Editing Dutch Republic (section)

===Fourth Anglo-Dutch War (1780–1784)===
{{Main|Fourth Anglo-Dutch War}}
[[File:The Battle of the Dogger Bank 5 August 1781.jpg|thumb|[[Battle of Dogger Bank (1781)]] by [[Thomas Luny]]]]
The [[Fourth Anglo–Dutch War]] (1780–1784) was a conflict between the [[Kingdom of Great Britain]] and the [[Dutch Republic]]. The war, tangentially related to the [[American Revolutionary War]], broke out over British and Dutch disagreements on the legality and conduct of Dutch trade with Britain's enemies in that war.

Although the Dutch Republic did not enter into a formal alliance with the United States and their allies, U.S. ambassador (and future President) [[John Adams]] managed to establish diplomatic relations with the Dutch Republic, making it the second European country to diplomatically recognize the [[Continental Congress]] in April 1782. In October 1782, a treaty of amity and commerce was concluded as well.

Most of the war consisted of a series of largely successful British operations against Dutch colonial economic interests, although British and Dutch naval forces also [[Battle of Dogger Bank (1781)|met once off the Dutch coast]]. The war ended disastrously for the Dutch and exposed the weakness of the political and economic foundations of the country.<ref>Edler, Friedrich, ''The Dutch Republic and The American Revolution'' (1911, reprinted 2001) Honolulu, Hawaii: University Press of the Pacific, p. 88</ref> The [[Treaty of Paris (1784)]], according to [[Fernand Braudel]], "sounded the knell of Dutch greatness."<ref>[[Fernand Braudel|Braudel, Fernand]], ''The Perspective of the World'' vol. III of ''Civilization and Capitalism'' 1984. p. 273.</ref>