Introduction
Studying historical events such as the American Revolution helps to comprehend how historical occurrences contributed to the current state of the world. Drawing lessons from past events allows us to not only learn about how the modern world order formed but also develop the capacity to minimize errors and design better paths for the present and future of the whole society. One of the most significant and pivotal moments in the history of the United States of America was the American Revolution.
It established a republic with a government committed to the interests of the common people rather than kings and aristocrats, secured the United States independence from Great Britain’s rule, and allowed it to secede from the British Empire. Forged a new political system on the principles of freedom, equality, civil rights, and responsible citizenship by fostering a feeling of community-based on shared history and culture, common experience, and conviction in a shared future in the United States.
However, all this came at a very high price, as the soldiers who fought in the war not only died in battle, giving their lives for these values, but also suffered greatly from the lack of standardized drills and maneuvers, poor supply acquisition process, lack of policies and procedures that were in place, poor camp layout and sanitation plan, sickness and disease, and low morale and desertion. More thorough planning, organization of camp sanitation, and supply support could reduce the number of victims of the revolution and achieve success much faster.
Background
The History of the NCO 1700 in Valley Forge is an example of how important it is to an army, morale, and success to organize camps and activities properly. The location of the camp was good enough from a tactical point of view, but everything else had serious problems. Soldiers lived in overcrowded, damp quarters with no standard tent arrangements or sanitary standards. Even basic items for the comfort and health of soldiers, such as blankets or shoes, were in short supply. By the end of the winter, disease, malnutrition, and other organizational problems had claimed the lives of 2,500 soldiers. Low morale was not due to disappointment or a weak belief in victory but rather to constant cold, hunger, and disease. This led to frequent cases of desertion, as people simply had no other option to survive. Low wages and dangerous tactics and maneuvers also contributed to it.
Alternatives
An alternative would be to improve the soldiers’ living conditions and the army’s supply. If the premises were not so overcrowded, and the soldiers would have had everything necessary for as comfortable survival as possible in such conditions – food and warm clothes, it would have been possible to avoid unsanitary conditions and so many victims and deserters (Elliott, 2021). However, given the small budget of the army and difficulties with supplies, it was very difficult to organize this since most of the funds went to armaments.
Proposed Solutions
The introduction of sanitary standards could be a great improvement in the current situation. If soldiers were trained and instructed on how to organize long-term safe survival in such conditions with cleanliness, outdoor latrines, and independent ways of heating and obtaining food, this could greatly improve survival and morale. To solve the supply problem, volunteers could be involved, for example, churches or people who, due to their convictions, cannot or do not want to fight but want to help the army. They could collect shoes, warm clothes, and hygiene products for soldiers among local manufacturers or civilians – from those who wanted to help.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Training officers in the knowledge and skills of survival and sanitation would allow other soldiers to be taught this, which would help more people survive. Nurses could be involved in this training, as they were the most knowledgeable in such matters through their work (Blanco, 2020). To solve the supply problem, volunteers could be involved. They could collect the necessary supplies, shoes, warm clothes, and hygiene products for soldiers among local manufacturers or civilians – from those who wanted to help.
References
Blanco, R. L. (2020). Physician of the American Revolution: Jonathan Potts. Routledge.
Elliott, S. (2021). Surviving the Winters: Housing Washington’s Army During the American Revolution (Vol. 72). University of Oklahoma Press.