From defeat
and victory, to 1777
Posturing early: the Spanish lakes and South America, from 1776
Independence and the common foe
Floridablanca and the policy of patience
Duplicity in favor of the Americans, 1777
Antebellum anxiety, 1777-1779
Illinois to Guatemala: a benevolent neutrality and preparation, 1778-1779
Negotiations and the Spanish declaration of war
European allies, 1779-1783
Central America: an integral defense, 1779-1783
The Mississippi River and the Gulf Coast: casting the dice
A costly blow to British prestige, 1780-1781
Yorktown, the Bahamas, and peace, 1781-1783
Conclusions and epilogue.