Without
a doubt, the American Civil War was an incredible testimony to how readily
subcategorized parties within a system can violently divide into a murder spree
of desolation. Both parties held some sort of a righteous claim to justify the
political agenda at hand. The Union used its claim of freedom and the abolition
of old Victorian traditions to fuel its charisma in war. The Confederacy
claimed individual State rights and outright democracy to fuel its fight. Both
sides used additional propaganda tactics in their battle. To the Union, America
was the land where, “no man has to bow”, however the entire time, persecutions
of races, genders, mindsets, and social classes were supported by the very same
members of the Union, e.g. Ulysses S Grant calling the invented Gatling Gun
inhumane, and then authorizing its use against Native American settlements. The
Confederacy was no better, and was adopting tradition of classical European
mindsets into its culture, which could have posed a threat to the idealized way
of existence as it had been. Both sides were corrupt deceivers, utilizing an
exaggerated ideal to propel themselves into a politically charged, ethically
shrouded internal conflict.
Gettysburg itself was an abhorrent
battle, as is common knowledge. With a casualty report of an estimated 46,000
dead, wounded, and missing soldiers, this battle was incredibly intense with a
death toll nearing 8,000. The thought of this is antagonizing, many times
because Americans think themselves superior to such degrading violence and conflict.
Yet, the inhabitants of this country are no better than any other nationality’s
inhabitant. In a land where the citizens fist fight over the maple syrup at
IHOP and jealous girlfriends brutalize transsexual bystanders in McDonalds for
looking at their boyfriends, it is rather ironic how America’s air of
superiority is so thick that it darkens the whole world’s skies, primarily with
Drone Strike missiles. No, Americans are nothing like those heathens who murder
children and innocent judgmental extraditing Israelites. America would never
kill indiscriminately, or utilize terrorism in its defense campaign to protect
its values. Is that what an impending nuclear arsenal, overwhelming military
power, and conglomeration of loophole-filled documents granting the government
the shady right to take out any target it deems beneficial is? No, of course
not; a ragtag band of religious fanatics fueling a hatred and discrimination of
people in violation of their religious code of morality, that is the real root
of terrorism. No! Not the 700 Club! They don’t fly airplanes into buildings,
but they do support mindsets and ideals which are equally guilty in the hands
of the deaths and oppression people globally. Realistically, this is true for
every organization involved in large scale politics. Every side has its
benefits and faults, and all carry at least one false banner of support to mask
the deformed corruption beneath. This is the same for the Union and
Confederacy. Humans have not developed, only altered.
On a much lighter note, Shaara’s
writing style is incredibly insightful, as based upon his extensive research,
Shaara has adapted the apparent thoughts of the generals into a form of
relatable literature, while at the same time taking extreme liberty of
releasing some rather incriminating, dark thoughts of the generals, insinuating
a level of deep thought which is usually lost to analysis of historical figures.
They too are people, they too feel incredible pain, they too are uncertain of
what to do, and make mistakes just like we do based upon cultural bias, persona
faults, and erroneous decisions in rash panic. This aspect is usually lost or
forgotten during historical analysis, and Shaara offers a novel which caters to
this disregarded component.
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