It’s easy to focus on the American Revolution‘s famous battles, like Saratoga and Yorktown, its iconic leaders, like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, or its foundational documents, like the Declaration of Independence.
But International alliances — especially with France and Spain — played a critical role in securing the United States’ independence.
On this episode of the Ben Franklin’s World, an exploration of the American Revolution’s global dimensions, and how European rivalries, diplomacy, and behind-the-scenes decisions influenced the war’s outcome and nearly derailed the American cause more than once.
John Ferling, Professor Emeritus of History at West Georgia University, joins the podcast to explore the American Revolution’s global dimensions. Drawing from his new book, Shots Heard Round the World: America, Britain, and Europe in the Revolutionary War (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2025), Ferling reveals how European rivalries, diplomacy, and behind-the-scenes decisions influenced the war’s outcome and nearly derailed the American cause more than once.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Ben Franklin’s World is an award-winning podcast. It’s for people who love history and for those who want to know more about the historical people and events that have impacted and shaped our world. Each episode features an interview with a historian who shares their unique insights into our early American past.
Read more about the American Revolution.
Illustration: Auguste Couder, “Siege of Yorktown. General Rochambeau and General Washington give last orders before an attack, October 1781.”
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