Over the course of history, millions of Americans and other freedom-loving people around the world fought to stop evil.
Learn how and why – and compete for prize money up to $10,000 with your winning essay!
Apply now and submit your essay no later than May 3, 2026!
Winners will be announced on Gold Star Mother’s & Family’s Day, September 27.
Students compete within their age group:
11-12 years
13-15 years
16-18 years
All students are invited to participate – public, private, parochial, charter, military and homeschoolers welcome!
You must be no older than 18 on May 3, 2026. College students are not eligible to participate.
Each student must have an adult editor, generally a parent or guardian. The adult editor helps steer research activities, supports the development of the essay theme, checks grammar, spelling and punctuation, and leads discussion of the two mandatory questions:
Both you and your adult editor must certify that your essay is an original work. We check for the use of AI and plagiarism, and essays found to have been written with AI or containing plagiarized content will be disqualified.
Write an essay about the great alliance between France and America during one of these times in history. Remember to include the two mandatory questions below! (Key words are suggestions to narrow your focus.)
The American Revolution
Key words: George Washington; Benjamin Franklin; Marquis de Lafayette; Continental Army; Treaty of Amity and Commerce; Treaty of Alliance (Franco-American Treaty)
Post-Revolution through post-Civil War
Key words: French Revolution; Napoleon Bonaparte; Quasi-War; U.S. Navy; Neutrality Act; Treaty of Mortefontaine; Louisiana Purchase; Civil War; Statue of Liberty
World War I: Battle of Meuse-Argonne
Key words: President Woodrow Wilson; Meuse-Argonne Offensive; American Expeditionary Forces; Western Front; Hundred Days Offensive; Gen. John J. Pershing; Gen. Ferdinand Foch; Armistice; Paris Peace Conference; League of Nations; Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery
World War II: Operation OVERLORD
Key words: Vichy France; Free France; French Resistance; Gen. Charles de Gaulle; Gen. George S. Patton; U.S. 3rd Army; Battle of Normandy; Liberation of France; Normandy American Cemetery
Background
France was the first nation to recognize the United States as a sovereign nation. Its motivation was fueled by its loss of significant territory in the Americas when it was defeated in the French and Indian Wars to Great Britain in 1763. But the idea of self-governance, personal liberty, and private property rights as written in the Declaration of Independence inspired French leaders to support the fledging republic.
Treaties established between the two nations opened trade and secured funding for the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. In 1803, needing funds for an anticipated war with Britain, France offered to sell the equivalent of 15 states, stretching from what is now Arkansas to the Dakotas, in a land deal known as The Louisiana Purchase. The acquisition gave settlers a sense of security as being part of America, and it led to a great westward expansion. Significantly, it gave the port of New Orleans to the United States.
In 1884, in recognition of our alliance, France gave the citizens of the United States the iconic Statue of Liberty. It is a symbol of America’s commitment to the right of all people to live in freedom. France had thrown off its monarchy with its own revolution, and the ideals of democracy and abolition of slavery were held in common with the patriots of the United States.
World War I, the “Great War”, witnessed the alliance of the United States and France, especially during the Battle of Meuse-Argonne, part of the Hundred Days Offensive, the largest, bloodiest and deadliest operation of the war. More than 1.2 million American soldiers, sailors, and Marines, and 800,000 French soldiers and other allies fought for 47 days across the ‘no man’s land” of the Western Front. Their sacrifice finally ended the war. At the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in France, 15,000 American fallen heroes are buried or memorialized with their names on the Walls of the Missing.
By 1940, France was occupied by the Axis powers. It fell under the control of the Vichy regime, which collaborated with Nazi Germany. Vichy France adopted authoritarian and anti-Semitic and racist laws that deported Jewish and other “undesirable” people to concentration camps. Operation OVERLORD was the WWII Allied invasion that began on D-Day, June 6, 1944. It was the largest seaborn invasion in history, and storming the beaches at Normandy was the beginning of the end of WWII. Every year, at commemorative events throughout France, French citizens remember, honor and express their gratitude to the Allied men and women who rescued their country. At the Normandy American Cemetery, nearly 11,000 American service members are buried or memorialized with their names on the Walls of the Missing.
The alliance between the United States and France is rooted in a shared respect for individual liberty and the right of all people to live in freedom. It has been strengthened by treaties and trade and the selfless military and political leaders whose vision and courage shaped history. It shows itself in cultural influences of traditions, food and wine, art, language, fashion, architecture, and music.
Whichever topic you choose, be sure to answer the mandatory questions. (There are no “right answers.” This shows how you see the relevance of the topic to your own life.)
Each essay must be written in English. If English is not the first language of the student, that should be noted on the application form. Applications and Essays must be submitted online at [email protected].
Essays must be:
If, after sending in your application, you don’t get an immediate response with your Unique Participant ID number, please check your spam folder. If our email to you is not there, please reach out to us at [email protected]. There may be some incompatibility between servers. Thank you.
References are not included in word count.
Quoted material should be used sparingly and must include a citation of author, publication and date.
*The use of Artificial Intelligence sources such as ChatGPT is prohibited. Essays written with the help of AI bots will be disqualified.
There are three rounds of judging, and the decisions of the third-round Review Committee are final. Judges and the Review Committee will not see the student’s name but will only see a unique Participant ID for each essay submission.
*The use of Artificial Intelligence sources is prohibited. Essays written with the help of AI will be disqualified.
Essays Due on Sunday, May 3, 2026, no later than 10 pm MDT
That’s it!
The American Battle Monuments Foundation Past is Prologue Essay Contest is made possible, in part, through the generosity of our sponsors.
