As the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence approaches, Americans have a great deal to celebrate. But alongside hailing the Founding Fathers for their bravery and sacrifice in the cause of forging a new nation, it’s worth recalling how much their effort was aided by other nations.
A new book, “The Forgotten World War: Exploring the Secret History of the American Revolution, from Spain to India and Back Again,” by my friend Derek Baxter, lays out the vital role played by other countries in aiding the cause of American independence.
“The American War of Independence started local,” Baxter writes, “but turned into a world war fought between armies in Europe, Latin America, India, and Africa, as well as between navies on countless seas.”
A few key foreign allies are well remembered. Many Americans know of the Marquis de Lafayette, if for no other reason than he gets his own musical numbers in Broadway’s “Hamilton.” When I recently visited Poland, my hosts were eager to mention the legacy of Casimir Pulaski, the Warsaw-born “father of the American cavalry,” who saved George Washington’s life at the Battle of Brandywine.
America’s improbable victory over British forces is full of stories of bravery from her allies. Victory at Yorktown was aided by the gallantry and tenacity of the French and Spanish fleets — the largest sea battle of the Revolutionary War, the Battle of the Capes, didn’t involve any American ships. Irish-born naval captain John Barry commanded the first ship commissioned by the Continental Congress. The Haitian-born Chasseurs Volontaires de Saint-Domingue, under French command, participated in numerous campaigns in the South, including the ill-fated Siege of Savannah in 1779.
The scouts and soldiers of the Oneida tribe of Native Americans too, were an invaluable ally to the Continental Army, even providing aid during the critical winter of 1777-78 at Valley Forge. And when Washington and his French counterpart, the Comte de Rochambeau, were broke, the “silver of Havana” paid the salaries of French sailors.
Nascent America’s most far-flung de facto ally hailed from India. There, the Kingdom of Mysore, led by Tipu Sultan, the “Tiger of Mysore,” was allied with French colonists. In the summer of 1783, the Mysoreans and French fought the British at the Battle of Cuddalore in India. The Americans won the Battle of Yorktown in 1781, and the Treaty of Paris was nearly complete when the shooting started in Cuddalore. The 1783 battle stopped nearly a month after it began when the British received news that the American Revolutionary War had ended. An initial peace treaty had been signed on Nov. 30, 1782, seven months earlier.
Many peoples, from far-off corners of the globe, all unified by one, clear and inspiring ideal: We really hate the British.
The story of King George III’s defeat is also a story of what happens when a powerful empire finds itself without allies. Britain was more isolated during the Revolutionary War than at almost any other time in its history. Enormous military advantages proved insufficient over time. But hey, in this day and age, what are the odds that the United States would launch a war against a technologically inferior foe without consulting allies and find victory harder to achieve than expected?
A reminder about the value of allies is particularly relevant given that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth felt the need to jab at the U.S.’s European allies during a speech at a D-Day ceremony in Normandy, France.
“Sadly, today, different European beaches are stormed by different dangerous ideologies. Beaches in Spain, in Italy, in Greece and Bulgaria, boats and men arrive,” Hegseth said Saturday. “When will European capitals do something about that invasion? Or is it too late?”
Any American can have plenty of fair gripes about European countries’ immigration and border patrol policies — although, ultimately, it’s their choice. But there’s a time and place for everything, and to bring up that complaint at a D-Day ceremony is like loudly belching during a wedding toast.
Hegseth’s decision to include the jab didn’t sit well with Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), the son of a D-Day veteran.
“Those remarks were out of place,” McCaul said on ABC News’s “This Week.” “I think it should have been about their sacrifice, their service to their country, and what they did to protect the free world at a time of great peril against Nazi Germany. That should have been the message. It always has been in the past. And, quite frankly, I thought it was just inappropriate.”
Lingering policy disagreements can wait until some other day. To America’s allies, past and present, thank you.
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