swizzlestick wrote:
Even a casual reading of the historical records shows there were many causes besides the obvious conflict over slavery. I suspect the "Northern Aggression" phrase is intended to focus on the states rights aspect.
I found an essay by James McPherson on why individual soldiers fought a fascinating read.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Civil-War-Why-They-Fought-The-1793303Perhaps you could present those other causes to those of us less enlightened. It would be as surprising to me as it would be to the vice president of the Confederacy, Alexander Stephens:
Quote:
Our new government is founded upon exactly the opposite idea; its foundations are laid, its corner-stone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery subordination to the superior race is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world, based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth.
As for the MacPherson essay, I'm sure that many Axis soldiers in WWII or ISIS soldiers recently had a variety of individual reasons for taking up arms. That does not change the hideousness of the cause that they collectively fought for, and it should not mitigate our revulsion over that cause and rejection of all those who would fight for that cause, whatever their reasoning might be.