Harry Ammon's The Genet Mission

In Harry Ammon’s book, The Genet Mission, the author describes how the impact of Edmond Genet, who served as ambassador to the United States of the newly formed French Republic, affected the United States who was divided on the issue of neutrality in the Wars of the French Revolution. Genet attempted to persuade the United States into fostering relations with the new French nation through the creation of a French influence in the states while he rallied American support to enter into the wars that were plaguing Europe. However, the author’s message to the audience shows how vital Genet was, not just in terms of foreign affairs of the United States, but also in its domestic policies. Before starting, it is important to take an in-depth examination of Ammon’s thesis. Ammon rationalizes that the affairs of the ambassador were significant in the development of the political parties of the country. Ammon doesn’t just simply state that Genet was important in modern-day political parties, but that he was also a stepping-stone that brought organized political party ideas into the open public for debate and controversy. While this idea serves as the author’s primary thesis of his book, Ammon additionally hints at how Genet’s mission was an influence on the formation

His goals were to strengthen the bonds that had long united the two nations by creating a pact. In addition, Genet was informed of the pro-British sentiment among certain US politicians (one such being Alexander Hamilton), and was informed to instruct the US that still owed its allegiances to France. Setting sail in 1792 on the L’Embuscade, his frigate and primary means of transportation, Genet did not know how well he would be welcomed, but assumed that it would be warm due to the similarities that coexisted between the republic and the United States. Genet would find out just how wrong he