The American Revolution played a pivotal role in the history of the USA. The main stage of the revolution was the War for the Independence of the United States, and its result was the defeat of Great Britain and the recognition of a new country, the United States of America. The reason for the revolution was various restrictions on the freedom of the North American colonies.
The strategy of the Continental Army in the war was to gain universal legitimacy. Although the Declaration of Independence was created to express American ideas and beliefs, its primary goal was to serve as a light of hope to the rest of the globe. As the former colonies aspired to break free from British rule, there was a genuine danger that no other country would see them as anything more than disobedient British citizens. The principal purpose of diplomats like Franklin and Adams was to persuade foreign governments to recognize the United States as a sovereign entity (Heale, 2020). From a political standpoint, America had little hope of obtaining real independence without international support.
In the end, though not a very strong army, the Continental Army won. “Strategically and logistically,” the British army was disadvantaged and therefore failed during the American Revolution (Heale, 2020, p.32). The British army’s primary downside or vulnerability was that it was battling in a faraway place. The British government had to ferry men and supplies over the ocean, which was incredibly expensive. The British troops did not know the local geography and the Continental Army and were not prepared to conduct guerilla warfare in the forest. Before, the British army had exclusively engaged in European-style open-field combat. Furthermore, the British troops were battling to defend a massive empire that was stretched across the globe. As a result, the force was dispersed unevenly, reducing its efficacy.
The American Revolution fundamentally altered the trajectory of U.S. history. Since the Continental Army had managed to bring the world’s most powerful military power to a halt, it garnered universal respect. This also fostered a stronger feeling of nationalism among its citizens. All of these factors impacted the army of the country, which was now growing. The power of the military plays a crucial role in every country, which ensures the safety of the nation.
When it comes to Just War Theory, warfare is only right if it is done for a purpose that is both justifiable and morally significant. The nation that desires to employ armed force must show a just reason for doing so. The American Revolution was justifiable because the British did not treat the colonists fairly and equally. Because they did not live in that nation, colonists were not granted the same privileges as British males from the start. The conventional idea in Britain was that the colonies owed the country everything, including protection, economics, and supply. They thought that Britain had fought the costly war primarily to grow its empire and enhance its wealth rather than serve its American citizens.
Hence, the American Revolution led to the independence of the USA, establishing an official country. Though lacking financial resources, the Continental Army won, which led to global recognition and a sense of nationalism among the citizens. The main reasons for the failure of British troops were the absence of knowledge about the local geography of America and the expense of transportation of goods and soldiers. As a result, the American Revolution can be justified since its aim was to establish independence and freedom. However, British influence was not justified because their primary goal was to not ensure the well-being of colonies but to gain power and recourses.
Reference
Heale, M. J. (2020). The American Revolution. Routledge.