France Joins the Fight
The American colonists could not have won the Revolutionary War (1775–1783) on their own. Fortunately, France provided help in the form of money, troops, and supplies.
Efforts to gain French support for an independent America began in 1776. The Continental Congress sent several diplomats to France. They persuaded the French to secretly send guns, uniforms, and other supplies.
Dozens of European military officers also traveled to America. They sought commissions in the Continental Army. Charles Armand Tuffin, Marquis de La
