“Misdirection. False signals. Spreading confusion. This is the Tao of deception.” ― David Ignatius
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| DAILY SPECIALS |
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| 2020 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES |
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| GEORGE WASHINGTON |
The Continental Army’s triumphs in the Ten
Crucial Days campaign proved instrumental to rekindling Patriot morale and
keeping the cause for American independence alive in the wake of early defeats.
At the end of 1776, Gen. George Washington
and the Continental Army faced a crossroads in the
quest for American independence. Patriots’ spirits were low after losses
in the New York campaign and a disheartening retreat into Pennsylvania. The
expiration of many soldiers’ enlistments on Dec. 31 threatened the army’s very
existence. The Americans needed a victory if they were to survive what Thomas
Paine wrote were “the
times that try men’s souls” and reemerge as a force strong enough to rival
the British.
On Christmas night of 1776, Washington
moved his troops across the icy Delaware River to launch a
surprise attack against Hessian soldiers encamped in the British garrison at
Trenton, New Jersey. Washington’s plan was a bold one, but the commander knew
that such an endeavor was necessary to prevent the revolution from crumbling.
On Dec. 26, Washington and his men achieved a
stunning victory,
capturing 900 Hessian prisoners and setting the stage for the 10 crucial days
to come.
After their victory at Trenton, expiration
of the Continental soldiers’ enlistments drew near, prompting Washington to
appeal to his men to commit themselves for another month. He appealed to their
patriotism and their dedication to the American cause. He implored them to
consider the unique opportunity they had to determine America’s future,
exclaiming:
“If you will consent to stay only one month
longer, you will render that service to the cause of liberty and to your
country which you probably never can do under any other circumstances. The
present is emphatically the crisis which is to decide our destiny.”
Inspired by Washington’s words, 3,300 men
decided to reenlist in order to see the campaign through. On Jan.
2, 1777,
Washington’s men secured another key victory in the Second
Battle of Trenton,
where they repelled three waves of Hessian and British forces at Assunpink
Creek, again proving their perseverance when America needed it most.
That night, Washington made another bold
decision. The commander-in-chief knew his forces would be trapped on the banks
of the Delaware River if he did not enact another plan. Washington covertly
moved his troops toward Princeton, where he would
lead a heroic charge that resulted in a final American triumph to end the Ten
Crucial Days campaign.
The victory at Princeton renewed the Continental Army’s resolve and ensured
that the fight for American independence would live on.
The victories at Trenton and Princeton
during the Ten Crucial Days were pivotal moments in America’s quest for
independence. On the battlefields of New Jersey, Washington and his soldiers
proved that the will of the American people would withstand the early trials of
the Revolution. [Campaign
1776, December 19, 2017]
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| IMMIGRATION |
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| ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION |
The Toxic Defender
Are low levels of pollution and radiation good for you? For decades, Massachusetts toxicologist Ed Calabrese has agitated for a public health standard suggesting that that is the case. He was shunned by mainstream scientists and government regulatory agencies. Then Donald Trump was elected president. Before long, Calabrese’s suggestions on how the Environmental Protection Agency should assess toxic chemicals and radiation were introduced, nearly word for word, in the U.S. government’s official journal for comment. It’s a view that various industries have advocated for a long time, but if it becomes EPA policy, many experts worry it could have a profound effect on public and environmental health. [February 19, 2019]
Are low levels of pollution and radiation good for you? For decades, Massachusetts toxicologist Ed Calabrese has agitated for a public health standard suggesting that that is the case. He was shunned by mainstream scientists and government regulatory agencies. Then Donald Trump was elected president. Before long, Calabrese’s suggestions on how the Environmental Protection Agency should assess toxic chemicals and radiation were introduced, nearly word for word, in the U.S. government’s official journal for comment. It’s a view that various industries have advocated for a long time, but if it becomes EPA policy, many experts worry it could have a profound effect on public and environmental health. [February 19, 2019]
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