Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era in History is Not Boring

Aug 12, 2010 Mike Petty rated it it was amazing

Shelves: military

5 stars? Yes. Absolutely.

This book is anything and almost everything you could possibly want from a single book on the American Civil War, and at 862 pages, it's no wonder.

I have, to be honest, only a passing interest in this conflict. It has never been my strong suit, nor did I really try for it to be. I saw it as silly and a waste of human lives. That it was, but this weighty tome clearly illustrates the reasons, numerous as they were, why we went to war with ourselves. Having only a high sch 5 stars? Yes. Absolutely.

This book is anything and almost everything you could possibly want from a single book on the American Civil War, and at 862 pages, it's no wonder.

I have, to be honest, only a passing interest in this conflict. It has never been my strong suit, nor did I really try for it to be. I saw it as silly and a waste of human lives. That it was, but this weighty tome clearly illustrates the reasons, numerous as they were, why we went to war with ourselves. Having only a high school history level education on the subject, and the idea that, living in NC now, it may behoove me to understand the war that split my native state with my new home so divisively.

The book made clear the otherwise only bold face terms of HS history books, covered the military, economic and political aspects of the war in a way you wouldn't find so comprehensively anywhere else, and best summed up the struggle in the last chapter. This last chapter (of any history of a war) I call "The Numbers." How many were killed. how much money spent. how many rifles made, what percentage per capita one side grew vs. the other. etc. etc.

Many of my friends here, being from the south insist "the South should have won." While their logic is based solely on personal feeling, "Battle Cry of Freedom" shows that the South was almost doomed from the start. While their objective was simpler, their ability to fight any kind of war against such a strong opponent was an uphill battle from the word 'go.' They had fewer men, fewer resources, less ability to gather those resources, and politically, they were flawed and weak and unable to establish their cause abroad, thus lending themselves no legitimacy.

It also settled, for me anyway, WHY the war was fought. It was fought to determine STATE'S RIGHTS, specifically, and generally all at once, the right to own slaves. Yes, Lincoln would have reestablished the Union if it meant keeping slaves, but there would not have been a war without that very issue.

I would definitely recommend this as an introductory read to anyone interested in broadening their knowledge of one of the most important events in American history. ...more

Like · see review

May 15, 2009 DoctorM rated it it was amazing

Shelves: history-favourites, military

I'll make it easy for you: this is the best one-volume history of the American Civil War out there. Full stop. Buy it. Read it.

I've assigned this book to classes,including a grad-level military history course for US Army officers. It gives you the politics and cultural shifts behind the war as well as a masterful account of the war itself.

If you're interested in the American Civil War, you won't do any better than this. ...more

Like · see review