Why was foreign aid important to the Patriot cause during the Revolution?

Answer 1

At the time the colonists revolted, Great Britain was the leading major power in the world. The revolutionaries were simply in no position to wage war against the British on their own, and thus sent diplomatic missions to a number of Great Britain's rivals (and indeed, even to some of her allies) requesting aid.

Financing the war effort and recruiting skilled soldiers were the biggest issues facing the Continental Congress, while on the other hand, the British had both monetary wealth to spend and one of the most disciplined professional armies among European powers. Additionally, the Royal Navy, the foremost naval power at the time, had complete dominance over maritime affairs, and colonial leaders were afraid that any blockade imposed by London would cripple the economy.

Eager for revenge, France at first only secretly assisted the rebels by providing supplies and loans. The French were hesitant to declare open warfare against the British though as they were still recovering from their earlier defeat in the Seven Years' War and were doubtful that the colonials would win.

However, after the Battle of Saratoga, France changed her mind and allied openly with the colonists against Great Britain. Spain was later convinced to join in accordance with the Pacte de Famille and the Dutch Republic was also subsequently dragged into the conflict. Perhaps most surprisingly, American diplomats were able to secure the neutrality of Portugal, the traditional ancient ally of the British, and Austria also confirmed her support for France (though the Austrians never entered the war). Great Britain was thus left without any major European allies while the colonists had the support of most of the other powers.

This turn of diplomatic events forced Great Britain to expend resources on other theatres of war (such as fighting the Dutch in India), thereby also thinning their already small land force. It is generally recognized that securing the aid of foreign powers was one of the fundamental aspects in the ability of the colonists to win the war.