extension of war Flashcards
the french alliance
americans realised the importance of france’s help, even if its catholic and absolutist system of government made them less of a natural ally
france realised that the war offered an opportunity to avenge the humiliating outcome of the 7 years war. would provide america with money, despite louis xvi’s depleted treasury, and to encourage the army to supply arms and gunpowder, along with officers such as lafayette
however, louis xvi withheld formal recognition of american independence while the outcome of war was in doubt
6th february 1778 - france and america sign 2 treaties
- treaty of amity and commerce - france had a favoured trading status with america
- treaty of alliance - agreed not to make peace separately
franklin sent to paris in 1776 to get french support. good choice since he was a strong diplomat
saratoga ended french fears of an american collapse. by prompting north to make fresh concessions, it allowed franklin to play on french fears of a possible anglo american reconciliation.
spain and the netherlands
april 1779 - spain entered the war against britain, as an ally against france, not america. joined war to regain possessions lost to britain - florida, minorca, jamaica and gibraltar
1780 - britain declared war on the netherlands which was aiding france and spain over secret dutch trade and negotiations with the american colonies, then in revolt against england.
the league of armed neutrality
formed by russia, sweden and denmark in 1780
its aim was the protection of neutral rights, given britain’s blockade of america
prussia, portugal and austria joined in 1781
bolstered usa’s international position
results of french and spanish intervention
french intervention promoted a strong feeling of domestic support in britain
france’s army was 150,000 strong and had tried to construct a fleet capable of challenging british naval supremacy
british forces had to defend gibraltar, minorca and possesions in india, the west indies and africa, considered by many british people as more vital to britain’s prosperity than america
french intervention prodcued a national war effort in britain that american rebellion had not aroused. 1782- britain had an army of 150,000 troops, while the navy had 100,000 sailors and more than 600 ships
1778 - 65% of british army was in america, only 29% there in mid 1780. 41% of british ships in american waters, only 13% in mid 1780
america’s allies were more concerned with promoting their own interests than aiding america
france sent fewer than 10,000 troops to america
yorktown 1781
may - washington discovered de grasse’s fleet on the way. initially,he planned to use american and french forces to attack new york
rochambeau persuaded him that cornwallis was a better target
british rapidly executed and perfectly timed operation for washington - french-american army 16000 strong army, reached virginia in september 1781 - confronted cornwallis - trapped him and his troops in yorktown
5th september - british fleet held back which gave french control of chesapeake bay
cornwallis expected clinton to send another fleet to reinforce him or transport his army 7 day delay - trapped - october 1781 - trapped, weakly fortified, lack of supplies
19 October after a 3 week siege cornwallis and army of 7200 soldiers and 804 seamen surrendered
consequences of yorktown
britain still controlled new york, charleston and savannah and still had over 30,000 troops in america
american and french forces failed to cooperate in an attack on charleston, instead de grasse sailed for the west indies
british government discontinued offensive operations in america
an example of france not being helpful?
d’estaing failed to capture rhode island (july - august)
sailed to the carribean to capture british islands
washingston’s problems 1777 - 1778
valley forge
conway cabal
washington’s problems 1779 - 1781
over winters in morristown- worse than valley forge.
lack of troops - army only 8000- with 1/3 of these unfit for duty - desertion problem.
poor supplies and poor pay. benedict arnold defects to british and tries to give them west point but fails.
french troops arrive in rhode Island under rochembeau in 1780 but achieve little - january 1781 pennsylvania regiment mutiny then new jersey do same. washington crushes them. new jersey then fight massachussetts troops in princeton
for much of 1781 the continental army was in no position to challenge the british
clinton’s problems 1779 - 1781
germaine told him to focus on france in caribbean- depleted him of 5000 troops.
told to evacuate philadelphia and focus on new york. on route to he is attacked by lee but the attack fails.
french troops under d’estaing arrived besiege but fail to take rhode
island
august 1778 - go to the caribbean . washington will not be drawn into a major battle.
still possible for british to win if there was a surge in loyalist support.
