"There is more involved in this contest than is realized by every one. There is involved in this struggle the question whether your children and my children shall enjoy the privileges we have enjoyed."
"If I were to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop might as well be closed for any other business. I do the very best I know how - the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what's said against me won't amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference."
In the American Civil War, lasting from 1838 to 1865, there were 620,000 casualities. Of those, one-third were from battle and two-thirds from disease. At the Battle of Antietam a total of 23,000 men were killed. It was the single bloodiest day in American history.
Throughout the Civil War, Lincoln was bitterly criticized by the press and citizenry on both sides. He agonized about every aspect of the war's (at times bumbling, inept) prosecution, but never the rightness the Union's cause: which was first to save the Union and second to end slavery.
Today, in the War on Terror, I wonder: What would Lincoln do? WWLD?
Where would our country be, if he had lost his nerve and ended the war prematurely?
1 comment:
Webutante !! Great post here. I'm a serious history buff and this is truly one parallel I had not heard yet but that makes a great point (just as good as the WWII parallel). Love your bio too !!
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