Why the North Won the Civil WarDavid Herbert Donald Simon and Schuster, 1996 M11 5 - 127 pages In this classic exploration of the Confederacy’s defeat in the Civil War, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner David Herbert Donald and author of Lincoln assembles insightful and probing essays from six of America’s most distinguished historians. Focusing on the political, military, economic, social, and diplomatic reasons behind the Union victory, this collection presents the most complete picture of this key aspect of Civil War studies. In an essay new to this edition, Henry Steele Commager offers a historiographical overview of the collapse of the Confederacy. Richard N. Current describes the economic superiority of the North and shows how the civilian resources of the South were dissipated during the war. T. Harry Williams examines the deficiencies of the Southern military strategy and leadership. Norman A. Graebner discusses the reluctance of France and England to aid the South. David Herbert Donald, in his own essay, reports that excessive Southern emphasis on individual freedom fatally undermined military discipline. And David M. Potter suggests that a lack of political leadership in the South resulted in gross incompetence. And exclusively for this edition, the editor has written a new foreword and completely updated the bibliography to create the most comprehensive and enlightening guide to understanding why the North won the Civil War. |
Contents
Foreword | 7 |
God and the Strongest Battalions | 21 |
The Military Leadership of North and South | 38 |
Northern Diplomacy and European Neutrality | 58 |
Died of Democracy | 81 |
For Further Reading | 115 |
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Adams administration advantage affairs American Civil American Civil War B. H. Liddell Hart Baton Rouge battle Beauregard blockade British Cabinet campaign cause Charles Charles Francis Adams civilians command Confederacy Confederate government Congress critics David Herbert Donald decisive declared defeat defense democracy democratic diplomacy diplomatic doctrine economic election enemy England Europe Europe's European fact failed failure favor Federal fighting force foreign French Grant Halleck Harry Williams historians Hooker interests interior lines intervention J. F. C. Fuller Jefferson Davis Johnston Jomini Jominian Kean King Cotton lack leadership Lee's Lincoln London Lord Russell Marshal Saxe McClellan mediation Memminger Mercier military Minister morale Napoleon nation never North Northern victory objectives officers Palmerston perhaps political Pollard President principle question railroad recognition result Richmond Secretary Seward Sherman South Southern independence Southern soldiers Stephens strategy success thought tion tradition Union armies United Vicksburg vols wrote York