How France Changed the Tides of the American Revolution (2018)
&gt; The stunning success at Saratoga gave Franklin what he had been pleading for — explicit French support in the war.<p>Or, in contrast to a story of straightforward military system-y tipping point, perhaps ...<p>&gt; The Battle of Saratoga was [...] not pivotal in convincing France that the rebels could defeat Britain. [...] French support depended far more upon court intrigue [1]<p>&gt; “sometimes history happens by accident,” and what more can one say about a revolution whose fate hung upon whether a French chevalier (Beaumont) suspected of being a woman turned over documents incriminating the French king of violating a treaty with Britain? Or that the social climber (Beaumarchais) who negotiated both the return of the evidence and support for the American cause would be best remembered for penning The Marriage of Figaro and The Barber of Seville? Or that the fate of American independence would take place in an environment more riddled with spies than a John le Carré novel? [1]<p>Like ChatGPT, sometimes the stories of history are &quot;we started out saying X, and now are unable to change course...&quot;.<p>[1] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.amherst.edu&#x2F;alumni&#x2F;learn&#x2F;bookclub&#x2F;pastfeatures&#x2F;2011-features&#x2F;unlikelyallies&#x2F;review" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.amherst.edu&#x2F;alumni&#x2F;learn&#x2F;bookclub&#x2F;pastfeatures&#x2F;2...</a> review of &quot;Unlikely Allies: How a Merchant, a Playwright, and a Spy Saved the American Revolution&quot; <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.google.com&#x2F;books&#x2F;edition&#x2F;Unlikely_Allies&#x2F;bERCMoBKslkC" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.google.com&#x2F;books&#x2F;edition&#x2F;Unlikely_Allies&#x2F;bERCMoB...</a> (has Preview)