If one is to believe contemporary historians; the South never had a chance. Many allege that the Confederacy lost the Civil War because of internal division or civilian disaffection; others point to flawed military strategy or ambivalence over slavery. But; argues distinguished historian Gary Gallagher; we should not ask why the Confederacy collapsed so soon but rather how it lasted so long. In The Confederate War he reexamines the Confederate experience through the actions and words of the people who lived it to show how the home front responded to the war; endured great hardships; and assembled armies that fought with tremendous spirit and determination. Gallagher’s portrait highlights a powerful sense of Confederate patriotism and unity in the face of a determined adversary. Drawing on letters; diaries; and newspapers of the day; he shows that Southerners held not only an unflagging belief in their way of life; which sustained them to the bitter end; but also a widespread expectation of victory and a strong popular will closely attuned to military events. In fact; the army’s “offensive-defensive†strategy came remarkably close to triumph; claims Gallagher―in contrast to the many historians who believe that a more purely defensive strategy or a guerrilla resistance could have won the war for the South. To understand why the South lost; Gallagher says we need look no further than the war itself: after a long struggle that brought enormous loss of life and property; Southerners finally realized that they had been beaten on the battlefield. Gallagher’s interpretation of the Confederates and their cause boldly challenges current historical thinking and invites readers to reconsider their own conceptions of the American Civil War.
#155542 in Books 2012-09-03 2012-08-06Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.25 x 6.25 x .75l; .88 #File Name: 0674066081256 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. The title is the answerBy Steven PetersonOne key question that animates much thinking about the Civil War: Why did the soldiers; facing miserable conditions and fighting horrific battles leaving so many dead and disfigured; fight? Why did they persevere? In this book the question examine answers from the union side. The title "Union War" provides the answer.Gary Gallagher is an eminent historian of the Civil War. Thus; his analysis is worth thinking about. In some senses; the book begins with a straw man attack; as he notes questions about the popular view that the Civil War was about Union troops fighting for the end of slavery and emancipation. Frankly; that is hardly a majority view. But it does serve to juxtapose Gallagher's answers against that view. He contends that the northern troops fought for union.Gallagher uses many sources to make his case; including the artifacts of the soldiers themselves; such as letters and diaries. Three questions are at the fore in this work (Page 5): "What did the war for Union mean in mid-nineteenth century America? How and why did emancipation come to be part of the war for Union? How did armies of citizen-soldiers figure in conceptions of the war; the process of emancipation; and the shaping of national sentiment?"The book begins with the "Grand Review" of 1865; when the armies of East and West marched down the streets of Washington D. C. Then; the book goes back in time to explore answers to the questions noted above.Gallagher sensitively uses the information at his disposal to address these. In the end; a satisfactory volume.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Superb synthesis of the Union CauseBy wswJust when you think that you have read just about everything concerning the Civil War; Gary Gallagher masterfully weaves a superb synthesis of the reasons why men fought and died to preserve the Union. His work is balanced and reminds us of what was at stake for all who fought to preserve the Union first and secondly to eliminate the creation of a regressive slave holding oligarcy; which may well have led to the ultimate destruction of our great nation; created by the founding fathers; most of whom assumed that slavery would die a natural death; which indeed is what happened in the rest of the world by 1861.20 of 22 people found the following review helpful. Why they fought...By Jill Meyernot why it started. Gary Gallagher; professor at the University of Virginia and Penn State and noted Civil War historian; has written a short book on "why" the northern soldiers fought their southern brethren. Conventional wisdom aside - that it was the question of slavery and the righteousness of the practice - Gallagher says the real reason was the idea of "union".Many of the soldiers and lawmakers had fathers and grandfathers who had fought the British for Independence and the sense of "Union" of the "United States of America". To these men; "preserving" the Union was as important as their forefathers having attained it in the first place. Look at the word "union" and the phrase "the Union". Both mean virtually the same thing but only one applies to a specific entity. And these men were willing to die for that "union".But what about slavery and the idea of the North fighting to emancipate the slaves? The South may have begun with war with the yell of "states' rights" but the idea of fighting to keep those rights - including the practice of slavery - was a southern ideal. Gallagher states that while slavery was not well regarded in the north; he didn't feel it was the reason the north fought. He quotes Abraham Lincoln - on page 50 - of the three practicalities he had in freeing the slaves in the context of fighting and winning the war.Gallagher also writes about those thousands of immigrants who joined native-born Americans in the northern armies. What were they fighting for? Again; "union" and the idea of a country that was seen in Europe as a "bright spot" among nations. Many countries - France; the German States; the Austria/Hungary - had weathered uprisings in 1848 by citizens protesting traditional rule. Many of these people emigrated to the US and saw this country - this "union" - as something worth fighting for and preserving.Gary Gallagher is an elegant writer of history. He doesn't try to "pad" his text to make the book longer; he presents his ideas and supports them. Very good book.
