The American Civil War (West Point Military History) [Paperback]

Thomas E. Griess (Editor)

Book Description

Series: West Point Military History | Publication Date: May 2002

This campaign-by-campaign account of the Civil War examines the economic, social, political, and military aspects of this turbulent period.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Excellent...the strength of the books is in the operational military history, and they present well-argued evaluations of the wars' commanders and campaigns." (Library Journal )

About the Author

These titles were developed and written by the faculty of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Weaving the complexities of individual historical conflicts into a broader perspective, these books chronicle the turbulent periods of civilization. Utilizing their expertise as scholars and soldiers, the authors shed light on the crucial events and factors that shaped the execution of the world’s great military campaigns. Photographs, illustrations, and maps of the campaigns—thoroughly researched for historical accuracy—are either included in the books or available as companion atlases. Each volume focuses on a specific era of warfare, bringing you into the thick of battle with a clear and accurate picture of men at war.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Square One Publishers (May 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0757001564
• ISBN-13: 978-0757001567
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,797,351 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Overview of Military Considerations, May 29, 2008

By 

Alan Dale Daniel (Carson City, Nevada, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The American Civil War (West Point Military History) (Paperback)

The US Military Academies have published several excellent books on military history, and this one follows the same path of excellence. I deducted one star because all the maps are in another book which makes it hard to follow the campaigns at times and it increases the price of the "book" substantially when the maps are purchased. Plus, I have found other books with better maps; however, they do not match up with the text of this book; thus, the reader may feel they have to buy both the book and the map book thereby more than doubling the cost.

I like this overview of the Civil War because it mostly leaves politics behind and concentrates on the battles themselves and the military considerations going into these battles. I have read The Battle Cry of Freedom (excellent book), Bruce Canton's series, and Shelby Foot's series on the Civil War as well as other tombs; however, here I learned how difficult it was for the American staffs of both armies to adjust to the demands of the large and total war. It became clear why, in the early stages of the war, maneuvers failed. The staff could not effectively carry out the orders they were given by the generals. It also became clear that the CSA under Lee made great strides at improving its staff work and it showed as the battles in the east progressed. Lee's army could respond to his orders quickly and effectively while the Union armies were still struggling with the process of command and control.

This book also points out how the organization of artillery (for example) made a large difference in the battles. It was much more than the type of artillery, the organization of the artillery made a big difference. The same holds true for the unit organizations. The South was not using Corps organizations early on and it made the coordination of attacks more difficult.

Over and over again, this book shows the reader how the somewhat obscure parts of the military profession made very large contributions to victory or defeat for the two sides.

If you want to explore the causes of the Civil War, or the personalities behind the conflict, or if you want to delve deeply into the weaponry this is not the book you will want to buy. If you want the war from an almost pure military perspective this is a must read.

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