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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Glance into a leader's mind..., May 31, 2010
This review is from: American Civil War (Hardcover)
This book not only gives you a new view on the war between the North and the South, but also allows you a peek into a great man's mind. For example, on page 65 he talks about "Lincoln's vacillations are a classic instance of the dangers of civilian interference with generals in the field." Wait, how about Churchill and the North Africa campaign during World War Two?
He also, unlike many historians who see pre-Civil War history as North vs. South, makes the West an active force in the pre-war years. Not just a passive resource, not just something to fight over, not just land to colonize. The West a force that sees the East as somewhat as a threat to itself. The West becomes something to bring onto your side or to neutralize. The South and the North fighting over the West, and the states of the West trying to go their own way, seems to become a large factor in the politics and events before the American Civil War, according to Churchill. Makes me wish to read his other works. I would also suggest, after reading this book, you also read The American Civil War: A Military History because John Keegan knows his stuff.
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4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not one of Winston's best efforts, May 12, 2000
This review is from: American Civil War (Hardcover)
The American Civil War should have been named Robert E. Lee's Civil War. 85% of the books attention is paid to Lee's character, Lee's battles, Lee's brilliance, Lee's nobility, Lee's wisdom. At the end of the War Churchill rightly criticizes Lee for his faulty generalship in sending thousands to die in frontal assaults when the war was clearly lost, but his fixation on Lee still borders on worship. There were other things going on in the War, like the War in the West, Vicksburg, Chattanooga, Atlanta campaign, March to the Sea, etc., but Churchill concludes these events did not require any full discussion. Either Winston had a deadline to meet and was out of time or he displays a surprising lack of knowledge by leaving out at least half of the Civil War. But of course if you are a Lee fan, then you'll love this one.
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5 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Gone Also With the Wind, January 4, 2001
Churchill's view of our War Between the States is in keepingwith the most prominent mythologized history of that conflict, onefeature of which is a perception of "near-divinity" inGen. Robert E. Lee. That perception was begun during the war andboosted to completion shortly afterwards by Gen. Jubal Early and hispowerful influence over the Southern Historical Society Papers (amajor source for most Civil War history). An excellent ifcontroversial review of these issues is found in "The Myth of theLost Cause" ed. by Gallagher and Nolan. One can readilyunderstand the appeal of such a myth to Winston Churchill as he triedto come to terms with his own witnessing of the Fall of the BritishEmpire having just been totally dependent on American aid to survivethe war with Germany. Joseph Campbell understood "myth"to be a psychosocial system (expressed through the arts) that allows aculture to get into accord with an awful fact that cannot be dealtwith as raw, factual history. It would seem that witnessing one'ssociety crumbling into oblivion calls for such a myth. Churchill'swork is fascinating. His use of the English language is mostsuperb. This work will provide the reader (or listener) with somepowerful insights into the American Civl War, World War II, and theuse of myth to connect us with the awful human experience of havingthe very structure of one's World vanish forever.
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