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12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Marszalek`s Other Book !, April 8, 2000
This review is from: Sherman's Other War: The General and the Civil War Press (Paperback)
To read Professor Marszalek`s book, Sherman and the Civil War Press, first published in 1981, and re-issued in `99 one would come away with the distinct impression that General Sherman was sitting in his tent at Paducah, at Pittsburg Landing, at Memphis, at Chickasaw Bayou etc., etc., wracking that quite outstanding brain of his, not on how to defeat the rebels but plotting the systematic downfall of all reporters. If asked to swallow Marszalek`s assertions and emphasis, the average reader might well find themselves putting down, what is afterall merely an extended thesis, something one might jot off for a P.hd, asking the question, how then did General Sherman manage to Capture Atlanta, make Georgia howl, and march 62,000 men through the Carolinas if he spent his every waking moment agonizing over " pestifirous newshounds" ? The answer is, of course, he didn`t! Lashing out at the reporters who crowded his camps merely to write up stories coloured by the personal views of the enlisted men and predjudiced by the self-glorifying comments of political generals such as John McClernand and Frank Blair was just one more aspect of Sherman`s multi-layed and complicated charactor. He was one of those people who throughly enjoy confrontation, he thrived on, was inspired by, what Londoners nowadays might term "aggro" - But Marszalek would have us believe that compared to the court martial of Knox and the discouraging of other scribblers the rebellion that was tearing his nation apart was a side show. The author portrays the General as wishing to muffle a free press - but if we put this desire into the context of this century`s conflicts, notably The Gulf War, we will realise just how vital, necessary it was to advocate General Sherman`s view - why should the enemy employ spies when the newspapers and T.V. are only too willing to share our military secrets? It is also important to remember, a fact that Marszalek conveniently forgets, that Mr Lincoln refused publishers the right to use the trains to transport their newspapers, even closed a couple when they came close to treason in their editorials. No one called him insane or obssessed. Much of this book is merely a fast track re-hash of Marszalek`s often inaccurate biography of the great General - inaccurate in fact and in analysis and conclusion. I would like to say that what the professor lacks in content and accuracy he makes up for in style - I would like to say it, but unfortunately I cannot, for Marszalek has no style. Stringing together sentances to make chapters, is not style. I wish the professor luck in finding another subject, I think he has taken this one as far as he can. It is fortunate for the professor and other Sherman biographers that the General is not alive today for he most certainly would have made THEM the object of his ire in a book to be entitled " Sherman`s third War - The General and Bad biographies." Since there was no " nil stars" rating I gave it one star for subject matter.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
Sherman roughs up a newspaperman!, May 31, 2011
This review is from: Sherman's Other War: The General and the Civil War Press (Paperback)
Sherman's Other War: The General and the Civil War Press
This book is somewhat repetitive, but does provide another perspective of challenges to freedom of the press, as guaranteed to American citizens by the first amendment to the Constitution.
There are two things that stick with me after reading this book.
The first is Sherman's thrashing of a San Francisco newspaper editor before he was a Civil War officer. Clearly this incident served as a basis for how Sherman would react in the Civil War years towards press articles that painted him in an unfavorable light, or printed articles containing content he thought was detrimental to his war efforts.
The second is the lack of legal precedent regarding challenges to press freedoms before the 20th century. Of course, legal precedent starts somewhere, and until law is challenged in court there is no precedent. It is interesting to me to read of the beginnings of challenges to the free press, how press men defended themselves and how vigorous the attempts were to silence the press during the Civil War.
Related books you may find of interest (and both are better than "Sherman's Other War") are:
* Fanatics and Fire-eaters: Newspapers and the Coming of the Civil War, by Lorman A. Ratner and Dwight L. Teeter Jr. ( Fanatics and Fire-eaters: Newspapers and the Coming of the Civil War (History of Communication)). Discusses several topics of interest in the lead-up to the Civil War, as presented by the press.
* Minnesota Rag: Corruption, Yellow Journalism, and the Case That Saved Freedom of the Press, by Fred W. Friendly ( Minnesota Rag: Corruption, Yellow Journalism, and the Case That Saved Freedom of the Press). Among other topics, relates the events that led to the Supreme Court decision roundly rejecting "prior restraint" (Walter Sobchak would be proud).
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sherman fights back, October 18, 2006
This review is from: Sherman's Other War: The General and the Civil War Press (Paperback)
Marszalek's evaluation of William T. Sherman's relationship with the Civil War press is first-rate. Newspapers nor newspaper men dominated Sherman's Civil War career, but they did blast him on occasion, inferring that he was insane and incompetent. To retaliate, Sherman used what power he had to intimidate and throw up roadblocks where possible to deprive the press of opportunities to do him, his armies, and his strategic operations any harm. The volatile general, who is explored more in depth in Marszalek's well-received biography, was never one to stand idely by and be assualted without lashing back. Reporters learned that one way or the other. In this book, Marszalek thoroughly explains the hows and whys of the mostly bitter relationship the general had with the press.
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