Mike's Reviews > 1776

The author's thesis seems to be that George Washington was a god among men, when the factual evidence presented offers a much more mixed review. While Washington is credited for playing it smart politically with Congress in keeping after them for supplies and men, keeping his troops motivated and optimistic through some very grim points, and empowering a couple smart commanders in Henry Know and Nathaniel Greene, his military strategy is constantly in question. He was unable to see that he couldn't possibly hold New York (something many of his military council pointed out to him), that staking so much on Ft Washington when it was jut a small foothold in NY (which he'd already lost by that point) was a huge blunder; he was also talked out of multiple early plans to besiege Boston, which plainly would have been disastrous, by his military council. The last battles of the '76 campaign, including the surprise attack on Trenton, could have been disastrous if the Hessians were better prepared for them, which they could have reasonably been expected to have been. The author's reverential tone whenever talking about Washington makes one wonder if the many glowing quotes from soldiers serving under Washington were cherry-picked to support the author's thesis. A more balanced treatment would have been appreciated. I also would have appreciated more background on the lead up to 1776, as well as more on the next stages of the war after 1776.