Aftermath

[unionblue]

Dawna,

I too, am filled with envy as I would like to visit the Mother Country one day, in spite of Bill's attack's on American food icons!

England is a country that has always had my respect and admiration, for her history, her culture and her brave people. I would love to tour the countryside one day.

Shane, as for the central theme of this thread, I know that after Lincoln was murdered there was a huge outcry for revenge against Confederate leaders and I feel part of that outcry was directed against the Andersonville commandant, Wirz, with little or no justification. Thank God this outcry seemed to die out quickly and the blood stopped flowing, for if it had not, this country would have been the scene of bitter sectional and guerrilla warfare for decades to come. Talk about your bitter feelings!

This country was fortunate in having men in place that brought about the peace with terms that everyone could live with. Men like Grant, Lee, Breckingridge and Sherman. Without those men staying true to their words and agreements, it would have been pure hell for this nation after the war.

Unionblue

[bill_torrens]

Dawna,

I hope you have a great time here in Blighty over the Christmas period. But don’t expect any snow: it hardly ever falls in December. Leicester isn’t the prettiest place in the world. But you should get some great Indian food since it has a large Asian population.

I’ve spent just a couple of days in Canada. I popped over the border whilst touring the States on the Greyhounds back in 1978. Went to Quebec City and toured the Plains of Abraham etc. Most of the visitors to the museum for the battle were Quebecois and they seemed to regard the British victory as a major bummer. And I remember I couldn’t get served in a café unless I spoke French. The trouble is I can hardly understand Canadian French…the accent is impenetrable if you are used to the French they speak in France.

Back to this thread, modern history teaches us that brutality tends to be counter-productive. The Germans blitzed Britain’s cities and public morale stood it well; the Allies bombed the German cities and their morale didn’t break either. Far from it. And executions just create political martyrs. I doubt very much whether the U.S.A. would be one country today if the mass hangings had taken place.

Bill

[5fish]

Originally Posted by johan_steele

What if the victorious Union had taken every CS politician, general officer and hanged them after Wars end. What if every plantation owner had his land confiscated and divide up among their former slaves. Would this have been more in line w/ the European way of dealing w/ unsuccessful rebels?

Would this have created a weaker US than we have now or a stronger less fractioned one?

Just asking for some thought... "What if" the reconstruction had been much harsher?

I think Reconstruction should have been harder on the x-confederates leadership then what played out. The union should have put the leadership of the Confederacy on trail if not hung them at least throw them in prison for a few years. I am talking Davis, Stephans, Lee, Bragg, and the others who sent our nation down a path that cost tens of thousands of lives.

Their lands along with the plantation lands should have been broken up and given to the slaves that worked the land there anyways. It could be call it "payment for lost wages" or if the plantation owner could pay back wages to his X-slaves then he keeps his land.

There should have been some justice before the healing started.

I believe they should have gone as far as crave out a new state from the old Confederacy and the population made up of freedmen and ladies...that would have been justice...

[Vareb]

Originally Posted by 5fish

I think Reconstruction should have been harder on the x-confederates leadership then what played out. The union should have put the leadership of the Confederacy on trail if not hung them at least throw them in prison for a few years. I am talking Davis, Stephans, Lee, Bragg, and the others who sent our nation down a path that cost tens of thousands of lives.

Their lands along with the plantation lands should have been broken up and given to the slaves that worked the land there anyways. It could be call it "payment for lost wages" or if the plantation owner could pay back wages to his X-slaves then he keeps his land.

There should have been some justice before the healing started.

I believe they should have gone as far as crave out a new state from the old Confederacy and the population made up of freedmen and ladies...that would have been justice...

That would have been Communism.

[5fish]

Originally Posted by Vareb

That would have been Communism.

NO! it would have been justice with the Southern Oligarchy being justly punished for throwing our nation into war to save their precess institution of slavery.