Quote:
|
Originally Posted by 03USMC I agree the French did make sacrifices. However remember the U.S. Quasi-War against the French in the 1790's? When they started seizing U.S. Flagged Merchant vessels and impressing U.S. Merchant sailors because we would not declare war on Great Britian. |
Our American history textbooks will say that the French seized our vessels and almost brought us to war, but the books do not explain France's position.
The honeymoon between France and the United States was short lived. The American Congress put 3 men in charge of negotiating with England; John Adams, Jay and Benjamin Franklin. Franklin's apparent fraternization with the French made him distrusted by others. In the end, Franklin would play a minimal roll in the treaty between America and England. Adams and Jay had been in Europe for 3 years and did not trust the French. Those 2 did not know the roll the French played at Yorktown. Congress had ordered the American delegation to include France in all negotiations with England. I think Adams said, "it would be an honor not to follow this order." I will save the gritty details. In the end, the treaty between the United States and England reflected only British and American interests. France was a little ticked off that her interests were left out of the treaty. What a way to reward an ally who did quite a bit for the American revolution.
The amount of debt that America had because of the war was extreme. One figure I came across was over $200 million dollars. That was reduced to $60 million dollars by congress saying that the gold dollar would be worth $40 paper dollars. France was the one who loaned the most to the US, and she had every right to that money. The US congress did not know how to pay back France, UNTIL after the French Revolution. Then the Americans dicided not to pay the new French government. The Congress said that since the loans were with the King and not the new government, America did not have to pay the French back.
And that is why the French attacked American shipping. In my opinion, the attacks were warrented since what the American government did was pretty messed up.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Italian Guy Nobody owns anything to France, guys. |
not so much owe as remember. I can bet you some serious money that that a majority of Americans do not know much, if anything, about the facts I have been stating.