FROM THE EDITIOR
crafty New England lawyer John Adams sealed several deals with foreign powers that brought new weight to bear in America’s cause. France, a longtime rival of Great Britain, sympathized with the Colonial struggle, if not all its ideals. That commit- ment—in financial, material, and military support—nearly doubled the French national debt, producing a financial crisis that contributed to the revolution in France itself. But with France on America’s side in the latter 1770s, her ally Spain soon followed. Both nations provided money and arms to the would-be new republic. Spain also deployed its navy to protect French possessions in the Caribbean. This freed Admiral de Grasse to move his battleships north to the Chesapeake Bay, pinning the British between the sea and American and French troops facing them on the land. A book and Pulitzer award finalist on the alliance was authored by this magazine’s associate editor, Dr. Larrie Fer- reiro— “Brothers at Arms: American Independence and the Men of France and Spain Who Saved It.” Finally, the cautious Dutch weighed in, at first officially neutral but covertly providing gunpowder and supplies un- til they were dragged into the war by British attacks on their colonies and their fleet. But, what about the money? Notably, the most common currency used in the Colonies during the Revolutionary War was the Spanish peso, known as the “Spanish dollar” be- cause it contained roughly the same silver weight as the Ger- man thaler. Thus, the name applied to U.S. currency bears fingerprints from America’s heavy reliance on the European allies for hard money during the Revolutionary Founding. National memories endure for generations. The per- sonal role of the Comte de Rochambeau and the Marquis Service members from the U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Color Guard prepare to present the colors for the singing of the national anthem during the Miami Marlins America 250 Celebration and Military Appreciation game at Loan Depot Park on July 11, 2026. The game commemorated a historic national milestone while honor- ing the dedicated service and sacrifice of our nation’s military members Source: U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Bermudez
There were many acts of American heroism to remember and celebrate, including some that will resonate strongly with acquisition and sustainment professionals.
With approach of the 250th anniversary of the Declara- tion of Independence, a wealth of new and revisited televi- sion programming poured forth on the events of 1776-1784. PBS aired Ken Burns’ six-episode series, “The American Revolution,” as well as the 10 episodes of “Washington’s Spies,” an account of America’s anti-British espionage based on the book by Alexander Rose. The film musical, “1776,” originally released prior to the bicentennial 50 years ago, has been a revived feature. Whether studiously historical or imaginative and enter- taining, these milestone epics remind us of one important fact: The Founding of the United States might easily have failed. The 13 Colonies that revolted against British rule were woefully short of arms and munitions, the industry to manufacture them, and the money to buy them. Therefore, the revolution began with high hopes, audac- ity, and a resolute will but few other means to wrest victory from a powerful, militarily equipped, and martially accom- plished empire of the first order. There were many acts of American heroism to remember and celebrate, including some that will resonate strongly with acquisition and sustainment professionals. These in- clude then young Continental Army Col. Henry Knox’s haul - ing and sledging 60 cannons by yoked oxen over 300 miles in freezing conditions from Fort Ticonderoga in Upstate New York to Massachusetts between December 1775 and January 1776. This great trek, known as the “Noble Train of Artillery,” enabled George Washington to force the British Army out of Boston. There also was Washington’s memorable December 1776 crossing of the icy Delaware River with whatever would float to both remove his Army and artillery from a vulnerable po- sition and stage a surprise attack on Britain’s Hessian mer- cenaries in Trenton, N.J. This daring maneuver and many others during more than eight years of the Revolutionary War prefigured the Allied boldness on land and sea that won World War II. But the United States in its War for Independence also was blessed with friends abroad. The diplomatically suave inventor-celebrity Benjamin Franklin and the cautiously
JULY – AUGUST 2026 | DEFENSE ACQUISITION MAGAZINE 7
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