Current Events > TIL George Washington's top advisor shit talked him behind his back

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.amrevmuseum.org/read-the-revolution/renegade-revolutionary

Washington fucked up in an early campaign in NY, during the beginning of the revolutionary war. He was notably indecisive about retreating early from the obviously superior British forces or holding firm. The rebels end up getting #rekt while sitting on their hands. And Washington's personal assistant and confidant Joseph Reed wrote General Charles Lee a letter saying he wished Lee was in charge instead. Lee responded saying indecisiveness is basically the biggest wartime sin, moreso that even stupidity. Washington got his hands on this letter, thinking it involved military operations bc it was from Lee. He got his fee fees hurt. And then he apologized to Reed for accidentally reading a private letter.

I love this juicy drama.

Jefferson ran a newspaper critical of Washington's presidency while working in the White House for Washington.

Washington didn't seem to have a strong grasp on like, ideological differences, he was functionally a federalist but he was confused and frustrated why all his friends didn't get along

Washington cannot be left alone to his devices! Indecisive from crisis to crisis! The best thing he could do for the revolution is turn and go back to plantin' tobacco in Mount Vernon!

So we are spoonfed HISstory

WingsOfGood posted...

So we are spoonfed HISstory

I remember learning in HS that Washington wasn't necessarily a brilliant military mind, but someone people respected and would follow. I'm reading 1776 by David McCollough and that's basically true but of course there are loads more examples of him kinda just hoping for the best without taking decisive action and almost losing the revolution bc of it. But I found the situation of the letters between Reed and Lee to be completely hilarious, especially with Washington then apologizing for stumbling upon it.

Despite the way he's revered today, George Washington was not an impressive military commander or a sharp political mind.

And that's not an attempt to bury him or anything. It's just true. He lost all the time, made mistakes, got hyperfocused on terrible decisions, didn't know how to deal with people.

His true skill which made him so successful was his ability to see potential in other people and put them in positions were they could excel. And yes that is absolutely a massive skill, arguably the most important one.

UnfairRepresent posted...

Despite the way he's revered today, George Washington was not an impressive military commander or a sharp political mind.

And that's not an attempt to bury him or anything. It's just true. He lost all the time, made mistakes, got hyperfocused on terrible decisions, didn't know how to deal with people.

His true skill which made him so successful was his ability to see potential in other people and put them in positions were they could excel. And yes that is absolutely a massive skill, arguably the most important one.

he also had enough foresight to say political parties would be a major problem for the USA in the future

History is far more interesting once you discard the fairytale version of it taught in American schools

lilORANG posted...

I remember learning in HS that Washington wasn't necessarily a brilliant military mind, but someone people respected and would follow. I'm reading 1776 by David McCollough and that's basically true but of course there are loads more examples of him kinda just hoping for the best without taking decisive action and almost losing the revolution bc of it. But I found the situation of the letters between Reed and Lee to be completely hilarious, especially with Washington then apologizing for stumbling upon it.

Washington lost more battles than he won. There's too much deification for him and not enough for the French who basically won that war for us. Washington largely gets the credit because when the British tried to surrender to the French, the French commander said "no, you Surrender to Washington."

Biofighter55 posted...

he also had enough foresight to say political parties would be a major problem for the USA in the future

This was kind of a dumb guy moment from Washington.

1. Washington himself was a committed Federalist even if he didn't necessarily view himself in those terms.

2. Political parties are pretty much inevitable in any political system beyond monarchy. People are always going to organize around common interests with the intent of achieving policy goals. Every country in the world, democracy or otherwise, has political parties of some sort.

TheFuzz3451 posted...

History is far more interesting once you discard the fairytale version of it taught in American schools

QFT

Turbam posted...

Washington cannot be left alone to his devices! Indecisive from crisis to crisis! The best thing he could do for the revolution is turn and go back to plantin' tobacco in Mount Vernon!

History has its eyes on youuuuuu

TheFuzz3451 posted...

This was kind of a dumb guy moment from Washington.

1. Washington himself was a committed Federalist even if he didn't necessarily view himself in those terms.

2. Political parties are pretty much inevitable in any political system beyond monarchy. People are always going to organize around common interests with the intent of achieving policy goals. Every country in the world, democracy or otherwise, has political parties of some sort.

while you are right, I dont disagree with him while also acknowledging it political parties will always be a thing

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/7/7b0912f4.jpg