The most detailed regimental level account ever written of the critical and often overlooked first day of the Civil War's greatest battle; using primary; first-hand sources almost entirely; many of which are unpublished; and some of which have not been cited before.Gettysburg July 1 combines the most recent scholarly interpretations of the action with original analysis by the author and gives a fresh approach to the battle at the tactical level; with emphasis on the experience and competence of regimental and brigade commanders.
#751016 in Books 1996-03-21Original language:SpanishPDF # 1 1.04 x 5.32 x 8.50l; #File Name: 0306806975512 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Tolkein-esque Epic--maybe one of the best war memoirs ever writtenBy cTold by one of the most seasoned soldiers under Cortes; Bernal Diaz writes an epic that reminded me of Tolkein; only it happened in actual recorded history…when the Spanish are joined by the many surrounding chiefs and tribes to finally put an end to the very evil system of human blood sacrificing and cannibalism under the Mayans; you get a sense that the bad reputation of the Spanish may be a little over-blown… who else was going to put an end to this evil system run amok? God seems to use our imperfections to move the progress of humanity along and it is striking how Christ-centered the Spanish actually were and how important this may have been to the eventual demise of blood sacrificing and cannibalism in Mexico in general. Mel Gibson was too kind in "Apocalypto".What's more; there are instances of miracles throughout--perhaps the same "invisible hand" often cited by some of the Founders of America(see below); reports of extinct cannibalistic giants and enormous bones seen by the Spanish; enormous buildings of lions; tigers and snakes fed the entrails of human sacrificial victims; and much more… a great read… Cortes also seems like one of the most under-rated leaders to have ever led men in war…"Benjamin Franklin stood and addressed the Continental Congress with these words: "In the beginning of the contest with Britain; whenwe were sensible of danger; we had daily prayers in this room for divine protection. Our prayers; sir; were heard and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor....Have we now forgotten this powerful friend? Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?I have lived; sir; a long time; and the longer I live; the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: that God governs in the affairs of man. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice; is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?"1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. DISCOVERY AND CONQUEST OF MEXICO; by Bernal Diaz Del CastilloBy SusannaThis book was written by a man with a first-hand experience; as he was a foot soldier with Cortez. Castillo wrote HIS account after having read what he found to be an INACCURATE relating of the Spanish conquest. I recalled what I had read as a child of Cortez in history books; and this account was a real eye-opener; as there is no whitewashing of real facts here; but a portrayal of Spanish who wished to establish trade. These were Christian men who sought to get a foothold in the Aztec Empire in what is now Mexico. To anyone who claims that the Spanish were aggressors; land-grabbers; cruel; etc.; etc.; as seems to be the "cult" these days; I recommend the reading of this account by one who was there. I am not denying that there surely must have been indecent acts by some Spanish; as we read even now of instances of American troops--there's always a weird mind in any society; however; human sacrifice among these native people of that region was rampant! The society was "sick" in its cannibalism; its human sacrificial religion . . . It truly was an eye opener for me. No native's word could be trusted. Though the culture was advanced in many ways; its religious beliefs were gruesome; eliciting repulsion to the reader; as well as horror and fear to the Spanish who witnessed such. Moreover; the courage of these Spanish men who eventually managed to introduce Christianity to this region; thus ending the horrible; ritualistic sacrificing of humans which involving cutting out the beating heart of a chosen victim . . . the Spanish and their tenacity; is mind boggling read; but it is not for the faint of heart. It's real life--no whitewashing here . . .1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Excellent source of Mexican HistoryBy All4Recently; I went on a trip to Mexico to visit Mexico City and tour the state of Oaxaca. I checked this book out of the library in advance of the trip to gain a little background on the region. Unfortunately; this was during the holidays and a I had house full of company so I didn't get far into before I left on my trip. When I returned I purchased this copy from an book seller.This is the most authentic and interesting book I have ever read on Mexican History. Written by Bernal Diaz Del Castillo; a soldier who served under Hernan Cortes in the late 1500s - 1600s during all the Spanish conquests of Central America and South America; he provides an eye witness account of many of the significant events of the conquest. Even discounting the fact that he wrote this is his advanced years and has a bias towards the point of view of the Spaniards his book is far more accurate than anything else out there. I was pleasantly surprised by his writing style. His book is very readable and he is a natural story teller.Even the little I managed to get through before my trip brought everything to life. I could actually follow along the historical themes of the Diego Rivera murals in the National Palace in Mexico City. Seeing Popo spew gas and steam was much as Castillo described 400 years ago. And in visiting archaeology sites and small villages in and near Mexico City; Puebla; and throughout Oaxaca one can still get a feel for the vastness and sophistication of the pre-Hispanic cultures that thrived throughout the region. The abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables give further testimony to the thriving cultures that existed there and the diet remains heavily based on corn; chilis; and use of various parts of cactus plants. The ancient techniques for weaving; pottery making; wood carving and candle making are still in practice today; though perhaps as much for the touristes as other reasons. The Catholic influence is highly evident. It began with those early efforts of Cortes who "encouraged" the populations to embrace Christianity. There were so many churches; many heavily laden with gold.If you are planning a trip to Mexico (beyond the beach towns) I highly recommend reading this book before you go.
