A hybrid fellow’s forum with Iris De Rode, U.S. Committee member of “America 2026” from October 3, 2023. Recording available.
About the Presentation
Generations of historians have mostly focused on the importance of French money, weapons, ships, and men as well as on the French individuals Lafayette, Rochambeau, and de Grasse in order to explain the success of the French-American alliance (1778–1783) during the American Revolutionary War. These interpretations, however, leave out a crucial element for success: the impact of applying the Military Enlightenment's common ideas to the American theater of conflict. During their extensive "reconnaissance mission" between 1780 and 1783, a group of French and American commanders, under the leadership of Washington and Rochambeau, worked together to accomplish this. This two and a half year process resulted in a deeper bond between the allies than frequently assumed, including mutual trust and friendship. It also made the French-American collaboration more extensive than just military collaboration, involving exchanges in the fields of diplomacy, commerce, science, and culture. Together, these elements would prove to be additional crucial elements for the French-American alliance's success. Thomas Jefferson was one of the most notable participants in these French-American interactions. He was close friends with François-Jean de Chastellux, major general in the French army. After their initial meeting at Monticello in 1782, the two collaborated on several projects to strengthen French-American ties and promote "pro-Americanism" in France.
About Iris De Rode
