"Washington’s 5 Rules for Honorable War" Topic

"George Washington launched America's first invasion of a foreign land scarcely two months after assuming command of the Continental Army. In September 1775, he dispatched troops to the far north to attack the scantly guarded city of Quebec, which the French had ceded to the British 12 years earlier. The goal of the campaign was not only to deliver a crushing strategic blow to the British by capturing the gateway to the St. Lawrence River and thereby to all of Canada, but also to convince the French-speaking Canadians to join the Revolution on the side of the United Colonies.

But he faced a vexing dilemma: Would the Americans, whose greatest asset was their legitimate claim to the moral high ground, be viewed as liberators by the local people? If the Quebecois viewed the expedition as an unwelcome invasion, the American troops would be hard-pressed to sustain a successful attack on the fortress city.

The Quebec campaign is now viewed as one of Washington's early missteps, before he grew into his role as a military commander. But a close examination of Washington's pre-campaign instructions to Colonel Benedict Arnold offers a glimpse of his foresight and genius. Instead of focusing strictly on logistical concerns, he included guidance on how "Officers and Soldiers" should behave in a foreign land, amidst civilians with very different traditions, customs and religious beliefs. Indeed, his instructions could offer useful insights to contemporary American leaders and soldiers as they carry out military campaigns in distant lands….."
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Amicalement
Armand

Good advise even yet--but much harder to execute than to order.

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand