Essay Questions

What major difficulties must the American Army overcome that are not typically highlighted in movies or entertainment?

The book 1776 by David McCullough does an excellent job of thoroughly covering and describing the obstacles George Washington and his army had to overcome in their battle for liberty against the British. Typically, movies and other popular entertainment don't have the time to delve into these matters and as a result, showcase fighting between soldiers as the main difficulty in the war. What often goes unnoticed and unappreciated most of the time is what these soldiers had to go through when they were not fighting, which was the majority of the time. For example, as winter approached, many problems were exposed. In the time before modern advancements, the only way to keep warm in the winter was fire and clothing, the latter being something the American Army struggled to supply. The lack of proper clothing led to frostbite and even death at times.

Additionally, the men needed massive quantities of food, especially if they were trying to keep the army alive and in good spirits. These logistical concerns still hold true in wars across the world today and can be the make-or-break point for a military in battle. Additionally, George Washington and his men had to deal with the outbreak of diseases. With no modern medicines and lack of hygienic habits, the armies were in serious danger of falling to sickness, especially due to the close proximity of all the people. Many army camps were plagued by diseases, which killed an astounding amount of soldiers. All of these issues were well-covered in the book.

How did desertment change the racial dynamic in the American Army?

One enormous and rather devastating issue that can be found throughout the pages of this book and then of course an issue in history, is the desertment that tore apart the American Army. One issue was boredom and a lack of activity. Often, as they were setting up to wait for the British Army, many men would lose heart. It was essentially a ragtag group of people all the way from old seniors to young children looking for a job and often nothing more. Even when George Washington tried to take back the reins by enforcing punishments such as the death penalty, it didn't work, and people started to desert as well as mutiny. Each and every day soldiers left the army due to issues such as lack of proper clothing, low food supplies, scarce ammunition, and harsh conditions. Some men even left simply because they had to take care of their families or tend to their fields and land. As a result, George Washington was left in an extremely precarious position. He was drained trying to lead the troops and seemed out of options as the army numbers dwindled.

Finally, this led him to accept black men into the army, a startling prospect at the time considering the racial prejudices of the other men involved and the fact that the slavery would not be abolished till a century later. This completely changed the racial dynamic in the American Army. Even though many were disgusted and held hatred towards the black soldiers simply because of their race, it created a shared unity, however weak, that was not there before. As members of the army, both white and black men now had to work together towards a shared cause against the British, something that had not been done before. Additionally, it also led to much more interaction between the two races, who were forced to learn about each other. This is a classic example seen throughout history when a greater enemy forces two clashing sides to unite for their common good.