I saw posted on another thread a reference to all Civil War historicans worth a s--t believe the Civil War was about slavery. I also saw a comparison of the Confederate flag with nazi symbols. Let me says that by definition a Civil War historian is a writer not a teacher or even a professor. I am a Civil War historican and I know 90 percent of the other Civil War historians on the East Coast. We all agree that the Civil War was in many ways about slavery, but not in the way most people think. About 10 percent of the people living in the North wanted to see slaver abolished (abolitionists) and about 10 percent of Southerners wanted to see it perserved (rich slave owners). The other 90 percent of the people in the North did not favor freeing the slaves because they didn't want a mass immigration of blacks into the North. About 15 years before the Civil War began the Illinois legistature passed a law forbidding blacks from entering their state for any reason. That law was wriiten by none other than Abraham Lincoln. Soldiers on both sides referred to the war as "A rich man's war, a poor man's fight,"
For the 90 percent who were not abolitionist or slave owners the war was primarily about two reasons (both of which were noble). The Northerners fought to perserve the Union and the Southerners fought to repel an invasion. Anyone who takes the time to read the newspaper articles, letters and diaries of that era know this.
As far the naxi symbols, I think you need to study your World War II history a little more carefully. Find out who the Bedford Boys were. Find out who Tom Howie was (he was the soldier Tom Hanks' character in "Saving Private Ryan" was based on and coined the phrase "See you in St. Lo". Find out what regiment took Omaha Beach and saved James Earl Rudder and the 2nd Ranger Battalion. That would be the 116th U. S. Infantry Regiment which was made up entirely of soldiers from the Shenandoah Valley and carried the Confederate Battle Flag into battle with them and referred to themselves as the Stonewall Brigade. The Confederate Battle Flag means different things to different people. For most of them it has nothing to do with slavery or secession.
For the 90 percent who were not abolitionist or slave owners the war was primarily about two reasons (both of which were noble). The Northerners fought to perserve the Union and the Southerners fought to repel an invasion. Anyone who takes the time to read the newspaper articles, letters and diaries of that era know this.
As far the naxi symbols, I think you need to study your World War II history a little more carefully. Find out who the Bedford Boys were. Find out who Tom Howie was (he was the soldier Tom Hanks' character in "Saving Private Ryan" was based on and coined the phrase "See you in St. Lo". Find out what regiment took Omaha Beach and saved James Earl Rudder and the 2nd Ranger Battalion. That would be the 116th U. S. Infantry Regiment which was made up entirely of soldiers from the Shenandoah Valley and carried the Confederate Battle Flag into battle with them and referred to themselves as the Stonewall Brigade. The Confederate Battle Flag means different things to different people. For most of them it has nothing to do with slavery or secession.
