The core argument of George Washington and the American Military Tradition is that the military traditions from the Colonial period, and those developed during the American Revolution, had a lasting impact on the American military tradition and that those traditions can be seen through George Washington’s life as a military commander. The book makes this argument by focusing on colonial military traditions, civil-military tensions during the American Revolution, and tracking the influence of George Washington’s impact on the American military tradition through time. However, to fully understand the arguments throughout this work it is important to first understand Dr. Higginbotham’s background, the sources he uses, and the context from which his chapters originated.
Dr. Donald Higginbotham attended Washington University of St. Louis and completed his PhD at Duke University under Professor John R. Alden and later became a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He wrote extensively on the American Revolution and was thus invited to deliver the lectures contained in his work, George Washington and the American Military …show more content…
The main point of this chapter is to establish that Washington understood the benefits and drawbacks of the militia system and the professional soldiers. Higginbotham does this well by beginning his chapter with a discussion on they way the militia was perceived by colonists and the broader Anglo-American culture in contrast to perceptions of professional soldiers. By highlighting the ways colonists fondly viewed militias, particularly in contrast to their poor opinion of the professional soldiers in the British Army, Higginbotham is able to quickly argue that Washington grew to appreciate aspects of both systems while developing a leadership style that would benefit him during the American
Dr. Donald Higginbotham attended Washington University of St. Louis and completed his PhD at Duke University under Professor John R. Alden and later became a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He wrote extensively on the American Revolution and was thus invited to deliver the lectures contained in his work, George Washington and the American Military …show more content…
The main point of this chapter is to establish that Washington understood the benefits and drawbacks of the militia system and the professional soldiers. Higginbotham does this well by beginning his chapter with a discussion on they way the militia was perceived by colonists and the broader Anglo-American culture in contrast to perceptions of professional soldiers. By highlighting the ways colonists fondly viewed militias, particularly in contrast to their poor opinion of the professional soldiers in the British Army, Higginbotham is able to quickly argue that Washington grew to appreciate aspects of both systems while developing a leadership style that would benefit him during the American