The Most Consequential Elections in History: Abraham Lincoln's Victory in 1864 Led to the End of the Civil War

the 10 causes of the civil war

could you send me a copy of the above article ?

Simple Reality

It is simple. The so called intellectual arguments posted here by the likes of James W. King of GA are thinly veiled diatribes of ignorance and racism. Most historians don't spend a lot of time sympathizing for the losses of the Germans during World War II. Hmm, I wonder why?

Regardless of the endless finer points of the Slave-Master Sympathy, the South was a bankrupt and immoral culture so much so to make Saddam and Gomorrah look like Mayberry. The atrocities of the war were certainly necessary to end the atrocities of the system; much the same as with Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Sympathy of Southern losses more than 140 years later simply shows a disrespect for fact and for the sacrifices necessary to guarantee freedom to all Americans. More so it lays-bare the true motivations of its perpetrators, racism, bigotry and a longing to return to the bankruptcy that was the "Peculiar Institution."

In Germany it is a crime to be a Nazi sympathizer; and for good reason. There are some beliefs so awful that they truly are beyond personal freedom...much say like modern terrorism ideology. Personal beliefs such as racism while despicable, are certainly an individual right. However, there is no right to act upon such beliefs towards others. Southerners who so viciously attack the victory of the Union in securing our freedoms, even if imperfect, strike me as Germans claiming to be the victims of the Holocaust. It's despicable. If you want to be a racist stand up and claim your beliefs. Don't veil them under ideology of a corrupt history.

SUBJUGATION

To Julie of MD -

If you think Karl Marx was the "father of subjugation of people," you are in desperate need of a history lesson. Subjugation, oppression, and general unpleasantness by the powerful toward the weak are as old as humanity, and will no doubt continue to plague mankind in the future.

Also, if you truly believe that the civil war was "about slavery and nothing else," I suggest you pick up one of the thousands of volumes written on the origins of the war. You might discover that what seems simple and straightforward on first glance is actually very complicated once you dig a little deeper.

Karl Marx the Communist

To Aristotle of XX; The war was about slavery and nothing else. The South had said prior to the election of 1860 that if Abraham Lincoln was elected president war would occur because of his views on slavery. That said, when the war started Lincoln's sole purpose was to save the Union; just read his letter to Horace Greeley regarding what he would do to achieve that goal. What is sad is that you believe the words of Karl Marx, the father of subjugation of people.

Karl Marx's comments on cause of War Between the States

''The war is not about slavery; it is a war of economic subjugation by the north against the south''

- Karl Marx, commenting on true cause of the War Between the States as it was going on

Election

McCain does not know anything about the Economy, where Iraq, Iran, Pakistan or Afghanistan are in relation to each other, the different between the Shiites and Sunnis or anything else.

What is Amazing is how anyone can be an Senator for so many years and know so little, about so much!

McCain is too Stupid to be an Senator, too Stupid to be President and too Treasonous to be an American! My Friends.

McCain's Hispanic Outreach person Juan Hernandez was a Cabinet member in Mexico's Vicente Fox's government and VP of the racist hate organization La Raza (The Race) & is openly for Reconquest of the American Southwest!.

Some of his comments.

“We have recognized that the Mexican population is 100 million in Mexico and 23 million who live in the United States…We are a united nation.”

Mexican immigrants “are going to keep one foot in Mexico and are not going to assimilate.”

Mexico's total economic policy is to send their Criminals and Uneducated peons to the US for Tax payers to support as they cost tax payers Billions sucking at the trough of public Welfare & for their free Medical & Schooling, while Killing, Robbing and Raping Americans citizens by the 10,s of thousands, for Businesses to Exploit and Profits from, and Corrupt Politicians to Pander and Cuddle for votes, while ignoring our Constitution against Invasion, the Rule of Law & their Oath of Office!

Apparently McCain agrees with his adviser about the Reconquest of the Southwest and the Colonization of American by the invading horde, or he would get another adviser! McCain is an ex-hero and now American traitor like Benedict Arnold and should be attested, tried for treason, gave a fast but fair trial then an public execution on National TV!

Aaron from WA's comment

It would be nice to be able to read the comments regarding a historical event without somebody trying to turn it, like everything else it seems, into a statement about the upcoming election. It would be even more gratifying if they would be willing to state the truth and not turn everything into a twisted political blog.

Yes senator Obama has many supporters among the nation's military but all polls indicate that if the election were left only to those in uniform Senator McCain would win easily as he is the clear favorite. Also, the only veterans groups who rate Senator Obama ahead of Senator McCain are democratic party organs and of no serious value.

General George McClellen went to his grave believing that everyone on Earth had banded together to lie about him and deny his place in history as the union's true savior. To his last day he said that he knew that he had faced a Confederate army well over twice the size of his own forces. The truth was that he had convinced himself of a lie and then lived it the rest of his life. It would be a pity if Aaron from WA turned out to be no more willing to face the truth.

Lincoln got the troops

But of course Lincoln supported the troops...

Out here in the persian gulf, I am pleasantly surprised how many of my fellow soldiers, sailors, and marines support Obama. But then again, when he has an 80% rating from veterins groups and McCain has a 20%, maybe that is not so surprising.

If the republicans are expecting their usual boost from the absentee ballots, they may be in for a rude awakening.

I'm no Historian, but I have played one on TV...

As ever, there are more than a few interesting commentsobservations in this kind of discussion. What could be wrong with a little racism, war and historical comparison on a muggy summer afternoon?

The main point that I think everyone is missing in all of the back and forth over who is most accurately depicting the historical events and their ramifications of the Civil War -- is that the context of the commentary (ies) by Mr Walsh is that of "consequential presidential elections."

It is a given that nearly every pending presidential election is almost inevitably cast as "the most" momentous or the most critical one of our lives in the the run up to that election. More often than not, this is hyperbole.

It is also a given that nearly all elections that turn out to ACTUALLY be consequential ACTUALLY involve at least a preponderance of the following ACTUAL components: a) war; b) highly polarizing candidatesincumbents; c) extremely controversial domestic or foreign policies; and/or d) vast amounts of public dissatisfaction.

To wit, does anyone even now (not but 12 years later), remember the Snoozapallooza of Clinton-Dole in 1996? ...I venture not.

Conversely, the consequential elections that immediately spring to mind represents a perfect storm of the above components -- i.e., 1800, 1860 (and 1864, which is kind of a two-fer in my opinion), 1932, 1968 and 1980.

To be sure 18604 had all of them.

While there is much to debate about what actually makes for a truly "consequential election" -- there can be little doubt that despite the fact that many of the prescribed components are in play -- the election of 2008 is at best an election of minor consequence.

It is only our partisan hyperventilating about it that makes it seem so.

A meaningly successful outcome in Iraq is really my only issue in this election and of course I believe John McCain is more likely to make that happen. So while I do not want an Obama presidency -- it is also quite likely that events on the ground there in Iraq have created the situation where it may be irrelevant what Mr Obama tries to do if he is elected. What is clear is that had Obama had his druthers in 2007, the US would not now be in the (still delicate and potentially reversible) improved position we are in in Iraq.

Conversely, for all their rhetorical posing, a McCain victory in November will not be the "3rd Coming" of George Bush as the liberal fringe like to portray.

The bottom line is that America will survive the worst fears held for each of their opponents, regardless of who is elected in November.

Nonetheless, I pray it is John McCain over Barack Obama.

TV History Channel--Lincoln and Marx

Karl Marx's "separating the people from their heritage" is just what Lincoln, a dedicated Marxist and best friends with Karl Marx (not many seem to realize this), did to the South.

Some months ago I was surprised to see a "Civil War" program on the TV History Channel get it pretty much right about this whole thing. They even brought out that Lincoln and Karl Marx were very close friends and how Karl Marx gave advice to Lincoln on how to do things. I was so surprised that the Feds allowed it to be aired - most likely because they did not know what was in it ! But it never was repeated as many of their programs are. IF it does re-run sometime, you can bet they will do a lot of forced editing ! THAT program also brought out the part of REAL history no one is aware of - how America was always North and South - two nations and cultures - that it was meant to be that way because our Founders did not want ONE huge nation under a centralized ruling government. The Founders had just escaped a Europe like that and did not want it to happen here. All American Presidents always recognized , respected, and honored the TWO Americas from the very beginning - - until Lincoln was put into power with a fixed election (both times). They took all this in, in that special. It was so refreshing to finally SEE the truth put on public TV ! But I'll bet it will never go on again as it was, without a LOT of 'editing".

Karl Marx in his constant communication with Lincoln (they wrote lots of letters to each other), guided Lincoln in his Marxist New Federal Government (that we are still under). It was Karl Marx that encouraged Lincoln to create a war in order to make the changes needed for his new Socialist Federal Government.