The Lion and the Mouse
This chapter looks at a case study of the American Revolution to suggest that George Washington and the birth of the United States benefited in no small measure from a remarkable confidence. It highlights the overconfidence that inspired Washington to fight and sustain the revolution despite the formidable odds stacked against them and repeated setbacks along the way. It also highlights how ambition and boldness paid off in a long and grueling war in which Americans lost most of the battles and struggled to keep an army in the field. The chapter discusses the battle for North America, which was aimed to preserve global political and economic power at a time of intense competition with lethal enemies that threatened the British and their colonial territories. It investigates what led Washington to believe he could win, given the daunting circumstances.