My understanding is that France was in a “I need money and I need it NOW!” situation at the time.
Waging war on all of Europe is pretty expensive I imagine.
AcceptableWheel on
He was busy trying to conquer Europe.
FanraGump on
Most of it was, “Sure, America, I’ll sell you land I don’t control. You can remove the Native Americans who actually live there on your own.”
The Americans only offered to buy New Orleans and its environs, which the French actually did control, but the French surprised them with the offer for everything. Not being an idiot, the U.S. representative accepted the entire thing, even though he was not authorized to do so.
Bourbonmmm on
If I remember correctly US wanted to just buy New Orleans and France was like how about all this other land for just a little more.
pickuppencil on
I’m enjoying this “US offers to buy land to be surprised” series from the sub
WoolooOfWallStreet on
Napoleon: Now you can be the one to argue with the Spanish about who owns what
United States: CAN DO!
<The US would continue this request long into the future>
DeltaV-Mzero on
They had just lost *fifty thousand* experienced soldiers and staff in an absolutely catastrophic boondoggle in Haiti.
It basically broke French power in the Americas. No base, no army, and the Navy couldn’t cope with the Brits if hostilities broke out again
The sale was a good deal for both sides, because America would 100% have just taken it a few years later
kappymeister on
Whats even funnier is that they used a loan from the British to pay the french, whom subsequently used the funds to create the finest army at the time the Grande Armee
8 Comments
My understanding is that France was in a “I need money and I need it NOW!” situation at the time.
Waging war on all of Europe is pretty expensive I imagine.
He was busy trying to conquer Europe.
Most of it was, “Sure, America, I’ll sell you land I don’t control. You can remove the Native Americans who actually live there on your own.”
The Americans only offered to buy New Orleans and its environs, which the French actually did control, but the French surprised them with the offer for everything. Not being an idiot, the U.S. representative accepted the entire thing, even though he was not authorized to do so.
If I remember correctly US wanted to just buy New Orleans and France was like how about all this other land for just a little more.
I’m enjoying this “US offers to buy land to be surprised” series from the sub
Napoleon: Now you can be the one to argue with the Spanish about who owns what
United States: CAN DO!
<The US would continue this request long into the future>
They had just lost *fifty thousand* experienced soldiers and staff in an absolutely catastrophic boondoggle in Haiti.
It basically broke French power in the Americas. No base, no army, and the Navy couldn’t cope with the Brits if hostilities broke out again
The sale was a good deal for both sides, because America would 100% have just taken it a few years later
Whats even funnier is that they used a loan from the British to pay the french, whom subsequently used the funds to create the finest army at the time the Grande Armee