Yorktown

Today marks the 222nd anniversary of the British defeat at Yorktown in the American Revolution, ending what would now be called the "major combat phase" of the war, and leading to the peace agreement of two years later in which Great Britain recognized the United States as an independent country. George Washington was very skillful at defeating Lord Cornwallis, but he did have some help, namely from the French navy (which blockaded the British off the Virginia coast) and specifically from the French commanders Rochambeau (whom I believe had some fancy restaurant named after him) and DeGrasse. In fact, if not for France, we'd probably be a wimpy Commonwealth country today, and Washington probably would have been thrown in prison if not hanged.

Remember that next time someone bitches about the French, which will probably be tomorrow somewhere in Texas.

Oh yeah, the peace agreement of 1783 was signed in Paris.