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Question: Could we (Americans) have won the American Revolution without the French!?
And, if so, why didn't they help sooner and do we give them enough credit!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
There is no possibility the US could have won, without French help!.

Britain was the most powerful nation in the world at the time!.
England alone had 10 times the population of the US; the rest of her great empire perhaps another 10 times!. Besides she had control of the seas; so could blockade (and/or bombard) the Southern cotton traders forever from bases in Halifax and Barbados; while Indian allies harassed the colonies in the west!.

The best that the US could hope for in such a situation was a long-term stalemate; (and indeed the Revolution ended with the Brits in control of the cities, rebels of the countryside), but in such a stalemate, it is very likely the much-smaller US would have broken down first!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

This is a difficult question to answer, one of those big "What Ifs" in history!. With French support, the Army would have almost certainly collapsed but I don't know if Britain would have been able to subdue all the colonies, especially the more rebellious ones in New England!.

I think that without French support Britain would have likely have held on to the Loyal Southern colonies and the Northern Colonies would have become the United States!. Thus, history would have played out much differently!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

An age old question!. The Brits had that 2500 mile-long supply line that was constantly harassed by America's tiny navy and privateers!. Could they have severed that supply line without the mighty French navy!? Maybe, but it would have taken a long, long time, and General Washington and others could have been captured, or some other disaster could have befallen on the colonials!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

This is a big "what if" question and there is probably no wrong answer since it is a matter of opinion!. That being said my opinion is that if the French did not get involved than the war would have lasted much longer at the very least and taken a heavy toll on the colonies especially!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Doubtful!.
France was in a war with England at the time of the Revolution, and helped us fight the common enemy!. Relations became a little strained towards the end of Washington's presidency, but no, I don't think we could have won without them!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The only reason the Americans were a challenge to Britain at all was that there was a war with France going on anyway!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

no we couldnt have won!. we dont give them alot of credit because it Britain was already their enemy and it was in their best interest to knock them offWww@QuestionHome@Com

No!. They didn't help sooner because they didn't really want to risk another all out war with Britain!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

They came in at the last minute and helped us end the war faster but we would have won anyway!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

they waited until they thought there was a chance that we'd win before coming in on our side!. anything to take a shot at the british!.

we would not have won without themWww@QuestionHome@Com