George Washington
2 conflicts · $34B total war cost (2024$) · 1,056 US deaths
$34B
War Cost (2024$)
1,056
US Deaths
2
Conflicts
—
Military Budget (Total $B)
🎯 Major Military Decisions
- ▸Neutrality Proclamation (1793)
- ▸Whiskey Rebellion suppression (1794)
- ▸Jay Treaty with Britain
- ▸Farewell Address warning against foreign entanglements
📖 War Record Analysis
George Washington set the foundational precedent for American war-making. As commander of the Continental Army, he understood the costs of war firsthand. As president, he navigated the Quasi-War tensions with France, issued the Neutrality Proclamation, and in his Farewell Address warned against "entangling alliances" and permanent military establishments. Yet he also used military force against his own citizens in the Whiskey Rebellion (1794), demonstrating that even the most liberty-minded leader would reach for the sword when challenged.
🗣️ On War & Military Power
“My first wish is to see this plague of mankind, war, banished from the earth.”
“The constitution vests the power of declaring war in Congress; therefore no offensive expedition of importance can be undertaken until after they shall have deliberated upon the subject.”
⚔️ Conflicts Under George Washington
Whiskey Rebellion
Northwest Indian War
🗽 The Assessment
George Washington used military force 2 times, at a cost of $34B (2024 dollars). The question we must always ask: were these conflicts truly necessary for the defense of American liberty?