the revolutionary war from the brits point of view

[Felix/FFDS]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the French War against America.

After the end of the "French and Indian War"  The French started conniving to retake the lost territories, including French Canada... (and I'm not too sure they've ever stopped completely trying to retake French Canada).  Technically, they stopped when Napoleon was forced to sell Louisiana to the Americans (not that that stopped attempts later to retake it) for much needed cash to pursue its European Wars...

I tend to think that the War for American Independence  could have been solved satisfactorily by negotiations between the British and the Colonials, had it not been for French activisim and money.

FOr that matter, French connivance reached such a point that the delegates sent by the US to negotiate a settlement with Britain (conveniently brokered by the peace loving French) were *ordered* to reveal their complete instructions to the French, and to not negotiated with the British without getting the approval of the French, and whatever the French negotiated with the British - even if that meant the dismemberment of the Colonies - they had to agree.  Only the fact that some of the delegates went behind the French backs and reached agreement with the British saved the sovereignty of the fledgling nation.

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[H]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the French War against America...  the "French and Indian War"

It wasn't against America... it was part of the war between France and Britain; colonists and Native Americans (some of my native ancestors, sort of chased north in the 1600's, aided the French) were pawns for both sides. Similar to what you state, France had reason to back the British colonies in a revolution (howbeit, rather coyly at the start).

[H]

A lot of people do not know that a good many of the British Regiments serving in the colonies at that time were Colonial Regiments (India) for example and hired German units.

The motto on New Hampshire license plates is, "Live Free or Die," which is an  excerpt of a statement in a letter sent to Bennington, Vermont, from General John Stark (New Hampshire Militia) 30 years after the war. Bennington was commemorating the defeat of a Hessian force by combined units of the "Green Mountain Boys" (from what is now Vermont) and the New Hampshire militia. Not much seems to be mentioned of this in the history books but it was the reason that Saratoga, beleaguered and fresh troops and supplies now captured, was surrendered.

[ATI_7500]

A lot of people do not know that a good many of the British Regiments serving in the colonies at that time were Colonial Regiments (India) for example and hired German units.

Terrible story. German aristocrats sold their armies for being slaughtered at the other end of the world just to get some money for their senseless and expensive way of living.

Anyone of you ever read Schiller? He criticized that in one of his plays and got in trouble with the authorities.

[Woodlouse2002]

Terrible story. German aristocrats sold their armies for being slaughtered at the other end of the world just to get some money for their senseless and expensive way of living.

I wouldn't put it quite like that. Remember our king was German back in those days and Britain ruled a fair whack of what would one day be northwest Germany.

[ATI_7500]

I wouldn't put it quite like that. Remember our king was German back in those days and Britain ruled a fair whack of what would one day be northwest Germany.

Nonetheless, the remaining dozens of smaller german kingdoms sold their soldiers to the english king for the reason I said.