Review of "The First War of the United States: The Quasi War With France 1798-1801," by William J. Phalen

 Review of

The First War of the United States: The Quasi War With France 1798-1801, by William J. Phalen, ISBN 9788193759165

Five out of five stars

Covers a war rarely mentioned

 The primary great power rivalry of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries was between Britain and France. France directly intervened in the American war for independence, and it seems unlikely that the United States would have won if it were not for the French help. At the time, France was a monarchy, which created issues with some Americans that were generally opposed to monarchies.

 As the United States made the initial steps to nationhood, the French did what great powers always do, they tried to manipulate events to their advantage. The reality was that the achieving of independence did not change the fundamental ties of commerce and business between the United States and Great Britain. The British also did all they could to maintain their commercial ties with their former colony. The French also felt that the United States owed them some gratitude for their assistance.

 This book covers the relationship between France and the United States in the years immediately after the American war of independence through the presidencies of George Washington and John Adams and the first year of the presidency of Thomas Jefferson. Two main political parties with widely different positions were forming in the United States, and the French Revolution overthrew the monarchy and established a republic. The French republic was more aggressively warlike than the monarchy, leading to significant conflict between the United States and France.

 One amazing fact that is often lost to history is that at the time of the presidency of Washington, the United States had not a single warship to protect the country from seaborne aggression. Even though there was a very large merchant fleet. Therefore, the American navy had to literally be built from scratch.

 This is a fascinating description of the early years of the United States when the founding fathers had to govern the country and deal with foreign nations that were often hostile and manipulative. Despite some significant disagreements, those men managed to steer the country through the dangerous waters and avoid what would have been a disastrous overt war with France.