“France and the United States have been bound together by common interests and common ideals from the beginning.”
— Thomas Jefferson
It is not uncommon to hear, even among prominent French commentators, that the United States is a nation born purely of Anglo-Saxon heritage. This widely spread notion is historically inaccurate. It overlooks a crucial chapter: France’s pivotal role — and especially that of the Marquis de Lafayette — in securing American independence.
A Bold and Early Commitment
Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, was only 19 years old when he left France in 1777 to join the American insurgents. Against the will of the French court, he outfitted a ship at his own expense, driven by Enlightenment ideals and a sincere belief in the liberty of peoples. In America, he quickly earned the trust of George Washington, becoming a close friend and key officer. He actively fought in battles such as Brandywine and Monmouth, and played a strategic role in the Virginia campaign that led to the 1781 victory at Yorktown.
A Franco-American Victory
That victory, often portrayed as a purely American triumph, was in fact Franco-American. The fleet of Admiral de Grasse and the troops of General Rochambeau were decisive. Without France, American independence might not have happened — and without Lafayette, the coordination between the allied forces might have failed.
A Shared Intellectual Legacy
Beyond military support, France brought a political vision. The ideas of Montesquieu, Rousseau, and Voltaire nourished the thinking of the Founding Fathers. Thomas Jefferson deeply admired French culture and thought. The American Declaration of Independence and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen reflect a rich transatlantic exchange of Enlightenment principles.
Contemporary French Amnesia
Why then this historical amnesia? Why reduce the origins of the United States to a solely Anglo-Saxon lineage? France’s forgetfulness may stem from a loss of national confidence, the dominance of the Anglo-American narrative in media and education, and a simplified version of history broadcast in popular formats. Yet this omission is serious: it deprives France of a key part of its universal legacy.
Reclaiming Lafayette, Reclaiming Meaning
Lafayette, hero of two worlds, deserves to be restored to our collective memory. He embodies the best of what France has offered the world: the ideals of liberty, justice, and fraternity among peoples. Affirming this historical truth is a way to recover both meaning and pride in France’s global contribution to the cause of freedom.
Lettres d’humeurs et d’opinions. 