Civil War in the United States 1861-1865 (Modern Wars) [Paperback]

Brian Holden Reid (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2000 | ISBN-10: 0340614498 | ISBN-13: 978-0340614495

In his study of the American Civil War Brian Holden Reid embeds some new arguments, both persuasive and provocative, in a narrative framework. He suggests that the war was not as 'modern' as many previous writers have suggested, and more closely resembled Napoleonic warfare in important respects than it did in World War I. He also stresses the importance of examining the relationship between military and political affairs: of assessing the extent to which strategy on both sides developed out of political sources. To the traditional question 'why did it take the North so long to subjugate the South', the suggestion in this book is that the question is misconceived: that in the circumstances of the time, the subjugation was achieved in a short period, with great efficiency. It is sometimes suggested that the winners were more up-to-date in their approach to war: that Grant and Sherman were somehow more forward-looking than Lee and Johnston. In fact there was little difference in their approach. Far more important was the margin of resources that so favoured the North. Recent interpretations have argued that the Confederacy, given the imbalance of resources, should have adopted a defensive strategy - but, as Holden Reid demonstrates, this view is based on the erroneous assumption that the defensive is more economical in casualities. This book will introduce readers to the heart of many of the issues that surround the conduct of the war and in the process dislodge many of the conventional wisdoms that have attached to its history.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Brian Holden Reid, Senior Lecturer in War Studies, King's College.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Edward Arnold (October 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0340614498
• ISBN-13: 978-0340614495
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,847,576 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)