We went out to dinner with some friends on Valentine’s Day, and afterward we stopped by their house for drinks. The conversation turned to war(s). I actually borrowed a book titled Churchill, Hitler and the Unnecessary War by Patrick J. Buchanan. I’m looking forward to reading the book — it supposedly makes the case that World Wars I and II and the Holocaust might have been avoided had it not been for the blunders of British statesmen — including Winston Churchill. Depending on what I think of the book, it may be the subject of a future blog…
Anyhow, as I said, the subject of wars came up and in particular the Civil War. We agreed that the popular (mis)conception is that the Civil War was fought over slavery. I’m pretty sure that was the message delivered by my high school history teacher — Miss Brown.
In reality, the goal of the Civil Was was much less nobel than freeing the slaves. The primary things that led to the Civil War were economic issues and slavery was only a small part of these problems. When economic tensions got too hot, the South fought for its independence and the North fought to preserve the Union. The fact is that most Northerners didn’t care about slavery all that much and many, if not most Southerners simply couldn’t afford to own slaves.
Even Lincoln, the “Great Emancipator,” is quoted as saying, “If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that.” So even the reasons behind the emancipation proclamation were more political than moral. Those that believe things like the US went to war with the south over slavery and that we fought in World War II to help stop the Nazis are — in a word — wrong. As we both concluded before we finished our drinks, very few — if any — wars have been fought to help victims of oppression.
—30—