Any American Civil War Historians out there?
Discussion
My old man is a massive Civil War nut (General Longstreet being his personal 'favourite') and he's spoken at many a Civil War meeting both sides of the water.
In recent years he's started thinking about ways to remember the Brits that fought in the war and has set up a web page: The American Civil War British Memorial Association (with such a memorable name you'll never forget it)
http://www.acwbma.com/ - my lad even gets in a pic for the old man's bio bit
(and yes they waited until the Fulham crowd were all in)
I'm sure he'd love to hear from anyone interested in supporting such a project.
Here's a bit on the beeb about them.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-is...
In recent years he's started thinking about ways to remember the Brits that fought in the war and has set up a web page: The American Civil War British Memorial Association (with such a memorable name you'll never forget it)
http://www.acwbma.com/ - my lad even gets in a pic for the old man's bio bit
(and yes they waited until the Fulham crowd were all in)
I'm sure he'd love to hear from anyone interested in supporting such a project.
Here's a bit on the beeb about them.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-is...
No, the British did not back the South. The northern cotton interests wanted to, but the issue of slavery was too powerful to overcome.
Bear in mind that at this time the Royal Navy was fighting a lonely and difficult war against the international slave trade, a war largely forgotten nowadays. Britain had grown rich on slavery, but had moved on by the 1860s.
There were diplomatic incidents when US warships boarded British merchantmen as part of blockade enforcement, but Britain declined to go to war, and never recognised the CSA as a legitimate State.
Bear in mind that at this time the Royal Navy was fighting a lonely and difficult war against the international slave trade, a war largely forgotten nowadays. Britain had grown rich on slavery, but had moved on by the 1860s.
There were diplomatic incidents when US warships boarded British merchantmen as part of blockade enforcement, but Britain declined to go to war, and never recognised the CSA as a legitimate State.
PS: British commerce helped a bit, although the British state remained neutral or slightly pro US. The US ended up successfully suing the UK for allowing commercial shipyards to build warships for the rebels.
Lots of Brits and Irish fought in the war, serving on both sides. Indeed, Europeans of all kinds fought in the war, as the US was very much in its melting pot stage.
I reckon that James McPherson's 'Battle Cry of Freedom' is probably the best one volume history of the war, and the great Ken Burns TV series is worth getting on DVD.
Lots of Brits and Irish fought in the war, serving on both sides. Indeed, Europeans of all kinds fought in the war, as the US was very much in its melting pot stage.
I reckon that James McPherson's 'Battle Cry of Freedom' is probably the best one volume history of the war, and the great Ken Burns TV series is worth getting on DVD.
If you read just one book about the war, make it the short but wonderful 'Stand Firm, Ye Boys From Maine', available on Amazon. This tells the story of the fight for the slopes of Little Round Top at Gettysburg, and its aftermath in history and in legend.
It is one of the best books that I have ever read about a desperately intense small unit battle within a much larger battle. It is equal, I think, to 'Pegasus Bridge', a great book that tells of the glider borne assault made by the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry, aided by the single greatest feat of flying in all of World War Two, on a key bridge in Normandy on the night before D Day.
It is one of the best books that I have ever read about a desperately intense small unit battle within a much larger battle. It is equal, I think, to 'Pegasus Bridge', a great book that tells of the glider borne assault made by the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry, aided by the single greatest feat of flying in all of World War Two, on a key bridge in Normandy on the night before D Day.
In Britain, people tend not to know much history of anything these days, and our own very important civil war of the C17 is scarcely remembered, even though it made us who we are today.
In the US, some people are still pretty much fighting the civil war, and it is by no means forgotten. It still resonates in politics, as well as in national culture. It remains the single most important thing ever to happen to the US, and cost more lives than all of the other wars that the US has fought.
In the US, some people are still pretty much fighting the civil war, and it is by no means forgotten. It still resonates in politics, as well as in national culture. It remains the single most important thing ever to happen to the US, and cost more lives than all of the other wars that the US has fought.
I've found this on my visits to the US, I've worked in the South a lot and they have definitely not forgotten about it!
I've always been fascinated by Russian and Soviet history, I think growing up with one of my parents coming from the other side of the Iron Curtain gave me a real interest in the subject.
I've always been fascinated by Russian and Soviet history, I think growing up with one of my parents coming from the other side of the Iron Curtain gave me a real interest in the subject.
Breadvan72 said:
Bear in mind that at this time the Royal Navy was fighting a lonely and difficult war against the international slave trade, a war largely forgotten nowadays. Britain had grown rich on slavery, but had moved on by the 1860s.
And we were fighting it from 1808. Google 'HMS Black Joke'.
Breadvan72 said:
Bear in mind that at this time the Royal Navy was fighting a lonely and difficult war against the international slave trade, a war largely forgotten nowadays. Britain had grown rich on slavery, but had moved on by the 1860s.
Please do go away with your uncomfortable truths that seem to send so many hand wringers into melt down!Breadvan72 said:
Orlando Figes is the go to guy on Russian history, I reckon, even if he is a bit of a git in some ways. I take it that you have read Anthony Beevor's epic book "Stalingrad".
I've read 'Stalingrad', fantastic book and a great insight into the horrors and atrocities of that battle. I've got a stack of books to read actually, it's finding the time to sit down for an hour or so at the moment. I'll get caught up at some point.Me too, but that's a good thing, I suppose.
I never thought that I could weep for Nazis until I got to the last page of 'Stalingrad', which I thought as compelling to read as a great novel. The Beevor book on the fall of Berlin is also good, but not as good as 'Stalingrad'. His book on the Spanish Civil War is heartbreaking.
Back to ACW (and cheers to Ossie for the Daisy Dukeage), check this out:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CSS_Alabama
I never thought that I could weep for Nazis until I got to the last page of 'Stalingrad', which I thought as compelling to read as a great novel. The Beevor book on the fall of Berlin is also good, but not as good as 'Stalingrad'. His book on the Spanish Civil War is heartbreaking.
Back to ACW (and cheers to Ossie for the Daisy Dukeage), check this out:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CSS_Alabama
Breadvan72 said:
If you read just one book about the war, make it the short but wonderful 'Stand Firm, Ye Boys From Maine', available on Amazon. This tells the story of the fight for the slopes of Little Round Top at Gettysburg, and its aftermath in history and in legend.
It is one of the best books that I have ever read about a desperately intense small unit battle within a much larger battle. It is equal, I think, to 'Pegasus Bridge', a great book that tells of the glider borne assault made by the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry, aided by the single greatest feat of flying in all of World War Two, on a key bridge in Normandy on the night before D Day.
We're a bit OT with D-Day, but I absolutely agree. I think the leading glider was flown by Sergeant Brown (he's not mentioned on the Wiki page) and he landed IN THE DARK about 47 yards from the bridge with the nose touching the perimeter wire. No "trial runs" available, all done from photo reconnaisance and memory, and a huge amount of skill. Landing by glider was REALLY iffy, and I reckon as many men were killed as survived. I think I'd rather have taken my chances on the beach.It is one of the best books that I have ever read about a desperately intense small unit battle within a much larger battle. It is equal, I think, to 'Pegasus Bridge', a great book that tells of the glider borne assault made by the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry, aided by the single greatest feat of flying in all of World War Two, on a key bridge in Normandy on the night before D Day.
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