America: The Story of Us – American Revolution
Tom Brokaw: We wouldn’t be here without the Revolutionary War. And I’ve gone back recently in
my own personal readings to try to understand more about that. How brave they were—
and they were not just brave in a military sense—they were intellectually brave.
Daniel Walker Howe: The people who were in the forefront of the revolution were people
engaged in commerce because they felt most specifically and directly British interference,
British taxation and limitations.
Tim Gunn: It’s very interesting to think about the foundation of the nation and the fact that the
country was born out of revolution and that sort of rallying spirit of win, win, win and fight
back the oppressors persists.
Tom Brokaw: We were effectively guerilla fighters. We were not the red coats, after all.
Brian Williams: Two things: number one, memo to the British forces, ix-nay on the red suits. That
was probably not, tactically, the best move. Number two, if you’re going up against guys
who are using blankets for shoes in the middle of winter, bring your best game, ‘cause
they’ll open a can of early American whoop-ass on you.
Daniel Walker Howe: The American Revolution, in one sense, is an example of a war in which the
weaker contestant prevails because it is more determined to persevere.
Michael Strahan: It’s almost a little man syndrome. We’ve always felt a little undersized, a little
under appreciated, and I think whenever you’re able to take those feelings and manifest
them into trying to do something that’s positive, to try to do something that’s competitive,
you give yourself a lot better chance of being successful.
David Baldacci: The British army was fighting for a King; the Americans were fighting for their
lives. And it’s not so much how much equipment you have or how much training you have,
it’s what’s in your belly, it’s what’s in your heart. And you know you’re fighting for your
lives and a way a life, as opposed to fighting for a monarch who you may not care about or
may not love, but it’s your job. That’s all the difference; you’re gonna fight harder if you’re
fighting for your own way of life, if you’re fighting for your family’s.
William Bodette: Back then during the Revolutionary War, what really made the difference is,
they really believed in what they were fighting for. That’s why the Americans actually had
the advantage.
David H. Petraeus: This is a case of hanging on in the face of the British actions long enough to
where the British literally would grow weary of this and realize that it was endless, they
could not prevail.
Daniel Walker Howe: In the last analysis, the British were willing to cut a deal with the Americans
in order to make sure that they could preserve their power in Europe.
Newt Gingrich: Any American who wants to know what it takes to be free, should study the
Revolutionary War.