A sweeping and insightful grand strategic overview of the American
Revolution, highlighting Washington's role in orchestrating victory and
creating the US Army
Led by the Continental Congress, the Americans almost lost the war for
independence because their military thinking was badly muddled.
Following the victory in 1775 at Bunker Hill, patriot leaders were
convinced that the key to victory was the home-grown militia -- local
men defending their families and homes. But the flush of early victory
soon turned into a bitter reality as the British routed Americans
fleeing New York.
General George Washington knew that having and maintaining an army of
professional soldiers was the only way to win independence. As he fought
bitterly with the leaders in Congress over the creation of a regular
army, he patiently waited until his new army was ready for pitched
battle. His first opportunity came late in 1776, following his surprise
crossing of the Delaware River. In New Jersey, the strategy of victory
was about to unfold.
In The Strategy of Victory, preeminent historian Thomas Fleming
examines the battles that created American independence, revealing how
the creation of a professional army worked on the battlefield to secure
victory, independence, and a lasting peace for the young nation.