Reflections: The Civil War

Why is the Civil War of such importance today? For two reasons. It defined America and it changed the world. Difficult as it is to believe today, our nation almost failed to reach its hundredth anniversary. Indeed, the loyalty of most Americans in 1860 was first to their community, then their state, and finally, their country. Because of slavery, it had been a difficult and tortuous process to weld the original thirteen colonies into a unified republic. Regional issues and loyalties threatened to disrupt the fragile unity of the young republic. And when the long-threatened split occurred, it was like the eruption of a massive volcano.

The pent-up rage and anger unleashed a conflict of historic dimensions that produced remarkable technological innovations and societal changes. The Civil War not only led to the abolition of slavery in the United States, but it also accelerated the emancipation of women, who were needed in factories, hospitals, and other crucial arenas because of the war effort. The Civil War also ushered in the era of modern warfare, pioneering creative and deadly ways of conducting war on land and sea. Civil War innovations in military equipment included repeating rifles, machine guns, iron warships, submarines, and marine explosives. Innovative tactics included using aerial observation for reconnaissance, railroads to move troops and equipment, and the telegraph to speed communication.

In fact, the enormous industrial effort that was required to equip and maintain the victorious armies of the North catapulted the United States onto the world stage as a major industrial power. The Civil War also gave birth to a new form of journalism that provided timely news reports for anxious families both North and South. Finally, it gave rise to a flowering of literature, art, and intellectual freedom in the decades that followed.

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