I don't think Lincoln or his administration was powerless and unable to do anything. The choices he made, was doing something. He just made the wrong choices. Lincoln has been portrayed by some "historians" as a political genius, political geniuses find ways of adverting war, not causing them.
I know we will hear from many who will say Lincoln's actions did not cause the war..............Many in his cabinet thought his actions would instigate/provoke a war, and they did.
One thing I will say, Lincoln was in a very difficult situation in the Fort Sumter crisis.
But my old friend, we have argued this old horse to death over the years.................We have woulda's, coulda's. shoulda's, in the end we have what actually happened.............
Respectfully,
William
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