The Genius of America

One of the things that bothers me about the current era is that there is a tendency to forget the enormous talent that still exists in our country. And also why that talent exists. Now I'm a liberal Democrat but I have caught liberal friends saying something like, "You have to understand so-and-so's limitations; you expect too much." Of course, I have also caught right wing conservatives saying in effect, "So-and-so simply isn't capable of doing what you say; why bother with that person?" Now I'm generalizing to make a point and I don't want to elaborate beyond that except to say that of late there has been too much pessimism about what Americans can or cannot do if given the chance.

I've been reading, The Glorious Cause, by Robert Middlekauff (2005 edition) and found a story I've read before about Baron von Steuben who was made an inspector general at Valley Forge. The story may be more mythology than fact for all I know but good mythology always has some truth to it. Here's an excerpt from the book (pg. 424-425):

Washington liked what he saw in Steuben, and when Steuben mentioned a desire to help train the ragged troops Washington gave him his head. Steuben would for the time being serve as acting inspector general charged with the task of teaching the soldiers how to march in formations and how to handle their weapons. Despite the fact that Steuben knew what he was about, he faced a tremendous difficulty for he knew no English....

(snip)

Washington then gave Steuben one hundred men who were to serve as a model company. Steuben himself took on the task of teaching this unit close-order drill. In doing so, he cast aside the usual practice in the British and American armies of having all instruction given by noncommissioned officers. The Baron began by calling a sqaud from the company which he marched back and forth as the company and large numbers of others looked on. He ran into trouble almost immediately. He had memorized the English and gave his commands in the language, but an imperfect memory and a heavy accent combined with a short temper led to some confusion in the ranks. Close-order drill like many simple exercises has its own strange complexities. While he sputtered curses in French and German..., Captain Benjamin Walker stepped forward and, speaking in French, offered to translate the Baron's commands into English. Steuben accepted with gratitude. From that moment on, the drill proceeded with some smoothness, although the delivery of the commands twice, first in French and then in English, was awkward.

Those officers and men who marched, and those who observed, learned. Imitation may or may not be the sincerest form of flattery, but it is an effective way of learning how to march and how to handle a musket.... By late March, all of the regiments of the army were practicing the Baron's drill.

The accounts that have survived these days indicate that this training took hold in part because the men enjoyed it and enjoyed watching Baron von Steuben. They also evidently admired him and were amused by him, especially when he indulged his temper. Soldiers of all natonalities usually have a special fondness for profanity, and many have a special proficiency in its use. Steuben was one, but even though he exploded and cursed he soon understood that an attempt to induce respect and fear in these troops would not take him very far. Republicans in arms had a special character, as he wrote an old European comrade: "In the first place, the genius of this nation is not in the least to be compared with that of the Prussians, Austrians or French. You say to your soldier, 'Do this,' and he doeth it, but I am obliged to say, 'This is the reason why you ought to do that,' and he does it."

The corollary to this is that the American soldiers knew what they were fighting for.

I can be as cynical about things as the next person, but I've learned that if Americans are given the chance, if they are told what the facts are and not just given spin, they can do amazing things, they can get things done, and not just for a buck. We need to get back to that framework. We have a good constitution and we have good people running for office in the next two election cycles but it's going to take time to turn things around.