Lincoln, the War President: The Gettysburg LecturesG. S. Boritt "Americans interested in history need to make the pilgrimage to Gettysburg," writes Gabor Boritt in the Acknowledgments. In this book seven historians make that journey, five of them Pulitzer laureates, looking for Lincoln. Kenneth Stampp explores the issue of national self-determination, comparing the South's struggle for independence to others in history (including the post-Soviets in eastern Europe). Arthur Schlessinger, Jr. offers a provocative comparison of how Lincoln and our other outstanding war president, FDR, went beyond the limits of the Constitution--and why. David Brion Davis focuses on the moment of emancipation. Boritt traces Lincoln's transition from a strident war opponent as a young man to resolute war leader as president. Carl Degler compares the American attempt at national unification with the unifications of Italy, Germany, and other nations. Robert Bruce contrasts premonitions of civil war with Lincoln's reluctance to accept war as a possibility. And James McPherson establishes once and for all the war president's brilliance as a national strategist. These outstanding essays--all but one published here for the first time--offer a new understanding of a revolutionary epoch in American history, and of the role of the leader who helped transform the nation forever. |
Contents
Lincoln and the Strategy of Unconditional Surrender | 29 |
The United States | 89 |
One Alone? The United States | 121 |
Copyright | |
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abolitionists Abraham Lincoln action American Civil American Civil War army authority Basler battle Bismarck blood Boritt British Bruce cantons Collected coln coln's compromise Confederacy Confederate conflict Congress congressional Constitution crisis Democrats disunion Emancipation Proclamation emergency prerogative enemy executive fear federal Federalist fight force freedmen freedom German Gettysburg Gettysburg Address Gettysburg College Henry Clay historians hope Ibid Illinois issue Jackson James Jefferson Davis John John Quincy Adams later leaders liberal liberty manumission McClellan McPherson ment Mexican military strategy moral national strategy nationhood North Northern nullification nullification crisis peace political Potter President presidential rebel rebellion republic Republicans Revolution Robert Roosevelt secede secession self-determination Senate shadow Sherman slaveholders slavery slaves soldiers Sonderbund Southern Southern nationalism Stampp Stephen struggle Sumter territory threat tion tional unconditional surrender unification Union Union army Unionists United victory violence vols Washington Whig William World wrote York