Why France Backed the American Revolution (And Got Nothing in Return) | S1E12 AAR

Why France Backed the American Revolution (And Got Nothing in Return) | S1E12 AAR

The American Revolution was only one theatre in a global war—and far from the main event.

Geopolitical rivalry and revenge drove France to rally other powers against Britain, transforming a colonial rebellion in the Americas into a globe-spanning military conflict—a true world war.


After its defeat in the Seven Years’ War, France pursued a long-term strategy to weaken Britain, culminating in intervention after the American victory at Saratoga. The conflict quickly expanded to include Spain and the Netherlands, with naval fighting across the Caribbean, Atlantic, and Indian Ocean. Despite its decisive role, France gained little from the 1783 peace—and later viewed American diplomacy as a betrayal.


📄 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠I⁠nterview Transcript


🚩About My Guest: Dr. Rafe Blaufarb

Dr. Rafe Blaufarb is a historian in Florida State University. He is an Eminent Scholar of Napoleonic Studies and the director of the Institute On Napoleon and the French Revolution.

He is the author of many books, including the following:

  • "Napoleon: A Symbol for an Age";
  • "Napoleonic Foot Soldiers and Civilians: A Brief History with Documents",
  • "The Revolutionary Atlantic: Republican Visions, 1760-1830";
  • "Bonapartists in the Borderlands: French Exiles and Refugees on the Gulf Coast, 1815-1835";
  • "The Great Demarcation: The French Revolution and the Invention of Modern Property"; and
  • "The French Army, 1750-1820: Careers, Talent, Merit".


►My other interview with Dr. Blaufarb is "The Real Napoleon — Propaganda Genius Or Brilliant General?"


▶️Other Interviews:

►Interview with Prof. Joel Richard Paul: Silas Deane, Benjamin Franklin & Arthur Lee in Paris (will be linked here when it publishes)

►Interview with Dr. Gonzalo Quintero: Spain & the American Revolution (will be linked here when it publishes)

►Interview with Dr. Peter Van Cleave: Netherlands & the American Revolution (will be linked here when it publishes)

►Interview with Dr. Richard Bell

Ireland & the American Revolution

►Interview with Dr. Ivan Kurilla:

Russia & the American Revolution


*****

🧭 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore AAR⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🖼️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Image Gallery⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🗂️⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thematic Collection⁠⁠⁠⁠

📝 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Take the AAR IQ Quiz⁠⁠⁠⁠

*****

🔔 Follow AAR:

🎞️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎞️🎧 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📰⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AAR's Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


*****

📑 Video Chapters:

00:00 Select Highlights

01:42 Guest Introduction

3:19 French Religion vs. French realpolitik

6:17 Catholicism Losing In France

7:57 Americans more religious than the French?

9:58 Revenge

12:11 The Only Caution

14:01 French Nationalism & American Cause

15:34 Americans in Paris

20:09 Why the French love Franklin

23:18 France rallies the world for America

25:14 Spanish, the Dutch, Russia & others

28:05 French Navy & the World War

31:46 Britain Alone in a Global War

32:10 Ireland

34:32 What does France get from helping Americans?

35:55 Does France get what it wants?

39:07 France gets nothing

43:14 Legacy of feeling betrayed

44:02 France & the War of 1812

45:50 Just One Point


*****

📽️This video is made with Filmora.

☑️Image Attributions:

All images are in the Public Domain

🎵Music Attributions:

"Yankee Doodle" in our videos:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Choral, U.S. Army Band (Public Domain) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We incorporate parts of this fabulous performance in the beginning and end of our videos.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to our YouTube channel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🫶⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠:

We appreciate your⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ financial support ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠of our program.

*****


Tämä jakso on lisätty Podme-palveluun avoimen RSS-syötteen kautta eikä se ole Podmen omaa tuotantoa. Siksi jakso saattaa sisältää mainontaa.

Jaksot(26)

1776: 7 Months That Changed America| S1E25 AAR

1776: 7 Months That Changed America| S1E25 AAR

January 1 to July 4, 1776, transformed Americans from rebellious British subjects fighting Britain for their rights and hoping for reconciliation into revolutionaries seeking complete separation from ...

24 Kesä 1h 53min

The Maritime Origins of the American Revolution: Press Gangs and Fishing Rights | S1E24 AAR

The Maritime Origins of the American Revolution: Press Gangs and Fishing Rights | S1E24 AAR

Fishing rights. Press gangs. Forced military service. These are not the stories most Americans learn about the American Revolution. Yet maritime workers fought British naval impressment, Parliament's ...

17 Kesä 1h 11min

Spain’s Forgotten Role in the American Revolution | S1E23 AAR

Spain’s Forgotten Role in the American Revolution | S1E23 AAR

Spain helped the American Revolution—but not because it believed in American independence. Rather, because it wanted revenge against Britain, recovery of lost territory, and protection of its own empi...

10 Kesä 1h 10min

Religion and the Revolution: Why the Founders Rejected a National Church | S1E22 AAR

Religion and the Revolution: Why the Founders Rejected a National Church | S1E22 AAR

The Founders rejected a national church. Not because religion was unimportant, but because they feared it could divide and destroy the fragile new republic. The American Revolution was fought by Prote...

3 Kesä 1h 8min

The American Revolution Myth We Learned Wrong | S1E21 AAR

The American Revolution Myth We Learned Wrong | S1E21 AAR

The Quartering Act. Forced British soldiers into colonial homes. A major cause of the American Revolution.At least, that's the story many Americans learned.The reality is far more surprising. The law ...

29 Touko 18min

Homosexuality, Single Men and the American Revolution | S1E20 AAR

Homosexuality, Single Men and the American Revolution | S1E20 AAR

A secret homosexuality trial inside the British Army. Single men taxed but denied the vote. Colonies that feared unmarried men more than same-sex relationships.This interview examines parts of Revolut...

27 Touko 40min

The Bizarre Plot That Armed the American Revolution | S1E19 AAR

The Bizarre Plot That Armed the American Revolution | S1E19 AAR

Royal blackmail. A cross-dressing spy-decorated soldier diplomat. A ruined American patriot. A genius playwright, clockmaker. Spies. Secret arms deals. Before the Franco-American alliance became offic...

20 Touko 1h 29min

Was the American Revolution an Immigrant Revolution? | S1E18 AAR

Was the American Revolution an Immigrant Revolution? | S1E18 AAR

Half the population in Revolutionary America was made up of immigrants and their descendants. Germans, Irish, enslaved Africans, indentured servants, and even foreign soldiers shaped the politics, lan...

13 Touko 1h 1min

Suosittua kategoriassa Historia

olipa-kerran-otsikko
mayday-fi
gogin-ja-janin-maailmanhistoria
huijarit
mystista
rss-ikiuni
tsunami
totuus-vai-salaliitto
konginkangas
rouva-diktaattori
rss-subjektiivinen-todistaja
rss-i-dont-like-mondays-2
sotaa-ja-historiaa-podi
hippokrateen-vastaanotolla
rss-peter-peter
rss-sattuu-sita-suomessakin
rss-iltanuotiolla
rss-antiikki-nyt
paluu-historiaan
rss-marilynia-ja-maailmanhistoriaa