I'm John Batchel with Professor Richard Bell, his new book The American Revolution

and the fate of the world tells the story from the points of view of people who have something

to gain or of necessity are part of the revolution, not speechifiers, but participants

either as prisoners, as soldiers, as betrayers.

And in this instance, the French, their contribution is brilliant global strategy.

The professor makes the point in his introduction throughout the book,

the American Revolution is not isolated.

It's connected to the world.

The moving parts of empires.

The ongoing battle that's gained again between the French king and the English king,

drawing in the Spanish king, and the possessions in the Indian Ocean pay attention,

the possessions in China, the tea party. We're now going to tell the story of the French,

because without one particular man, he was the Comte de Vergen. His name was Charles Gravier.

Without him, none of this is possible.

He's the genius, the one behind the curtain. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain,

says the Wizard of Oz. Well, pay attention to Virgin. Professor, what do we need to know about his understanding of the American Revolution. Good evening.

I love that question, John. So oftentimes the only Frenchman we talk about when we talk

about the American Revolution is the Marquis de Lafayette, right? This young volunteer aristocrat

who joins the Continental Army ranks serves in American uniform. I think that's a mistake.

I think we should spend a lot more time with one of the greatest statesmen of the 18th century,

Charles Gravier, the Comte de Vergen, the Count of Vergen,

who is the French foreign minister and effectively the French prime minister at the time.

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