French War Against America: How a Trusted Ally Betrayed Washington and the Founding Fathers Book

Unger believes the French aided the American revolt against Britain in order to prolong the war and weaken both parties, allowing the French to reclaim New France. Admiral DeGrasse reluctantly left the ships that blockaded Yorktown, preventing the British from reinforcing Cornwallis and leading to the American victory that all but ended the war. France attempted to undermine the presidency of George Washington with the same goal in mind. France carried on a quasi-war with the United States during John Adams term as president, which only ended when the US built a navy that drove them out. According to Unger, "In effect, the French constitution establishes the state as the basic political unit, from which individuals derive their rights; the United States constitution establishes the individual as the basic political unit, with the state deriving its rights from the people." Unger sees the French still believing they have the right to rule the world, and resent the United States as a result.