Britain's Response to the First French Invasion of Portugal

Daniel Ross · 2022-01-09T16:30:03.659Z

Why didn't Britain send troops ASAP to Portugal to aid in the expulsion of French forces? I personally suspect that the British government just didn't see it as militarily viable to do so, with Spain still being a reluctant ally of France. Even if the British and Portuguese could expel the Spanish and French temporarily, they could easily reinvade with twice the numbers and drive the British into the sea with nothing being gained and time, men and resources being wasted. I also suspect that the British only saw liberating Portugal as being potentially viable, when the alliance between Spain and France ends (because then there is something of a bulwark between the two nations). Does anyone have a definite explanation of this?

Ian Brooks

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