How the French Saved America: Soldiers, Sailors, Diplomats, Louis XVI, and the Success of a Revolution

Author and filmmaker Shachtman (Gentlemen Scientists and Revolutionaries) highlights France’s role in securing American independence in this otherwise familiar story of the Revolutionary War. Without French recognition and support, he argues, colonists would never have triumphed in the crucial battles, such as Yorktown, that paved the way to American democracy. Surveying Franco-American relations from the 1770s until independence, Shachtman illuminates the impact of French contributions to American military leadership, resources, and engineering knowledge, while also paying close attention to the effects of French-led international negotiations with Britain and Spain. Throughout he emphasizes the roles played by King Louis XVI, the Marquis de Lafayette, and others who worked closely with more-well-known American figures such as George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. At times, the complex cast of characters makes the account difficult to follow and there is little sense of an overall narrative. Shachtman is at his best when describing specific events, such as battles, but is less successful at attempts to sketch broader transatlantic political developments. Although perhaps less useful to scholars looking for fine-grain detail, this account will likely be of interest to American-history enthusiasts and Francophiles alike. [em]Agent: Mel Berger, WME. (Sept.) [/em]