Benjamin Franklin: The Chess Master

Name Instructor Course Date Benjamin Franklin: The Chess Master The “Chess Master” is the third episode of Benjamin Franklin 2002 documentary television series of 2002. It revolves around the last 14 years of Benjamin Franklin in which nine of these years are spent in Paris. In Paris, Franklin serves as the ambassador to France. While there are numerous achievements by Franklin during these years, the major achievement guided by the primary objective was to acquire military and financial aid. The journey to France as an ambassador occurs in his 70s, a time when Franklin is the oldest of the major leaders of the American Revolution. His stay in France consists of the most important responsibility in his life. In order to have the American Revolution succeed, it is revealed that this can only be possible with support from outside forces in terms of financial and military aid. This is the reason Franklin is sent to embark on a desperate effort of securing an association with greatest rival to England. The task assigned to Franklin is not an easy one and in order for it to succeed, he has to use all his political skills including talent for propaganda, manipulation, gift for subterfuge, public relations, and back-room strategizing. All these are meant to convince the aristocratic France to offer the require support for the cause of the Revolutionary movement. In this case, the major achievement by Franklin is succeeding in task despite the reluctance of the French King coupled with backbiting by John Adams. The required French support is achieved and this leads to American Victory in Yorktown (Hovde and Meyer). After his achievement in France, Franklin is ailing and weary. However, this does not prevent him from succeeding in other tasks he is assigned to. Even though...