After many years reading about Washington and friends, I've come to the conclusion that he was "great because he was good", quite lucky, and the owner of a unique leader's persona. First, he was almost foolishly brave and ambitious, surviving several near-death experiences in the French-Indian War and Revolution. Next, he managed to develop great self-control, in the manner that great Alpha-males are sometimes able to do (those who knew the younger Washington, a tall/athletic man, were amazed when they saw the older Washington exercise patience and good-judgement). He successfully fought the war that Gen. Lee (your earlier subject) was trying to fight (or should've fought)...a defensive effort aimed to pull in a foreign power as an ally. In Washington's case, yes...he never would have won without the French (not even close? The French not only won Yorktown for us but were then screwed over by Adams in subsequent favorable negotiations with the British...a subject for another day). You're also right in saying that he sometimes made questionable battle decisions and could not be classified as a great tactical General. At this point, let's examine the role of Ben Franklin, who in tandem with Washington was perhaps 70% of the tag-team that created America. Not only did Franklin make it possible for the French to save us, but he and Washington were both Freemasons (a big unifying factor, even in the peace negotiated with Britain), and instrumental in the Constitutional Convention of 1787-88. Jefferson supposedly said of Washington "his mind is not swift, but it is very sure". Apparently, the Convention attendees would argue all day, Franklin and Washington would listen, make a decision, then call for adjournment to the nearest tavern. It was a happy accident of history, that Franklin (then 82) and Washington had even survived this long, and both were INCREDIBLY POPULAR AND WELL-RESPECTED, so our Country owes them a great deal. Was Washington the greatest president? He was quite conservative, and you can imagine him having a kind of Gerald Ford bearing. He and Jefferson were political opposites, yet Jefferson recognized the Country's incredible debt to old George. He certainly was not the thinker that Lincoln was, but perhaps by some combination of circumstance and personal fortitude, he was the President most vital to our Nation's successful beginning, plus a Yang to Franklin's Yin.