George Washington Classical Sun Tzu Strategist and Master in the Art of War The American defeat of the British during the Revolutionary War was a direct result of George Washington's incredible leadership and generalship which epitomized the greatness of Sun Tzu's "Art of War" Introduction The key to the success of the American Revolution was the George Washington himself. Faced with a near impossible task of defeating a tremendously powerful enemy, Washington was required to defy the odds. So how does Washington's accomplishment of this task relate to Sun Tzu and his teachings of "The Art of War"? There crucial points come to light: (1) Washington's selection as to command the Continental Army and inherent command capabilities, (2) Washington's strategy for winning the war against the Empire of Great Britain, (3) The art of maneuver that eventually lead to the critical defeat of Cornwallis and the British at Yorktown. Washington as a Commander Washington's selection to be the leader of the Continental Army was the wisest choice that the newly formed Continental Congress could have made. Washington's selection as Commander of the Continental Army did more to win the Revolutionary war than any other decision made during the conflict. His personal character epitomizes perfectly the five traits required in a successful general: wisdom, sincerity, humanity, courage, and strictness. (Sun Tzu p. 65) These five crucial traits will become apparent and Washington's strategy to win the War of Independence is elaborated on further Washington was the embodiment of everything fine in the American character. He had no delusions of grandeur and was second only to Benjamin Franklin as a diplomat with the French. In caring fo... ... middle of paper ... ...dependence. He was a master in the arts of war. Bibliography: Bibliography Handel, Michael I. Masters of War. Portland: Frank Cass & Company Limited, 1996. Middlekauff, Robert. The Glorious Cause. The American Revolution 1763-1789. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1982. Morison, Samuel E. The Oxford History of the American People, vol 1. New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. 1994. Sun Tzu. The Art of War. Translated by Samuel B. Griffith. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1963. Von Clausewitz, Carl. Translated and edited by Sir Michael Howard and Peter Paret. On War. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1976. Weigley, Russel F. The American Way of War. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1973. Weigley, Russel F. History of the United States Army. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1st Edition, 1984.
1776 is a must read for a student of the Revolutionary War. It offers insights into the personalities of George Washington, his subordinates, and how one man can truly change the history of the world. Without George Washington, the Continental Army would not, in all likelihood, have survived 1776 and the United States would have had a dramatically different history. I recommend this book for every serious history student.
It was a good year for a revolution, 1776. But it didn't start off quite as well as the colonists would have liked. When George Washington agreed to take command of the American forces in 1775, he probably didn't realize what he was truly getting himself into. Washington took command of an army made up of old men and young boys that had either come from their farms or the street. The army was short on weapons and gunpowder, lacked uniforms, and was racked by disease and drunkenness. Washington understood that what lies ahead would be difficult, considering he would be facing the most powerful country in world. But he probably didn't expect his worst problems to come from his own army, which was an undisciplined and untrained group that would eventually tamper with his great patience. Through it all he would stay determined and always try to stay one step ahead of the enemy.
George Washington played a very significant role in the American victory of the Revolutionary War. Washington helped the Americans win due to his great leadership where he stayed determined and smart.
George Washington showed amazing leadership skills while remaining aware that he is not greater then everyone else. When Washington was first brought the idea of presidency he declined not wanting to be viewed as a king or anything greater then the people around him. He didn't want to and didn't become president for power or anything other then to be a leader and guide the country through the good and bad. Washington was the respectable general of an army and was a strong leader through many important historical battles that changed the course of history.
Not only a hard working individual, but George Washington was also a great commander. He was the commander of the Continental Army. His had experience in only frontier warfare, involving small numbers of soldiers. He had no experience ma...
It was during the years of 1775 and 1783 when Washington guided America to a victorious triumph over a defeated Britain within the American Revolutionary war. It was under Washingtons strong leadership that American's aquired independence. Through Geory Washingtons status as General he steered the Continental Army to their intended goal; victory. His exptional accopmlishments and military performance exceed that of any one else. General Washington's military profession constructed an excellent example of leadership skills, and stategic approach. In regards to his position of commander and chief over the continental army, Washington along with his achievements pushed America to grow into its own thriving nation. George Washington's great contribution to the movement of the American Revolution, military leadership, and victory, explifly his outstanding qualities as a political leader and military leader.
Rothenberg, Gunther E. Review of Battle: A History of Combat and Culture, by John A.
Preston, Richard A., Alex Roland, and Sydney F. Wise. Men In Arms: A History of Warfare and its interrelationships
George Washington is one of the most well-known historic figures of the United States. American Patriots, during his presidency, and time as a war general worshipped the hero. When America was separating from Great Britain, General Washington was a major factor in winning the war against Britain. Washington perfected his military tactics prior to the revolutionary war and during the French and Indian war. Washington’s heroic character during these wars kept troops moral at an all-time high. His ability to give confidence to colony soldiers led them to independence. It all started with his political beliefs and Great Britain heavily taxing the thirteen
Throughout the French and Indian War, it was known that George Washington had immense power but little patience. For instance, in “George Washington and the patience of power” written by David Hein quote from Edmund S. Morgan, “Washington’s genius lay in his understanding of power, both military power and political power, an understanding unmatched by that of any of his contemporaries.” When General Washington led the army to fight the British he had lost more battles than he won. But, the most important lesson he learned from those lost battles was patience, which he gained as a quality of leadership. Moreover, the attributes of being patient helped General Washington learn to understand the limitation of his powers and what his subordinates needed to press forward. To illustrate, General Washington declared that “Patience is a noble virtue, and, when rightly exercised, does not fail of its reward” As General Washington continues to define himself as a man with patience of power, he achieved nobility which earned him the title as the best person to be Commander-in-Chef during the Revolutionary
Carl von Clausewitz, “What is War?” On War. Edited and translated by Michael Howard and Peter Paret, 89-112. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1976.
“I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.” - (George Washington.) George Washington was a very intelligent and clever man. He was a great leader of the continental army, lead America off on a great foot to win Independence, and became a founding father of the United States of America. His greatest friend was Henry Knox, and James Madison served under Washington and later became his secretary of state. But behind his fighting background, who was he really? Why was he important? Who has he influenced for us today? In this essay, I will be covering these very topics.
Loyd E. Lee, World War II: Crucible of the Contemporary World: Commentary and Readings (New York: M.E. Sharpe, Inc., 1991), 209.
The translation of the “Sun Tzu: The Art of War” ancient Chinese text has been given by many different writers. Samuel B. Griffith, Brigadier General, retired, U.S. Marine Corps; is a proven strategist that studied the English commandoes war fighting skills as a Captain. As a Major, Griffith was hand picked to serve as Executive Officer under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Merritt Edson of the 1st Raider Battalion, one of the battalions that perfected the amphibious landings during World War II. Samuel B. Griffith gives his in-depth study on “Sun Tzu: The Art of War” and how Mao Tse-tung used the strategies and teachings of Sun Tzu while commanding the Red Army of China. Griffith’s translation of Sun Tzu’s work is written in three parts: Introduction, Translation, and Appendix.
Tzu, Sun. The Art of War. Trans. Thomas F. Cleary. Boston, MA: Shambhala, 2005. Print.