There would have never been a United States of America without George Washington. John Rhodehamel, author of “George Washington: The Wonder of the Age,” details how Washington successfully guided the budding nation through war and nurtured her in peace.
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A wonderful video. There are four events that, to my mind, make of Washington the indispensable man. One was his handling of the near revolt by his officers at the conclusion of the war that the video touches upon. The second was his incredibly bold and audacious attack upon the Hessians at Trenton that breathed new life into the Revolution at a time when Washington may well have been the only person in Britain or the colonies who did not believe the Revolution already lost. The third is also mentioned in the video, Washington’s decision at the conclusion of the war to choose to return home rather than take power. And lastly, there was his decision to limit himself to two terms.
And those are just the events, any and every one of which would have earned Washington a separate mention at the top of our nation’s history. Far more interesting is Washington the man. He was a man, like all of us, of numerous weakness. But it was his strengths that were so pronounced as to be almost inhuman. His persistence in the face of failure, his intellectual honesty, and his flexibility make of Washington an incredibly complex and fascinating man. Unfortunately, I know of no movie that does the man justice.
Thanks so much for your lucid and helpful analysis. It’s always a pleasure hearing from you.