Essay on What They Fought for - 708 Words

What They Fought For 1861 - 1865 This book was a good analysis of Civil War soldiers diaries, and letters to their loved ones. Which explains what they were going through in their lives and what they fought for and risked their lives for in this conflict. In the book the author James M. McPherson uses information from l00s of diaries and letters from the soldiers to learn why they fought in this war. The Union soldiers fought to preserve the Nation that was created in 1776, to save it from destruction. The Confederate soldiers fought for their independence, liberty, self government, and for revenge. James M. McPhersons lectures were given at Louisiana State University called The Walter L. Fleming Lectures in Southern†¦show more content†¦He got most of these letters from the U.S. Military History Institute in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The rest of the letters came from the Huntington Library in San Marino, California, the University of Carolina in Chapel Hill and from Duke University. McPhersons wife w as his assistant and helped him with his research. The author tries to achieve the stated purpose in his book by diligently examining and studying all the letters and diaries in order to recreate and give an accurate and detailed description of the life and times of the people who lived during the civil war. No historical account can be accurate without the authors complete dedication to his work and the subject matter. McPherson is passionate about this subject and ensures that no detail is left out, no stone unturned, in his quest to give an accurate account of the Civil War. If he did not do this, he would not be doing justice to the people who lived through those difficult and trying times. He would be committing historical blasphemy. Some important highlights from the book were the motivated volunteer soldiers who risked there lives in the Civil War both Confederate and Union. Eighty to ninety percent of the fighting soldiers were volunteers. Most of them volunteered i n the first year of the war. During thisShow MoreRelatedWhat They Fought for Essay1331 Words   |  6 PagesWhat they Fought for What they fought for is an analysis of a collection of nearly a thousand personal letters and journals entries written by the soldiers who fought America’s famous Civil War. This book seeks to define the ideology of what the soldiers understood they were fighting for, and their comprehension of the outcome of their service .Although counter arguments agree that most soldiers could not give a solid explanation of why they fought for, nor the real Constitutional issues that wereRead MoreWhat They Fought For By James M. Mcpherson880 Words   |  4 PagesBrother†, it was fought between the Union or the United States of America and the Confederate States of America. The war lasted four years from 1861 to 1865. What motivated these men to fight and what is the cause of the Civil War is a subject that many historians tried to find out. The book â€Å"What They Fought For† by the author James M. McPherson focuses more on the motivation of North and South soldiers in the Civil war than the ultimate cause of it. It concentrates on the reason why and what drove themRead MoreAnalysis Of James Mcpherson s What They Fought For 1861-1865 933 Words   |  4 PagesJames McPherson the author of What They Fought For 1861-1865, thesis states that the soldiers from both the North and South fought for a large extent for ideology, and not exclusively as brothers in war with other soldiers, for principles of strength or courage, and for the nations of honor and duty. McPherson uses hundreds of letters and diaries from soldiers from both the Union and Confederate troops to show their experience. He tries to focus on a variety of attitudes and motives from the volunteerRead MoreWhat Were The Problems Of South Africa Which Mandela Fought For?929 Words   |  4 Pages What were the problems in South Africa which Mandela fought for? Don’t you think that black and white are two separate races that can be in peace as a country? Belonging means to be properly of a particular group. Generally most South Africans are black but there are some people with European or Asian backgrounds and of mixed race. During 1652 the first white colony was set by the Dutch and latter British settlers arrived. In 1815 Britain took over the Dutch colony and South Africa became partRead MoreEssay on Editha by William Dean Howells582 Words   |  3 Pagesdid fight in the war and like so many other young men who went to war, lost his life. Editha was a symbol of what America stood for and what America meant to so many people who could only dream of having the opportunity to live here. George was a symbol of all the young men who fought for this country to make it what it is today. They fought for a country they believed in. They fought for us, and for our freedom. This story shows the greatness on which this country was found ed. Nobody exceptRead MoreAn Analysis of Loyalty and War Essay775 Words   |  4 Pagesthrough. The affects the war had on the people in the war is another reason that makes their cause and how they stuck with it till the end even more honorable. The union fought to preserve a country that their ancestors fought to create and the confederacy seceded and fought to protect their personal rights, the idea the South fought for was to govern themselves and escape the mistreatment they recieved from the North. The Souths loyalty to the North had faded away because they felt they had not beenRead MoreCompare and Contrast Any Two Public Figure1717 Words   |  7 PagesLuther King both influenced history at different time for very similar beliefs. They bought fought for civil rights of African Americans who did not always have the rights they have now. They were once slaves and owned by white people .As slaves they were required to do what they were told. A slave had no rights and was trea ted like a nobody. They were often beaten physically and mentally. Lincoln fought for the freedom of slaves and even went to war for this belief. Once the African Americans wereRead MoreThe Battle Of The American Civil War905 Words   |  4 PagesRevolution, and has many of the same characteristics of a revolution. In both wars, the American people fought for what they believed in and the way of life that they wished to live. However, the two wars differ from each other, as the soldiers that fought in the Civil War fought a new American Revolution that could have split the new world. The Confederate soldiers in the Civil War fought to keep their way of life without having to follow the laws of a strong developing federal government. UnlikeRead MoreMinerva Mirabal: A True Hero Essay621 Words   |  3 Pagesthe people who have been misjudged and looked down upon.Minerva died a heroine and remains one today. 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