On Jan 28, 2008 11:57 PM, Bob Giramma <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > BOB: OK, I already knew Washington wasn't a great general in the > traditional sense. Sorry if I misled on that one. And it's also fair to > say I have inadequate background to comment on Rothbard's criticism if I > haven't read it in his own words. But given that I already knew some of > Washington's shortcomings, I don't see a legend to be broken. Instead, I > appreciate his accomplishment at taking a rag-tag army and running around > the countryside long enough for luck to go his way. There was no possible > way the colonial army was going to beat the British military in traditional > European-style battle.
Actually, that was the exact substance of Rothbard's critique - that Washington hindered rather than helped the guerrilla nature of the revolutionaries; that he tried to force this 'ragtag bunch' into a clone of a traditional European army - with nearly disastrous results. Basically, the war was won in *spite of*, rather than *because of*, Washington. Possibly an overly harsh critique, but it serves as a good counterweight to the glossing Washington has gotten form most besotted historians. > Also, although he had an imperfect presidency, there > were many precedents set by Washington that we should celebrate even today. > It's not easy being first. I think the greatest thing George Washington > ever did was go home -- twice. Throughout most of history, military victors > became absolute rulers. After the war, Washington resigned his commission > and went home. Then, after two terms as president, he again went home, and > we enjoy a peaceful transition of power to this day. I guess I appreciate > the simple things in life. Yes, a great deal of hay is made of this 'reluctant leader' story - but I wonder about it. Washington was obviously a man of great ambition, so I wonder if it would have been as easy for him to have assumed a dictatorship as folks imagine. He wasn't THAT popular (especially after having been president), and revolutionary ideas must still have been very much in the air. -- Susan Hogarth http://www.colliething.com
