-10-12 10:35:41 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
No. The French, Dutch and Spanish declaring war on Britian in europe scared them...obviously we would want to secure our European borders than waste efforts in the New World. If the European powers didnt attack us, the navy wouldve immediately reinforced the BEF, destroying the small revolutionary force...mores the pity we didnt.
2007-10-12 10:42:24 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It would have been a lot more difficult and would have lasted many years longer than it did. Our independence from England though was inevitable with or without the foreign aid.
Regarding the comment made by BC that we owe the French so much and have yet to repay them I couldn't disagree more. We don't owe them anything. Saving them from Germany in both WWI and WWII is more than enough repayment in my opinion.
2007-10-12 10:50:54 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree. Yorktown could not have been won without the French fleet intervention, and the other sources of aid were important also.
2007-10-12 10:33:30 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I doubt we would have won THAT war then.
However, that doesn't mean it wouldn't have been fought later with other resources involved.
The concept of colonies breaking away is not new ... sometimes it turns out OK and sometimes it turns out like the Middle East.
2007-10-12 10:28:11 · answer #6 · answered by Elana 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
i doubt it. what could thirteen colonies do against a nation without the help.
2007-10-12 10:28:50 · answer #7 · answered by king_tots 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Probably not in the early days.
2007-10-12 10:28:16 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
IT IS ONE OF THOSE IFFY THINGS. I AM GLAD THAT WE WON OUR INDEPENDENCE HOWEVER IT OCCURRED.
2007-10-12 11:08:24 · answer #9 · answered by Loren S 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would have to say, Absolutely not.
2007-10-12 10:29:45 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋