George Washington: A Life from Beginning to End: 1 (Biographies of Us Presidents)

Simplesmente não consegui ler, pois veio na versão em InglêsTambém do Churchill e Stalin aconteceu a mesma coisa.Não tenho como avaliar

If you want to know about America's history you must read Washington's biographie. I recommend it. 👍👍👍👍👍👍 enjoy it, fellas.

When I was asked to review this short biography of George Washington I have to admit not knowing a lot about the USA’s first President. As an Australian I suppose my history was centred around my own country and England.This short history gave me enough information to get a grasp of his life and times and I spent some time online during my read to extrapolate some of the information it contained that I wanted to und Rostand further.All in all a good read and I am happy to recommend it as a means to understanding US history be it a potted one. Could be all that’s needed. It was for me.

It’s a good book, but it’s even better if read with the Hourly History’s “French and Indian War”, “American Revolution” and “French Revolution” as a collection.Nowadays in the States, the word “Washington Myth” is being circulated in attempt to make all his achievements sound like a degraded mythical tales. It is true that some of the stories about George Washington have been exaggerated, but after all he was a great leader who led the desperate colonists to a stunning victory against the rising world empire Great Britain.(Kindle Ed., p. 10)...However, the conflict which had Great Britain and France forever at odds was no longer something that took place across the ocean...That conflict was definitely the British attempt to undermine the French dominance over the global waters and take it for Great Britain itself.First, it had to fight a Global War of Hegemony and Powershift to completely end the old-established European order led by Bourbon-France since the Peace of Westphalia. And the American Revolution, despite its danger to French ruling monarchy herself, provided France a great ally to contain the intensifying challenge from Great Britain, not just in India, but in North America as well.France needed the independent United States of America against the British, and the Americans seized the chance and took full advantage of the French policy against Great Britain at all cost.Whether it was a diplomatic success, brand new military tactics (camouflaged guerrilla warfare in contrast to the conventional lining-up tactics) or both, the American victory led by General George Washington, internationally recognized by the Treaty of Paris, is an undeniable historical fact, not a myth.The American-French alliance (U.S. Continental Army + French Navy) prevailed over the British might skyrocketing since its victory of the Seven Years’ War against France; the French leaders, suspicious of the newly-born America’s capability, agreed to forming an alliance because of the initial success of the American Continental Army.And that initial success of the Americans, despite their shortage of manpower and supplies, was only possible thanks to the unity among the American people.There were many conflicts between the Congress and Continental Army even in the middle of the bloody war that was to decide either the young nation’s complete independence or utter destruction.Amidst all the political and economic disputes, everyone agreed that George Washington, and no others, was the best man to unite all the people of the 13 colonies.(Kindle Ed., p. 31)“I had no hesitation to declare that I had but one gentleman in my mind for that important command and that was a gentleman from Virginia, who was among us and very well known to all of us, a gentleman whose skill and experience as an officer, whose independent fortune, great talents, and excellent universal character would command the approbation of all America and unite the cordial exertions of all the colonies better than any other person in the Union.” —John AdamsIt wasn’t an empty flattering. They wouldn't choose a vain man as their leader for a real action: If they did, they'd lose that war, but they won it against a nation much more powerful than their own. This person had to be a trusted and respected figure in real in order to lead all the reluctant people (labeled as rebels and traitors) unified as one in a desperate moment. And we understand WHY he was the one to unite the people when we learn his life.This book tells us many great stories about the man, who was never a father of his own blood, but the father of our great nation, the United States of America.1. He Earned It(Kindle Ed., p. 10)"Our army love their General very much, but they have one thing against him which is the little care he takes of himself in any action. His personal bravery and the desire he has of animating his troops by example, make him fearless of danger. This occasions much uneasiness." —Officer in the Virginia militia(Kindle Ed., pp. 1-2)...he discovered that his military officers planned to mutiny because they feared that Congress would not give them the back pay and pensions owed to them. If that happened, these officers planned to abandon their fellow Americans to whatever might happen if the British decided not to honor the peace treaty. The officers decided that they would march on Congress to obtain what was owed to them, with violence if necessary. Washington, who had more than once paid his soldiers from his own private funds, had had his own struggles with Congress and its inability to supply its army. But he was not going to let his years of service dissolve into the hostility of a rebellion against an untried government. He ordered his officers to meet him on March 15. The meeting place, the Temple of Virtue, was a large hall near Newburgh. Without fanfare, he slipped into the meeting place and read his nine-page speech. In what would become known as the Newburgh Address, he shared their concerns over their just demands for payment, but he criticized the way in which they intended to achieve their pay. The army had suffered through the war years; he knew, he reminded them, because he had suffered with them and now was fighting their battle with Congress to press for payment. Could they, he challenged, sully the glory they had earned in battle by turning from disciplined soldiers into a mob to march on Congress? He told them to support the building of a government as he intended to do. Civil discontent, he told them, was not the solution. Legislative process to address their grievances was the answer. But when he began to read from a letter of support written by a Virginia representative who supported the officers, Washington’s eyesight proved faulty. As he put on a pair of spectacles, he said, “Gentlemen, you must pardon me. I have grown gray in your service and now find myself growing blind.” His officers, remembering how much Washington had gone through as their leader, were contrite; many were moved to tears. The following day they passed a resolution to commend their Commander-in-Chief for his devotion to his soldiers. Washington continued to write letters to urge Congress to honor its debt to the Army by paying them the money they had been promised. Through patience and perseverance, his efforts were successful...(Kindle Ed., p. 3)...whose leadership earned him the gratitude of a nation and the respect of the international audience. When King George III of Great Britain learned that, after his military achievements, George Washington planned to return home rather than seize power in the nation which was so clearly in his debt, the monarch said, “If he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world.”(Henry Freeman, "American Revolution", Kindle Ed., (Hourly History, 2016), pp 42-44)...Although many in Congress suggested titles for the office that mimicked the pomp observed in European courts, such as “His Majesty the President,” “His Exalted Highness,” “His Elective Highness,” and even “Most Illustrious and Excellent President,” George Washington felt that the country had had enough of titles and insisted upon simply, “Mr. President.” Washington also avoided any of the trappings associated with royalty that he could easily have assumed. He wore no crown or other “royal dress,” instead wearing the clothing he would have worn as a wealthy businessman...He approved the bill that established a permanent location for the nation’s capital by forming the District of Columbia so that the capital would not belong to any one state, but to all...Knowing that his term in office would serve to set a precedent for future government he retired from public office, establishing the standard of the presidential two term limit that has only been set aside once in the history of the United States. Washington returned to Mount Vernon, his Virginia estate, to live out his life as the gentleman farmer he had always considered himself...Washington served his country as a soldier, as a military leader, a congressional representative, a contributor to the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States, and as the first President. He also served, unofficially, as an example of what the leader of a free nation should be. He was offered the chance to rule as a king, but chose instead to serve as a citizen...The nation mourned the loss of a great national hero, and even the British fleet paid tribute to his memory while the French observed an official ten day mourning period.Not to mention the U.S. ally France busy in the middle of the French Revolutionary War, but the enemy state Great Britain's naval fleets in a war with France paid tribute to his memory when he passed away. George Washington was indeed a good example to all his future successors and was respected in many civilized countries.2. Shortage of Manpower and Supplies of the Continental Army Gave a Birth to a New Tactics That Dominates the World Today(Kindle Ed., p. 37)...His few military victories, although more strategic in triumph rather than a full-bodied achievement, reflected his skill at fighting a non-traditional conflict. He excelled in camouflage...(Kindle Ed., p. 38)...and the fact that they were in occupation drove some former sympathizers to embrace the Patriot cause. Supplying their troops was a hardship, unlike the Americans who were living off their own land. Also, once again, tactics and tradition played a role in the campaign. General Nathaniel Greene and Nathaniel Morgan were able to fight a guerrilla style of warfare that paid no heed to European military practice.The American War of Independence witnessed the birth of modern-day warfare. Although it was considered uncivilized and cowardice by the Europeans at the time, the industrialized weapons in the following century would eventually replace the inhumane traditional way (lining up and shooting at each other until one line is terminated) with this new camouflaged-guerrilla warfare as the new global standard.Today we take cover in the field. If you don't you are considered nuts, not honorable or brave.3. Still Some Shortcomings Found That Have Never Changed in U.S. History Studies(Kindle Ed., p. 39)By October, Cornwallis’ army was besieged by the forces of Washington and French troops under the command of the Comte de Rochambeau. French naval forces on the York River trapped the British in the middle. On October 19, 1781, Cornwallis surrendered.This is all this book ever talks about the French forces. It is like the South Koreans only talk about their own troops' heroic battle stories although there was the elephant in the room, the U.S.-led UN Peace Keeping Forces without whom S. Korea could not repel the North Korean invasion. You go to school in the Republic of Korea, and you live in the country with S. Korean media 24/7, you will understand what I'm talking about. And I went to school in the States as well, so I know it's the same in America: The mighty French intervention is always downplayed although that was the most decisive reason for the young America's victory against the rising world empire Great Britain.(Kindle Ed., pp. 24-25)The British in Control...The turning of a blind eye to colonial enterprise which dominated half of the 18th century changed after the British emerged the victors in the French and Indian War. A rebellion by an alliance of the Ottawa, Huron and other native tribes in 1763 and the British counterattack led to a treaty which promised that colonial migration beyond the Appalachian Mountains into Indian Territory would be forbidden. But the Proclamation of 1763, by setting a defined western boundary with British posts established to regulate the border, required colonial settlers who had moved beyond the boundary to abandon their settlements. To make matters worse, the colonies themselves would be required to pay for the British posts monitoring the frontier. To the colonists, not only were they being denied the freedom to venture west, but they were charged with the payment for the force which denied them the freedom to move. The French and Indian War had been expensive. It had drained the British coffers, and it seemed reasonable that the colonies should bear the expense of replenishing the treasury by paying taxes levied by Parliament. The colonists disagreed, and the response “no taxation without representation,” expressing their disagreement at being taxed but having no voice in Parliament, would serve as the foundation of their simmering discontent.Now I clearly see that it wasn't sole British power that won the war against Bourbon-France, the old hegemon and ruler of most of the North American Continent at the time, but the American Indian cooperation for Britain as the new British Secretary of State William Pitt carefully planned, which must have been an unexpected betrayal to the French.So the British parliament, not the powerless symbol King George III like we’ve been taught at school, had to go easy on the natives in the continent, and that bugged the English colonists who came to the new world, despite all the possible dangers, uncertainties and risks, seeking more opportunities with huge "empty" lands, which was not possible in their old homeland in Europe.No wonder the colonists fought the British and Indians both to get their dream and opportunity back, which would turn out disastrous for the Native Americans throughout the following 19th century.4. Why Are We under Control?(Kindle Ed., p. 44)...When Western Pennsylvania farmers rebelled against the establishment of a federal tax on whiskey, he led a military force to put down the revolt.It was just like what the British government did to the colonists. But this one was American government, representing the American people, not the British. But at the end what's the difference for the ordinary people? What I like the most about this book is that it makes the readers think. And when we really think with logic and reason, we know why we need powerful governing body of our nation controlling us.We are under control to be in control.Imagine a government that cannot control individuals. Everyone has different wishes and goals and interests. Our differences complain about our government control that tries to keep us all in one, same direction, and so we go against it, then we will have to face a foreign power controlling us at the end.(Young H. D. Kim, “Admiral Lee and the First Global War”, 1st Paperback Ed., (2017), pp. 417-418)...If we’d like to keep the way of our living, we should know it better. If you think democracy means you can overturn the leaders just because they do something you don't like and support, then you are totally wrong about it...If you are a citizen under a democratic authority the majority citizens have selected through a rightful way, whether or not you like them you should accept the result and cooperate for the sake of the whole community your very identity comes from...Yet if the leaders really make big mistakes serious enough to ruin the future of the society and the people as whole, there are democratic processes to punish and replace those in charge. That takes time since you should wait until the next election or until you find enough vote for impeachment, but anyway that's democracy under stability...Imagine a country whose head is replaced every month by certain big number of unsatisfied people. You think that country can thrive, and is it really good for your life and future in a long run? Stagnation is bad, but stability in order is the very base of the safety and prosperity for any society.Many people today blame President Washington for the centralized federal government against the Declaration of Independence, but this book makes clear why he had to establish the centralized control mechanism. Without that mechanism there wouldn't be the powerful United States we know today.(Kindle Ed., p. 41)Washington’s passion for order was not exhibited solely in his goals to restore Mount Vernon. He also wished to see the country he had helped to create establish a strong government. The Articles of Confederation under which the nation operated failed to create a government which operated as a single entity.(Kindle Ed., pp. 41-42)Washington, who had struggled to keep an army in the field while a weak government was unable to support it, knew better than anyone what risks lurked in the future for a powerless central government. He knew that a standing army was a necessary player in a nation’s ability to defend itself and secure its borders. He also knew that without a strong executive at the helm, the nation would quickly fall prey to powerful international enemies.(Kindle Ed., p. 35)...Washington warned an unresponsive Congress that if it failed to provision the military soon, there would not be an army left to fight. In order to supply his starving forces, Washington sent two generals to confiscate livestock from local farms in Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland, offering in exchange receipts which promised reimbursement by the Continental Congress.Same as today's, the same old, selfish politicians were, yet Washington’s smart move overcame the obstacle and kept the unity of the nation.(Kindle Ed., p. 42)The new nation had much to resolve: how to balance the wishes of the more populous, powerful states with the needs of the smaller ones; how to establish a central government which did not override the independence of the separate states; how to create a nation which would not be ruled by kings, but would govern as a republic. And perhaps most importantly, who would lead this new experiment in government? Americans recognized that only one person could serve as the first president of the United States. He was the man who had not sought power, but had responded to the call of duty, the man who had relinquished military command when an army was no longer needed, and had returned home when his mission had ended.5. All the Great Leaders and the Final Winners Have Certain Things in Common(Kindle Ed., pp. 12-13)The siege lasted a single day. The French captured Washington and his forces surrendered. What happened next would loom as a professional failure. Not familiar with the French language, Washington signed the surrender but didn’t realize that what he’d signed included a confession that Jumonville had been assassinated. He was allowed to return home, unharmed, as long as he promised not to build any more forts along the Ohio River, and signed the surrender terms. This was not an insignificant event in a colonial backwater; it became an international incident which helped to ignite the start of the Seven Years’ War, also known as the French and Indian War...Like Admiral Nelson and Admiral Lee, General Washington, too, experienced defeat and failure when he was young. These experiences, without giving up, made him the winner after all.Lastly, I would like to talk about his slaves.Slavery was one of the most inhumane social systems in Human history no doubt. And it is true Pres. George Washington couldn’t abolish it while he was in power leaving it to the following generations causing the brutal American Civil War. If someone wants to point it out and criticize the fact, I won’t stop that criticism.But as an individual he left the will to free all his slaves, and with his death it really happened. Moreover he paid them fairly for their works and contributions. If someone’s compensated for their work, practically he or she is no longer slaves. They were men and women, and above all dignified members of Washington-Parke Custis Family to him.Many people misunderstand the man as an inhumane slave owner like some others at the time, but this book, with his heart-felt family stories, makes clear he was not one of them.

All I knew about George Washington was that he chopped down a cherry tree and was the founding father/president of America. It turns out that the latter were right and the former was wrong! A nice read through his military history even though I got lost with all the unfamiliar places and battles, but I still enjoyed it!