Introduction
One of the most significant turning events in American history is the American Revolution. In praising the Americans’ military accomplishments, it is important to keep in mind the price they had to pay to get there. The troops who fought in the conflict devoted their lives to the line of duty. Despite this, death claimed the lives of several men both on the battlefield and in the camps. The bad camp architecture and sanitation plan, which endangers the lives of all conflict participants, is the first major problem. The second issue, the spread of numerous illnesses, can be discussed within these settings. Keeping troops, non-commissioned officers, commanders, and other military people alive in the camps is essential for success. Hence, the US Army leadership might have prevented such a high number of casualties by establishing a camp in the most beneficial location and developing an efficient sanitary plan that would prevent infections.
Discussion
Tensions between the Americans and the British peaked in at one point, and a full-scale war ensued. Boston was taken over by the Continental Army, which George Washington helped to raise (Becker, 2022). But the same force failed to capture New York and its vital harbor. By establishing camp at Valley Forge, Washington won the support of the Continental Congress, the organization in control of the entire revolution. The camp’s advantageous geographic location made it utterly unsuited for housing soldiers. As a result, George Washington is the main figure since he pursued the suggested objectives no matter the cost, and despite the army’s size, many of the troops were passing away from illnesses (Freedman, 2021). These ailments were brought on by the unhygienic circumstances in the camp, where the animals were left to rot in the ground, and the captives lived in close quarters and ate from filthy dishes.
A better standard of life for military could be an alternative to this problem. Washington might have been able to escape the unhealthy circumstances if the area was not so crowded. Yet, the army’s budget was modest given the circumstances of battle, particularly the American Independence War. As a result, the majority of the funds were used to arm American troops, who were meant to compete with the British king’s professional warriors (Becker, 2022). As a result, Washington and the other military elite did not have the resources to offer comfortable living circumstances.
The creation of vocational training for the army is one approach to the issue of unhygienic circumstances and the spread of disease among troops. Properly trained soldiers are more tolerant of such circumstances, which enables them to produce good outcomes. Such instruction needs to cover defensive weapon usage, strategic thinking, and survival techniques (Becker, 2022). Particularly, survival skills would enable the army of Washington to comprehend what must be done to maximize troop survival in the camps. As a result, the commander of the army was able to prevent the spread of numerous viruses and diseases in the camps with the aid of professional training, so assuring the troops’ survival.
Conclusion
As a result, the army must be trained as part of practical measures to attain this aim, namely survival in the camps. The American Revolution’s clear commander and inspiration, George Washington, was forced to provide the required skills to his troops. The success of the army must extend beyond the battlefield for the general, who is in charge of thousands of men. It becomes obvious that winning the battle depends significantly on the military’s morale. The high rate of illness-related deaths and poor living circumstances in the camp consequently dampened this spirit. In this regard, Washington was in a position to guarantee the army’s health and prosperity.
References
Becker, A. M. (2022). Smallpox in Washington’s Army: Disease, war, and society during the american revolutionary war. Rowman & Littlefield.
Freedman, R. (2021). Lafayette and the American Revolution. Holiday House.