...Malcolm DuBose Dr. Paul A. Cimbala Seminar:Civil War Soldiers Essay 3 The extent of political ideology as a motivational factor for soldiers in the American Civil War was so great that it changed the historical narrative of the war for veterans and future southerners. In his semi-biographical book, The Making of a Confederate, Williams L. Barney uses the life of an elite Western North Carolina planter named Walter Lenoir, and his descent into the Lost Cause ideology. Barney presents Lenoir as a comparatively liberal man of the time. Educated at his home states university, prior to the attack on Fort Sumner he planned to move to Minnesota, a fairly young state that was actively recruiting Americans from other states and Europeans to solidify population dominance over the inhabitant native tribes. Barney characterizes the Lost Cause phenomenon as an attachment to the faded glory of a romanticized Confederate past. Using Williams L. Barney as a model of the Confederate soldier, his choice of subject varies from the popular trend of studying the poor southern confederate soldiers and his motivations. Lenoir, an elite southern planter was the quintessential model of who would most benefit from a victorious south. Though southern identity contains it fare share of myriad ambiguities, Barney presents a semi-biographical analysis that precisely dissects the often-proclaimed complexity of the Lost Cause narrative. With intention, Barney shows that the preservation of slavery...
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...For Cause and Comrades A war is a state of open, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried nations, states, or parties. The civil war was not a war between two countries fighting for land or control. The civil was within America, where citizens were dividing in their ideals and motivations. Northern states and the southern states differing ideals lead to fighting which separated them. Every war has its reasons whether it is a good and acceptable reason or a bad reason. People are killed in the heat of battle and the country itself can be damaged because of war; people want a reason for why their fighting. Some wars are inevitable and some are not, it all depends on what they are fighting for. In James M. McPherson’s book “For Cause and Comrades” he discusses the reasons why men fought in the civil war. 1. What are the primary sources used by McPherson to explain the motives of the 3 million soldiers who fought in the Civil war? What are the advantages and drawbacks to this approach? In the book, For Cause & Comrades—Why Men Fought in the Civil war, James M. McPherson uses collected diary entries and letters written by soldiers that were fighting for either the Confederate or Union army as his primary resources for this book. McPherson gives us these primary sources to give us insights into the life of soldiers fighting in the civil war. He explains that the “evidence consists of the personal letters written by soldiers during the war to family members, sweethearts...
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...sites, such as the Angkor Wat, a cultural site linked to the civil war of Khmer Rouge in the 1970’s. Sites like the Angkor Wat have increasingly become popular and well promoted tourist destinations for both domestic and international tourists in Cambodia. Visiting tourism sites associated with war and death has become an increasing phenomenon within the tourism world. Many debates in tourism research and literature have resulted. New literature seems to debate various touristic themes associated with sites like than Angkor Wat. This essay will draw on three of the major themes that have caused been presented within this tourism literature. Firstly, this essay will aim to analyse the Khmer Rouge’s civil war on tourism to Cambodia, and the views and perceptions of visiting sites associated with the regime. Secondly, this essay will introduce the topic of ‘dark tourism sites’, a tourism phenomenon which can be exampled with the Angkor Wat sites. Lastly, this essay will analyse two paradoxical, intertwining issues of heritage site conservation, and tourism development and promotion, and what literature views as being more important. The Cambodian civil war of the Khmer Rouge which took place in the 1970’s has undoubtedly shaped the country’s history, as well as its future. Literature providing history on Cambodia outlines this extensively. Chheang (2008) outlined the decades of Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge genocidal civil war as having mass long- term effects on the country, causing it...
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...The Civil War was a grueling war in history that threatened to tear our country apart. It is arguably one of the most devastating wars because it threatened to sever our nation that had just recently been established. Our country was separated into two opposing sides that had different beliefs and values. At times their ideologies clashed, but in general they had many similar reasons for why they fought for their regions and how they maintained that motivation. James McPherson’s, For Cause and Comrades gives us insight into what goes on in the mind of a Civil War soldier as they prepare to fight, start fighting, and continue to fight. As the reader delves into the psychological reasoning behind why Union and Confederate soldiers fought for the United States of America, the reader discovers that the soldiers definitely had more similar motives than different ones. The beginning chapters of this account by McPherson tell us of the initial motivation of the Civil War soldier to fight. Their initial motivation would be defined as the moment they decided to enlist. McPherson helps us to understand the drive behind these soldiers to fight, sometimes until death, for their country. Two of the driving forces that motivate soldiers to fight were honor and duty (McPherson 5). They were looked upon as honorable if they fought for their country; dying to protect the rights of their country was seen as one of the most righteous ways to die. They also felt a deep connection to their country...
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...If the Southern half of the early United States won the Civil War, slavery would still be part of our society. But thanks to the overpowering Northern half of the U.S., the South had no chance of winning the Civil War and slavery was abolished. To start off, the North was more motivated and passionate about what they were fighting for through and through. The North had President Abraham Lincoln leading them and with his strong leadership skills and power, he was able to lead the North to victory against the South and abolish slavery. If Lincoln decided to lose the war, to back off his troops and allow the South to win, history would be tremendously different than it is now. But because of the power of the people and the determination of Lincoln to win, the North was able to win against the crippling South. The cause of the war escaped the South. They lacked the moral center that the North had. War got serious and they lost their faith in what they were fighting for because it didn’t apply to them directly. It didn’t speak to them and convince them slavery was still worth fighting for....
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...Revolutionary War began (Wordbook, pg 271). Brought on by the struggle for power both sides would suffer immense frustrations and strategy to win the war for independence. Although divided due to their beliefs, the American Revolution was a patriotic podium for our independence. In order for the war to be a successful victory colonist rebellion, important battles, and leadership had to be met in order to strive. The rebellion was key for stating beliefs in a clear way to be heard; important battles show the British that they are strong as a nation, and leadership for guidance and structure. Demanding freedom was their only resort and way out of a dictatorship. Declaring Independence...
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...To what extent is security a necessary precondition for development? Introduction It is put forward that security is not necessarily a precondition for development, but rather, both concepts of security and development are inextricably linked. With neither one being predominant over the other; rather the influence of both oscillate, dependent upon the individual circumstances within the State or region. In essence, what this answer will aim to illustrate, is the extent of this link, the theories which explain it, and whether or not security underpins development. Before we begin however, it would be prudent to first, define the concepts of ‘security’ and ‘development’. From the obvious, national security dimension, to the more human-centred, holistic definitions, finding a simple definition for the concept of security is a complex task, due to the variety of ways in which it can be defined. For the purposes of this essay however, the definition provided by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as security being “the prevention of any threat to individual or national security irrespective of that threat being political or economic in its nature, as such threats would threaten the process of development”[1] would be an appropriate fit, as it incorporates both the traditional State-centric element, and also the more holistic, human security definition.. Traditionally, the definition of development has been one that has been predicated upon a mainly economic...
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...about the men that fought in the Civil War than from journals and letters from the soldiers themselves. For Cause & Comrades: Why Men Fought In The Civil War by James M. McPherson pulled from copious amounts of personal letters and journals to show the history of the thoughts and reasoning behind the war. You are able to get exceptional background why the Northerners and Southerners enlisted in the war, and see how both sides had very diverse reasons why they enlisted, from the sense of manliness to patriotism. During the time of enlistment, there was considerable pressure to enlist. If a man did not enlist, they were thought of lacking manliness and a disgrace to their family. McPherson stated, “The belief of duty,...
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...to 750 female soldiers in the Civil War. “The fact that women were willing to risk injury, illness, maiming and even death to escape the kind of lives that were available to them at the time, tells you something about just how limited their choices were,” said Elizabeth Leonard of Colby College, an american historian specialized in studying american women and the Civil War era (Schulte). Women fighting in the Civil War was baffling to those living during the time period, however, recent historians have argued that women who fought in the Civil War shared the same motivations as males, for love and for economic reasons. Many people would imagine women during the Civil War acted as nurses, and stayed at home to take care of their families while waiting for their husbands to come back. However, this typical gender role does not tell the story of some women during the Civil War. In...
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...TERRORISM AND GLOBALIZATION “Terrorism has rarely been absent from history, and over centuries has appeared in many guises”1. Referring to Walter Laqueur, no state or international system has been exempted from this form of non-state violence. However, the major shifts carried by globalization, that is to say the transformation from a state-centric world to a global system, seem to have perturbed the way violent non-state actors act, claim, interfere, and wage war in the new international system. If we follow the vision of Carpenter, we can talk about a “new world disorder”2 because of the multiplicity of new actors supported by international markets and transnational links. But, should we use the adjective “new” to describe nowadays’ terrorist organizations and attacks? Since 9/11 attacks, world seem to have toggled in major insecurity and fear of those modern organization that can act wherever and whenever they want at any place in the world. Undeniably, terrorists’ forms of violence have evolved by taking advantage of criminal organizations’ and illegal trades’ favourable trends. But this method, more than a political doctrine, represents a non-state use of violence or threat of violence to spread fear and bring political reform or revolution. Therefore, it should be reconsidered with the former violent actors and the disintegration of states. Moreover, the subject comprehension have to be reinforced in order - for great power or American superpower - to prevent those...
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...SIERRA LEONE CIVIL WAR: POWER OF SUCCESSFUL INTERVENTIONS The history of Sierra Leone from 1991 to 2002 is written with continuous suffering of its people. Although many literatures argue that opportunities of economic profit in the diamond mining industry is the motivation of the conflict, long history of poor institutional building with a consequence of malnutrition in Sierra Leone’s capacity in face of political instability also led to the long-lasting of war. The absence and insufficient ability of the civil government prohibited the state’s normal provision of fundamental functions, namely rule of law, security, and economic development. Tensions between the authority and the anti-government armed forces grew at a fast pace, brutal violations of humanity was commonly seen everywhere. Series of military interventions with a goal to restore stability and provide humanitarian aid ended in vain, only brought more destructions to the nation. The conflict in Sierra Leone consists of a complex mixture of key stakeholders, including domestic and neighboring countries’ politicians, local and cross-border militia, mercenary troops, diamond companies, regional and international organizations. The complex interactions between each player contributed to the decade-long civil war in this West African country. Unlike many countries...
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...The cause of the Civil War is complex and no individual reason can be blamed for a gruesome war like this. The Civil War was a devastation to the US and it nearly tore our young country apart. Families were split, hundreds of thousands were killed and cities and towns and homes were destroyed. The ideological and economic differences between the North and the South of Antebellum America were significant motivations towards the Civil War. These differences eventually lead to great tension between the North and the South, and the start of the Civil War. The geographical differences between the North and South Lead to to different ways of life in the two regions. In the South, People were provided with sunny days, long, hot summers, and short,...
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...Civil War Advantages In this short essay I will be talking about the advantages that both the North and the South had during The Civil War. The Civil War was the fight for slavery, the war between the North and the South. The North was trying to abolish slavery, while the South was trying to spread it even more. First we will start off with the advantages of the North, the North outnumbered the South twenty-two million to eight million. They also had more railroad and more factories to make weapons and other stuff that they would need during the war. One reason they had so many more people is because they let blacks fight with them, but occasionally when the blacks got caught they would either be sold or just straight up killed. Here the...
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...Battle of the Contraries: Glory of War or Gory War in De Forest’s Miss Ravenel’s Conversion From Secession to Loyalty According to Jay Martin, John William De Forest presents many “contraries” in the spirit of writing a novel realistic in its portrayal of Americans and American life (Martin 30, 33). Using a central historic theme of the Civil War, the two opposing contraries are romanticism and realism, or “antiromantic[ism]” (Martin 31). De Forest reveals both the Civil War’s antiromantic horrors and romantic strengthening by hardships the soldiers face in Miss Ravenel’s Conversion From Secession to Loyalty. De Forest casts aside traditional romantic tendencies of Civil War literature to focus on the glory of the battle and how brave the soldiers were, unlike another fellow veteran turned writer Samuel Byers (Pettegrew 57). There are more details of the horrific and gruesome aftermath of the war, more scenes of the infirmary and wounded, rather than the battlefield. His sense of duty to tell the truth instead of idealized tales of bravery is almost as strong as his characters’ “profound sense of duty” (323). The reader sees not the men limping heroically, gun and bayonet in hand, bearing wounds as badges of courage, but rather “pools of blood” and piles of severed body parts shorn by blood-drenched surgeons (260). He mentions a “smell of death poisoning the air” and the constant groaning, pain and misery of the wounded (218). This sounds more like a scene from purgatory...
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...The Civil War was not only fought in battlefields, but also in the daily lives of southerners at home. Victoria Ott’s study in Confederate Daughters: Coming of Age in the Civil War examines the unique demographic of young women coming of age during the time of the war. The sources for her study come from young women born between 1843 and 1849 to wealthy secession supporting families in the south. The study is chronologically organized and seeks to understand how the young women’s gender and upbringing tied their generation together and shaped support for the Civil war, even after it ended. The late antebellum is the first period examined, specifically young women’s lives before the war. Education is emphasized as the means by which women...
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