Tuchman also devotes a chapter to the Dutch Golden Age (“Beggars of the Sea - The Dutch Ascendancy”), showing how the Dutch Republic was an important influence on the American colonists. The British were enraged at this perceived betrayal by the Dutch, and the further deterioration of relations eventually led to the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War (1780-1784), which fully exposed the appalling weakness of the Dutch Republic. “The First Salute” refers to the events of 16 November 1776, when the governor of Saint Eustatius, Johannes de Graaff, returned the salute of the visiting American ship Andrew Doria-the first time a great power acknowledged an American vessel at sea, thereby tacitly recognizing American independence. The British were convinced that this flow of arms was the only thing keeping the nascent American army in the field. When the American rebellion began, Dutch merchants shipped arms to Saint Eustatius for delivery to the Americans. Thus, no country wanted to attack it, despite its relative defenselessness. Trade embargoes between the powers were easily circumvented by trading at Saint Eustatius, which became known as “The Golden Rock,” or affectionately as “Statia”. Saint Eustatius had become a world-important entrepôt after establishing itself as a free port and abolishing customs duties in 1756.

From where could the colonists buy guns and gunpowder? Their principal source of weapons was the tiny Caribbean island of Saint Eustatius, one of the Dutch Antilles.

(France would not officially ally itself with the colonists until 1778). When war broke out against Britain in 1775, the American colonists were without allies. Tuchman highlights the key role played by The Netherlands in the American Revolution, especially in the early years of the rebellion. The First Salute: A View of the American Revolution (1988) shows how the short-sightedness and even the vanity of leaders on both sides escalated the American struggle for independence from Britain into a general European war. She focused on key individuals, and presented history as dramatic struggle between all-too-human forces (often blundering into war, as in The Guns of August). Summary: Barbara Tuchman’s compelling view on the American Revolution highlights the key role played by The Netherlands in the struggle, first as arms merchant via Saint Eustatius (Dutch Antilles) and later as creditor and ally.īarbara Tuchman was one of the greatest story-tellers among 20 th century historians. The First Salute: A View of the American Revolution

Barbara tuchman the first salute