ero yal ty ▁was ▁never ▁attacked ▁directly ▁by ▁French ▁arm ies . ▁The ▁French ▁attack ▁to ▁Spain ▁indirect ly ▁started ▁the ▁Uruguay an ▁War ▁of ▁Independ ence , ▁France ▁recognized ▁Uruguay ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁nation ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 8 3 0 . ▁ ▁France ▁attempted ▁the ▁French ▁block ade ▁of ▁the ▁Río ▁de ▁la ▁Pl ata ▁during ▁the ▁War ▁of ▁the ▁Confeder ation , ▁and ▁later ▁the ▁another ▁block ade ; ▁both ▁affected ▁Uruguay . ▁ ▁Nevertheless , ▁the ▁French ▁presence ▁in ▁Uruguay ▁has ▁always ▁been ▁strong . ▁During ▁the ▁first ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁Uruguay ▁received ▁most ▁of ▁French ▁imm igr ants ▁to ▁South ▁America . ▁It ▁constit uted ▁back ▁then , ▁the ▁second ▁re ceptor ▁of ▁French ▁imm igr ants ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁World ▁after ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Thus , ▁while ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁received ▁ 1 9 5 , 9 7 1 ▁French ▁imm igr ants ▁between ▁ 1 8 2 0 ▁and ▁ 1 8 5 5 , ▁ 1 3 , 9 2 2 ▁French men , ▁most ▁of ▁them ▁from ▁the ▁Bas que ▁Country ▁and ▁Bé arn , ▁left ▁for ▁Uruguay ▁between ▁ 1 8 3 3 ▁and ▁ 1 8 4 2 . ▁ ▁French ▁influence ▁has ▁always ▁been ▁strong ▁in ▁Uruguay an ▁culture . ▁The ▁secondary ▁education ▁and ▁also ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁the ▁Republic ▁follow ▁a ▁French ▁model . ▁ ▁Res ident ▁diplom atic ▁miss ions ▁ ▁France ▁has ▁an ▁emb ass y ▁in ▁Monte video