by Jerry Curtis

Created on: April 26, 2007   Last Updated: April 29, 2011

We Americans owe the French our independence. Before they gave us the Statue of Liberty back in the late 19th century, over one hundred years before, our French allies gave our struggling nation, money, men, soldiers, and the use of their powerful navy. The French deployed battle ships that bottled up Cornwallis in the narrow end of a Virginia peninsula. With his back to sea and his escape blocked after the French chased away the powerful British Royal Navy, Cornwallis had no choice but to surrender.

French aristocracy supported a rebellion against another king.

Ironically, at the time the French nobles were not enamored with American republican values and goals.  In fact, the French King, Louis XVI, had no sympathy with Americans nor with rebels. King Louis was fond of repeating the humorous remark of his brother-in-law, Joseph II,"I am a royalist by my trade, you know." This dichotomy notwithstanding, the French were eager to wreak revenge on the British for the French defeat and humiliation during the Seven-Years War (1755-1764).

French aid was indispensable.

Before the fall of Bastille presaged the untimely end of the French monarchy, however, French assistance was pivotal in helping to win our independence. A Smithsonian web page addresses the subjected succinctly:

"Without French aid ... it is doubtful that the colonists could have been a match for Britain's large and well-equipped troops. France secretly gave supplies and money to the colonies from 1776 to 1778, and upon formally declaring war on England in June 1778, committed soldiers and naval fleets to the cause."

Lafayette, a great friend to Washington

One French hero who fought for our cause was the Marquis de Lafayette (his full name was Marie Jean Paul Joseph Roche Yves Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette). Lafayette became a life-long friend to and served as an unofficial aide on George Washington's staff. Wounded at the Battle of Brandywine, after recuperating, he led a reconnaissance mission for General Green, and, with his force of 300 men, defeated a larger force of Hessians. Lafayette was later given his own division in Washington's army and was unswervingly faithful to Washington during a time when jealous rivals tried to oust Washington from leadership of the Continental Army. Lafayette served with distinction throughout our war and never wavered in his love of his adopted country.

The French Navy to the rescue

French naval assistance to the American cause, was, as stated above, crucial. Our U.S. Department of State recognizes the fact when it reports:

"...The French Navy transported reinforcements to the southern American army under the Marquis de Lafayette, fought off a British fleet, and protected Generals Washington and Rochambeau's march to Virginia. With an almost evenly divided American-French Army of 16,000, Washington laid seige to 8,000 British forces at Yorktown and forced their surrender on October 19, 1781, for all practical purposes successfully ending the War for American Independence."

The debt was repaid

America repaid our debt to France many times over in men and material during both world wars of the Twentieth Century. Our casualties fighting in the trenches of France during World War I were about 117,000 killed. During World War II, in the first day of the Normandy Invasion, we lost 2,500 ground troops on the beaches and 2,600 paratroopers. Nevertheless, the French played a pivotal and indispensable role in the American Revolution. In recognition of that debt, when General John J. Pershing reported for duty to help the French defeat the Germans in World War I, Black Jack's famous greeting was, "Lafayette, we are here."

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