
The American Civil War
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Narrated by:
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Gary W. Gallagher
Between 1861 and 1865, the clash of the greatest armies the Western hemisphere had ever seen turned small towns, little-known streams, and obscure meadows in the American countryside into names we will always remember. In those great battles, those streams ran red with blood - and the United States was truly born.
If you've ever wanted to understand the Civil War, this series of 48 startlingly evocative lectures by a leading Civil War historian can serve as both an ideal single course or a solid starting point for further exploration - a richly detailed examination of how this great conflict affected every person in America. For you'll gain not only a deep knowledge of what happened, but new insights into why.
You'll learn how both sides' armies were recruited, equipped, and trained, and about the hard lot of those they took prisoner. You'll hear how soldiers on each of those sides dealt with the rigors of camp life, campaigns, and the terror of combat. And you'll understand how slaves and their falling masters responded to the advancing war, as well as the desperate price paid by the families so many left behind.
Though this series of lectures goes far beyond a simple examination of battles and generals, it also offers detailed analyses of the strategic and tactical dimensions of the Civil War's most important campaigns. At the same time, it never forgets that the conflict involved far more than pins on a map - and indeed claimed a greater cost in human lives than all other American wars combined.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
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These 48 lectures touch on every conceivable aspect of the war: social, political, military, economic, diplomatic; the circumstances that led up to it and the reverberations afterward, making it a perfect all-round introduction. With one caveat: maps, so essential to following the military side of the story. The 251-page PDF accompanying this series includes but 4 of them, all very general. Not a problem for those who have the geography of the war embedded in their memories, but a hurdle for newcomers to the subject. But fear not. Cartographically, the Internet is always well stocked.
As outlined above, these lectures will also hold the interest of more well-read listeners, as Gallagher weighs in on the controversies and questions familiar to every seasoned amateur student: how good a general was Robert E. Lee? Did the slaves liberate themselves, as some scholars argue? How close did the South really get to foreign recognition? How effective was the Northern blockade? Was there really, as other scholars argue, a gender-based bond between female slaves and female mistresses that overrode their official relationship? What were the factors that lead Grant to order the frontal assaults at Cold Harbor? How many women donned uniforms and fought in the ranks – and why were they overwhelmingly Northern? You can’t help finding the professor’s viewpoints thought-provoking (if you don’t agree) and clarifying (if you do).
Great for Newbies and Seasoned Students
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Great story teller
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A wonderful lecture series by a bonafied expert
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highly recommended
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History at its best!
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Gallagher is the best
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Remarkably comprehensive, richly entertaining
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Civil war still fastinating
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Great intros civil war course!
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Very thorough look at the war.
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