DOC Look Away!: A History of the Confederate States of America by William C. Davis in History

Review

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Wonderful exploration of the Confederate national government and its problems during the Civil War.By gloine36William C. Davis is a professor of history at Virginia Tech and also serves as the Director of Programs for Virginia Tech’s Virginia Center for Civil War Studies. He is one of the rare top tier historians who does not have a Ph.D. Judging by the quality of Mr. Davis’ books; the doctoral degree would have been a waste of time in earning. He has written over 40 books and earned numerous prizes while being nominated for the Pulitzer Prize twice. His works have won the Jefferson Davis Award three times and he is considered to be one of the best scholars on Southern History in the nation. In Look Away! Davis focuses on the government of the Confederacy from its inception to its collapse. The result is a very engaging narrative that reveals the immense problems involved in creating a national government out of states that wanted to prevent a strong national government from existing. As the centralized government tried to sustain a war effort; the individual states often stymied their efforts; actions which helped lead to their defeat in 1865. He explores the conflicting goals of those who developed the Confederate constitution and how some such as Robert Barnwell Rhett worked to entrench South Carolina’s goals in the Permanent Constitution. The result is a fascinating read into the reasons behind the results of the process. What is really interesting in this book is the measures the central government would go to in trying to survive the initial war. The divisions between sections in the United States were those on a national level; but when the Confederacy was established; the divisions within the seceding region quickly assumed monumental proportions. In many ways; these divisions were just as important as the ones which led to secession in the first place. Davis delves into these divisions which are often ignored in histories of the war itself. I enjoyed the book quite a bit. I found Chapter 10 to be the most interesting. It covered “Cotton Communism; Whiskey Welfare; and Salt Socialism.” I found that to be ironic because the national Confederate government was clearly taking actions which foreshadowed later American national governments in placing the needs of the whole over that of the individual state. It also shows both the creativity and desperation of the Confederate government in that struggle to survive. More than anything; the book helps to explain why the Confederacy was doomed from the beginning. It just could not gain the support of the majority of its peoples. Almost 40% of them were slaves; and their status was a stumbling block that instead of providing great assistance to the war effort turned out to be detrimental and by policy of exclusion in the CSA and the individual states; unusable as troops. He points out how the Confederate government was made to sustain the power of the planter class elites; an act which alienated many in the Confederacy. It is small wonder the Confederacy failed. Davis points out its flaws which turned out to be fatal. I think this is a very good book and one that goes far into giving us a glimpse at some of the possible outcomes of a nation that retained the Articles of Confederation instead of creating the Constitution. I highly recommend reading it.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Look Away!By Mark B RockeyLook Away by William C Davis; is a political history of the CSA. Rarely touching on the military history; "Look Away seeks to present a comprehensive view of everything else that went into making the Confederate national experience; from the political turmoil that led to its creation; to the social and economic devastation left in its wake. . .In short; it is the story of how the Confederates faced the perpetual dilemmas of all peoples who want a democracy; while realizing that there are many kinds of democracies; some of them quite unpleasant to the Southern taste."Davis believes that the Confederate democracy was doomed from the start; as it was created by the oligarchy; (planter society); to maintain their control and serve their interests. Davis says of the emerging Southern democracy: "It rested on a couple of fundamental assumptions that reflected their society and culture. All men were not created equal. Indeed; not all white men were created equal. There were the masses and the elite; the one born to be led and unequipped to decide great issues; and the other destined by birth and breeding to lead."Davis explains: "the longevity of such a system depended heavily on the preservation of a social order in which the opportunity to rise stopped at the middle class."The author shows that every time the oligarchy had to choose between its principles and its interests; the principles were sacrificed. "The secession and the Confederacy's existence were predicated on slavery; on preserving and defending it against containment. . ." Mr Davis has written an interesting work about an underserved segment of the ACW. Recommended for one's library.Mark B Rockey0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Don't Look Away - read it from cover to coverBy raymond beattyGreat book. It is not anti-south but will probably rankle apologists for the South and its slave-based economy. It sets out the planter class perspective and pro-slavery sentiments that pushed the South to secede; but also the subsequent in-fighting within the Confederacy. I was surprised to learn about how many Southerners (especially in the west - e.g. western Tenn.) were not very supportive of the Confederacy; and how so many Southerners tried to avoid fighting for the Confederate army. Well written and very informative book by a very good author.