Final answer:
George Washington was involved in the Revolutionary War, during which the Continental Congress printed $200 million. By the war's end, the public debt was approximately $43 million. Exact costs in today's money would require complex economic calculations to factor in inflation and economic changes.
Step-by-step explanation:
You are asking how much George Washington thought the war would cost in today's money. If we consider the Revolutionary War, to which Washington was a central figure, the Continental Congress spent a significant amount of money during the conflict. It's documented that the Continental Congress printed $200 million during the Revolutionary War. This figure, however, does not include the additional money printed by the states, nor the counterfeit currency circulated by the British. With inflation and changes in economic conditions over time, this amount would be considerably higher in today's money, but an exact current value would require complex economic calculations that factor inflation rates, changes in currency values, and economic conditions over time.
Furthermore, by the end of the Revolutionary War, the public debt was approximately $43 million. The burden of the debt and the challenge of meeting the obligations, including compensating veterans, highlight the significant financial strain the war placed on the burgeoning United States.