[thomaswest]

Actually, the USA would not exist today if France hadn't helped us in the Revolutionary War. The Colonists were not doing very well against Britain's army, and George Washington, for all his virtures, was not a gifted general. The Colonists would surely have been defeated at Yorktown by the British Navy if France had not sent their fleet to block the British.

Because of the French, the Colonists won at Yorktown, and the British surrendered.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

They were not helping the USA they were sticking their finger in Britain's eye. Different thing entirely.

[mrsmith]

" the USA would not exist today if France hadn't helped us in the Revolutionary War."

And we wouldn't exist if Napoleon had defeated the British...

People forget the first country the United States went to war with was...

France!

[Sonny M]

Because of the French, the Colonists won at Yorktown, and the British surrendered.

Keep in mind, that we went to war with the french, before the revolutionary war.

France has absolutly no consideration for us, they were at war with the brits, and took any oppurtunity they could to get at them, our revolutionary war, was just another oppurtunity.

FWIW, have you ever noticed the history of colonies that became independent from both the brits and the french, France has a nasty history of brutal bahavior.

[sully777]

The Colonists were not doing very well against Britain's army

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What do you call Boston, Saratoga, Monmouth, Princeton, Sullivan's War, Cowpens, etc. and the near draw at Germantown and Brandywine. After four years of war against the greatest power in the world with a volunteer army ill fed, ill equipped and ill prepared I think we did a damn good job. And the Brits begrudgingly agreed.

British Navy

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Jones and the privateers using adaptable finesse/

I point of fact, France was not a military factor until 1779-80 and their help was suspect at best especially in Newport, RI.

[Nevermore]

Actually, the USA would not exist today if France hadn't helped us in the Revolutionary War.

I salute the memory of Lafayette & his ilk. This is another generation, as distant from those heroes as Clinton is from Washington. These French are a disgrace to Lafayette. (But let's not sugar-coat it either: those French just loved stickin' it to King George. Shortly after our revolution, they made a horrible mess of things in their own.)

[Hiddigeigei]

Actually, the USA would not exist today if France hadn't helped us in the Revolutionary War.

Well, maybe.

The French only decided to aid the Americans after we had defeated one British army at Saratoga. The British lost at Kings Mountain (without our needing the French). Then they were driven out of the Carolinas after their defeat at Cow Pens (without our needing French help). The French did help us at the end when Cornwallis was trapped at York Town.

[HeartlandOfAmerica]

The Colonists would surely have been defeated at Yorktown by the British Navy if France had not sent their fleet to block the British.

Actually, I don't believe this is accurate.

Washington and his army had Cornwallis's troops boxed up on Yorktown's peninsula and the British fleet was coming in to evacuate them to fight another day.

The French fleet came up from the Carribean and prevented the English fleet from picking up Cornwallis and his soldiers, leaving them little choice but to surrender, especially with us putting 3600 shells into their position in the past 24 hours.

[quadrant]

A quick search of the records of even the most odious of tyrants and countries will turn up one good deed.
Seriously, France is and has always been the pest of Europe.

[Pharmboy]

There would not have been a defeat at Yorktown without the French, rather if the French Fleet never showed Cornwallis would have been able to escape via water and we would not have gained a victory: big difference. It had nothing to do with General Washington's skill set as a general. And, FYI, he improved considerably as the war went on: Trenton, Princeton, Monmouth. At the Battle of Brooklyn he was poor in the field, but engineered a brilliant retreat which saved the army. And, he was a brilliant leader of men and fearless on the field.

As far as the French go, they were much more interested in helping us bloody English noses than in helping Americans per se. As soon as Washington became president, they began making trouble for us (see Citizen Genet, etc.).

[JasonC]

230 years ago, when France had a legitimate king.

What have you done for me lately? Not a blessed thing...