Was George Washington the greatest general of all time? He somehow got a bunch of loosely connected colonial militias to defeat the most powerful empire on the planet.
>>28039656
No. He is probably the greatest political leader of the last 2000 years though.
>>28039656
There were several better but none of them managed to hold their forces together after as many defeats as he suffered.
>>28039656
He was a political figurehead to rally behind, but his military career was teetering on the edge of fucking disaster.
Friendly reminder, he's the person who set off the french and indian war when her tried to take fort sumter in 1755.
also
>hur durr, retreating from new york, better burn it down
He would not have won the Revoltuionary war if the birts were actually fucking organised at bunker hill and New York
>>28039656
If you look at his history, he was only "meh"
Even during the American Revolution, his military successes were few and far in between.
He's lucky that the few he DID win actually mattered. I think he was a better officer.
>>28039677
>When he tried to take Fort Sumter in 1755
wat
>>28039716
whoops, my mistake, i meant Fort Duquesne/Fort necessity
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fort_Duquesne
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fort_Necessity
>>28039758
Washington was acting under orders from Dinwiddie to build a fort at the Forks of the Ohio, and if he couldn't do that, then piss off the French as much as possible.
>>28039787
Still got his arse handed to him.
He was great at retreating and rallying his troops.
>>28039827
"Tactical" retreats
>>28039787
He managed to fuck up delivering a letter to the French. Thats why they had to build a fort.
>He somehow got a bunch of loosely connected colonial militias
No he didn't, not in the slightest. He hated the militia.
>>28042294
Yeah my understanding was that the colonies got their shit pushed in until they created a regular army. Too lazy to actually read up though so I'm probably way off
>>28039656
He's not even top 20 in his era
Washington was a poor general but great and charismatic person who held shit together. Plus he was a great president and did what was necessary to ensure America because a republic based on merotocracy and owning land/slaves and didnt become like South America with Bolivar.
>>28042294
>>28042325
I believe George Washington was quoted to say "To have place any dependence on militia is to rest on a broken staff" or something close to it.
>>28039656
with the help of france and spain
>>28042766
News flash guess who did most of the dying faggot
>>28042766
Dam gurl
>>28039758
He managed to walk away with arms.
>>28039817
He had no combat experience at the time, was second in command until his senior commander broke his neck in a fall, and his force was inferior in size and supply.
It's extremely unlikely that a majority of commanders could have salvaged, let alone won the battle of Ft. Necessity. It was one of those things that was lost before it even began.
Also the French and Indian War was in effect before the construction of Ft. Necessity, he was just part of the group that fired the first shot.
>>28044697
Also, Washington primarily lost the battle because the militia broke and ran when he ordered them to stand and fight.
The fort was not a fort, it was still under construction. The larger Canadian force actually had better cover in the woods than the British and colonists did in the fort, thus, Washington ordered an attack on the Canadians before they could muster.
When the Canadians met the attack head on and charged the British regulars stood and fired while the militia ran back to the fort, forcing Washington to retreat back to the fort as well.
Considering the french literally won the revolution for us, I don't think so. If the British had wanted to keep the colonies they would have and wed be under bongistan rule to this day.
Rarely does anyone mention how based George Washington was with military intelligence.
https://www.cia.gov/news-information/featured-story-archive/2007-featured-story-archive/george-washington.html
https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/books-and-monographs/the-founding-fathers-of-american-intelligence/art-1.html
>>28045173
This. People give no consideration to the 70k French and Spanish fighters distracting the British abroad in retaliation for the 7 years war.
>>28039670
Hardly. He had certain outstanding virtues, like his disinterest in lasting power or self-aggrandizement. A (relatively) modern Cincinnatus.
Beyond that he was an indifferent general and a good figurehead. The political genius was mostly in other heads and the whole thing was a giant collaboration of some really great minds at any rate.
>>28042390
They have their uses, but he's right, you don't want them fighting any set-piece battles against British regulars.
>>28042783
Not America.
>>28039656
He was a excellent officer and a good figurehead. But wasn't a particularly extraordinary general. In terms of pre-20th century general Robert E. Lee is my favorite. Not because he was good in his battles(He would go on winning streaks and then suffer setbacks) But he was a Washingtonesque leaderhead and struck fear into Union soldiers. Grant remarked "Oh, I am heartily tired of hearing about what Lee is going to do. Some of you always seem to think he is suddenly going to turn a double somersault, and land in our rear and on both of our flanks at the same time. Go back to your command, and try to think what we are going to do ourselves, instead of what Lee is going to do."
>>28045562
>leaderhead
Kek. I fucking meant figurehead. I don't remember Robert E. Lee collecting rainwater from gutters.
>>28042766
>That star of david on the garage
