 That's Amin Ahmed, a researcher who specializes in what we now call Karnataka, but which was long known as Mysore, then its own kingdom in what is now southern India. It existed from the late 1300s to 1947. Now, American diplomats knew two things of importance. Mysore had just won a major battle against Britain, so they knew Britain's weaknesses, and they had successfully enlisted the support of the French, who America desperately needed to support us in our own battle.