Have you ever heard of Vergennes, one of the most important men to have contributed to the independence of the United States?

[Julie4]

Vergennes was the great architect of France's aid to the American insurgents. More generally, Vergennes deserves a Mytake for his political achievements.


Not only was Vergennes the chief architect of France's aid to America, but he also ensured that this alliance took place without France imposing onerous trade conditions on the United States, thereby reinforcing France's image as a disinterested partner and attracting American gratitude. Thanks to this approach, he favored a joint victory that weakened Great Britain while establishing France as an ally of the new American republic.

Through his skill, he also restored a balance of power in which France once again became the arbiter.

[Makeushiver]

I think he helped but he seemed to be more motivated by the chance to interfere with British issues than he did in any outright support for the US. I think some other French citizens, Lafayette, of course, and Talleyrand were more interested in the the stated ideals of the US experiment. The revolution in France, contemporaneous with our own, is the most important of the all the popular uprisings happening at the time. The US revolution is a lot like the latest election. The problem was the prices being levied on the US in order for the British to raise revenue for their ongoing world hegemony. The fighting in Boston was about raised taxes with very few colonoials giving a shit about things like liberty, equality and brotherhood- the battle cry for the French revolution. Not that the French were champions of any ideals, they were starving in Paris and despite almost being saved by a few astute financiers under the very late Bourbon dynasty France too was exhausted by constant wars and the fact that the nobles were exempt from taxes- they had to pay by service to the crown during the constant fighting and by the church- immensely wealthy and immune from taxation despite the fact that upper echelons were as dissolute as the rest of Versailles

[Julie4]

Vergennes defended French interests; he never hid the fact. Moreover, he refused to allow France to intervene in several causes.

[RavVid]

I had never heard of him before your question. It was a cunning blow at the Royal Navy because the American colonies were becoming important for masting timber. Massachusetts Bay particularly.

At the same time, Vergennes helped to deplete Louis XVI's treasury which sort of led to the Parlement which then deposed him if I remember right.

So arguably Vergennes fostered two significant & successful revolutions. Not given to many men.

[Julie4]

Indeed, as one diplomat put it

"Is the real cause of the monarchy's bankruptcy to be found in this policy, or in the inability of statesmen to make the necessary reforms? To take just one example, why, when England's debt in 1786 was far greater than France's, and its national wealth twice that of its neighbor, was the monarchy unable to finance its expenditure? Where the British government, with legitimacy and above all unwavering determination, manages to find the necessary revenue with taxes twice as high as on this side of the Channel".

[RavVid]

Indeed it should have been within Frances capacity and France was only bankrupt relative to the customary taxes the Monarch received. As I understand it I should add.

Don't forget though, that England had fought a bitter civil war to end taxation without representation. Arguably the commonality between the American & French Revolution and the English Civil War was the objective to end taxation by an absolute regime demanding additional taxes.

With the irony being the English Parliament was unwilling to extend that right to the American colonies once achieving it in 1689 (a mere 87 years later and within living memory).

Who was the diplomat?

[Julie4]

Yes, France should have been able to meet the costs of this war. I really like Louis XVI. If it hadn't been for the revolution, Louis XVI would be in the pantheon of French kings.

Bernard de Montferrand

[RavVid]

I'll look Bernard up then. That is interesting he could have been in the pantheon because I just know him for the obvious. Since you respect him I shall read more.

[purplepoppy]

I don't think Americans give France enough credit for giving them a country.

[Miristheiss]

Not him specifically but I am fully aware of France supporting the colonies in the War of Independence and their fleet blocked in the British at the decisive battle at Yorktown, Virginia.

[abc3643]

It's a lovely city in Vermont. One of my buddies works there.

[KostasKouvalis]

I have now. So he's responsible, huh? He looks like our Georges Washington

[Julie4]

Haha yeah , they all had those damn wigs 😂

In fact, even in France, Vergennes is little studied, even though he is one of our most important politicians.

But Vergennes was a cold, distant man, I guess that's why people preferred to forget him in part.

[Intheclouds00]

Will the Americans were insurgents if you were native American however the French helped America fight the British insurgents

[Lliam]

He deserves more recognition.

[Julie4]

Absolutely true. In fact, even in France he's not very well known. I suppose it's because he was a discreet man who didn't seek glory.

But I think there's a town in the US named after him.

[Lliam]

I just looked it up.
"Built in 1788, Vergennes was Vermont's first city and bills itself as America's smallest city at only two square miles in size with a population of 2‚700."

[DrPepper12]

Yeah. Underrated figure

[RyanEC]

No I actually haven’t.
Very interesting.