Ironically, even thugh Grant is often called a "butcher" and Lee a gentleman soldier, no army commander, North or South, suffered a higher percentage of casualties than Robert E. Lee. Grant did what he had to do to win a war that was a modern incarnation of a new industrial age. He understood that brute force would wear Lee down to the nub. His genious was seeing Lee's army, not Richmond, as the target. He did in eleven months what four other Union generals could not do...whip Bobby Lee.
So what the fuck is this naraator saying, that Grant was not effective? That he did not do what it took to end the war? What would the narrator have done differently? Grant was only the last in a series of Union generals to lead this army, and yes - under his leadership - more men died than under say - McClellan. Grant did to the South what had to be done. He and Sherman broke the south's back and it's will to fight. War sucks. You hate to fight them, but when you do - fight to win.
@xyPERSON How can you say that nothing was gained? The abolition of slavery was a monumental success in American history despite the fact many lives were lost in the Civil War.
Thats my Great x10 Grand Dad.. heres our similarities and diffrences
Similarities
1) Love Beer
2)White
3) Last Name Grant
Diffrences
1) Im RedNeck
2) Im From The South
3) Im NEVER Gunna Join The Military
4) Im Not A Disgrace to the Grant Family so im sorry Great x10 grandpa, but Becoming a General and Becoming Presidents wont Stop What You Did To Our Family's Home Land aka The South.
Such a beautiful photograph, and yes, he is looking away from the camera- he wasn't arrogant, but had a sense of an awareness of what needed to be done to end this war. He captured the dogged weariness of war, but instilled the purpose of fighting that was his duty and much needed for his men. When I am down and feal defeat at my doorstep, I look on my fridge where a copy of this photo hangs. I immediately am charged with hope. 'A dust covered man on a dust covered horse'.
(cont) Wait, defend me? I'm a Southern man. And glad they lost they're bad cause. I wonder how the Europeans would have replanted their tentacles on our continent. A world war on American soil?? U.S. vs. C.S. for decades over the rich resources of the West... real bad scene brother!
The fruits of the Union victory were a reunited America and the end of slavery. A United America provided the industrial might to defeat Nazi Germany and militarist Japan and also to outlast the dictatorial Soviet Union. Grant had the will to defeat the South, but the narrator is right, it was a terrible cost. It would be better if wars were never fought, but it is even worse to let evil triumph. We must be eternally grateful to those who died so that we might live free.
@trajan75 WOrld history woul dhave been so different that it is simply impossible to know what future wars would have taken place or how things would have unfolded. Giving credit to the Union victory Grant largely helped achieve for the defeat of the Soviet Union and the Nazis is absurd.
@S2Cents I wouldn't say it's absurd. Although I'm not a fan of alternate history I think it's reasonable to project that a weakened America would have been the result of a Confederate victory and that would not have been a good thing. As the son of an immigrant and a one time soldier I place a significant value on the Union "now and forever one and inseparable". I can't see what good could have come from a Confederate victory even in the South itself.
@trajan75 I enjoy speculating about alternate history myself but I'm not interested in promoting speculation as if it were fact. Fact is, the United States has done a lot of harm too. But there sure is hell is no point in getting into that with somebody who believes in a shinning city on top of hill that is the ultimate triumph of history and that will last "forever".
I don't see a Confederate victory as being a very good thing at all. World history would have been much different.
@S2Cents Its a quote from Daniel Webster dummy. I'm well aware of this country's faults. But the Union victory ended one fault- slavery. A pity that after Reconstriction wasn't carried through to it's conclusion.
@trajan75 Why 'd you think I didn't know that. A pity war is believed the only way the United States could end chattel slavery while European powers did it peacefully. Also Reconstruction failed like you say.
@S2Cents I thought you didn't know it because of your response. Webster's quote in full is "LIberty and Union. Now and forever. One and inseparable" He's not saying that the Union will last forever but that Union and Liberty are forever linked. And before you start bragging about Europe you might consider the Holocaust, the Soviet Gulag etc. and you might express some gratitude that it was America that rose up to defend you from the twin evils of the Nazi and Bolshevik states.
@trajan75 See where you're coming from with the quote, but the Europe remark is silly. Screw Europe. Those people have been among the most wicked and violent and surely dangerous in all of human history. And America is a direct off-shoot. So why would think I'd "brag" about them? If anything I'd think the fact they could rid themselves of chattel slavery makes the fact that we didn't even worse when considering what crazy, violent monsters they've been to the world.
I love your interpretation of this portrait and Grant himself (the last parts especially). I agree completely with your thoughts on Modern Warfare; it's maddening what lengths politicians will go to prove a point.
indeed - "completely mad" is a touch hyperbolic wouldn't you say. If anything, modern warfare is calculated and systematic - with specific political and ideological goals. I think the CW falls into this category - for both sides.
Ironically, even thugh Grant is often called a "butcher" and Lee a gentleman soldier, no army commander, North or South, suffered a higher percentage of casualties than Robert E. Lee. Grant did what he had to do to win a war that was a modern incarnation of a new industrial age. He understood that brute force would wear Lee down to the nub. His genious was seeing Lee's army, not Richmond, as the target. He did in eleven months what four other Union generals could not do...whip Bobby Lee.
Shafeone 1 week ago
So what the fuck is this naraator saying, that Grant was not effective? That he did not do what it took to end the war? What would the narrator have done differently? Grant was only the last in a series of Union generals to lead this army, and yes - under his leadership - more men died than under say - McClellan. Grant did to the South what had to be done. He and Sherman broke the south's back and it's will to fight. War sucks. You hate to fight them, but when you do - fight to win.
vinnycriss 3 months ago
My last name is grant.
MrBrooksGrant 3 months ago
The Civil War was much like Vietnam... too many lives lost and nothing gained!
xyPERSON 3 months ago 2
@xyPERSON How can you say that nothing was gained? The abolition of slavery was a monumental success in American history despite the fact many lives were lost in the Civil War.
kingman4889 2 months ago
Hand on the hip, that was just an early sorority pose. Like, duh.
DaMerman58 4 months ago
War & Peace...
BahamutElDiablo 4 months ago
Thats my Great x10 Grand Dad.. heres our similarities and diffrences
Similarities
1) Love Beer
2)White
3) Last Name Grant
Diffrences
1) Im RedNeck
2) Im From The South
3) Im NEVER Gunna Join The Military
4) Im Not A Disgrace to the Grant Family so im sorry Great x10 grandpa, but Becoming a General and Becoming Presidents wont Stop What You Did To Our Family's Home Land aka The South.
InsaneDrugs 6 months ago
@InsaneDrugs
so much for family
DMJENI1 5 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
thats my great great great great great grand dad..
InsaneDrugs 7 months ago
Such a beautiful photograph, and yes, he is looking away from the camera- he wasn't arrogant, but had a sense of an awareness of what needed to be done to end this war. He captured the dogged weariness of war, but instilled the purpose of fighting that was his duty and much needed for his men. When I am down and feal defeat at my doorstep, I look on my fridge where a copy of this photo hangs. I immediately am charged with hope. 'A dust covered man on a dust covered horse'.
countryhoney28 7 months ago
(cont) Wait, defend me? I'm a Southern man. And glad they lost they're bad cause. I wonder how the Europeans would have replanted their tentacles on our continent. A world war on American soil?? U.S. vs. C.S. for decades over the rich resources of the West... real bad scene brother!
S2Cents 8 months ago
The fruits of the Union victory were a reunited America and the end of slavery. A United America provided the industrial might to defeat Nazi Germany and militarist Japan and also to outlast the dictatorial Soviet Union. Grant had the will to defeat the South, but the narrator is right, it was a terrible cost. It would be better if wars were never fought, but it is even worse to let evil triumph. We must be eternally grateful to those who died so that we might live free.
trajan75 8 months ago
@trajan75 WOrld history woul dhave been so different that it is simply impossible to know what future wars would have taken place or how things would have unfolded. Giving credit to the Union victory Grant largely helped achieve for the defeat of the Soviet Union and the Nazis is absurd.
S2Cents 8 months ago
@S2Cents I wouldn't say it's absurd. Although I'm not a fan of alternate history I think it's reasonable to project that a weakened America would have been the result of a Confederate victory and that would not have been a good thing. As the son of an immigrant and a one time soldier I place a significant value on the Union "now and forever one and inseparable". I can't see what good could have come from a Confederate victory even in the South itself.
trajan75 8 months ago
@trajan75 I enjoy speculating about alternate history myself but I'm not interested in promoting speculation as if it were fact. Fact is, the United States has done a lot of harm too. But there sure is hell is no point in getting into that with somebody who believes in a shinning city on top of hill that is the ultimate triumph of history and that will last "forever".
I don't see a Confederate victory as being a very good thing at all. World history would have been much different.
S2Cents 8 months ago
@S2Cents Its a quote from Daniel Webster dummy. I'm well aware of this country's faults. But the Union victory ended one fault- slavery. A pity that after Reconstriction wasn't carried through to it's conclusion.
trajan75 8 months ago
@trajan75 Why 'd you think I didn't know that. A pity war is believed the only way the United States could end chattel slavery while European powers did it peacefully. Also Reconstruction failed like you say.
S2Cents 8 months ago
@S2Cents I thought you didn't know it because of your response. Webster's quote in full is "LIberty and Union. Now and forever. One and inseparable" He's not saying that the Union will last forever but that Union and Liberty are forever linked. And before you start bragging about Europe you might consider the Holocaust, the Soviet Gulag etc. and you might express some gratitude that it was America that rose up to defend you from the twin evils of the Nazi and Bolshevik states.
trajan75 8 months ago
@trajan75 See where you're coming from with the quote, but the Europe remark is silly. Screw Europe. Those people have been among the most wicked and violent and surely dangerous in all of human history. And America is a direct off-shoot. So why would think I'd "brag" about them? If anything I'd think the fact they could rid themselves of chattel slavery makes the fact that we didn't even worse when considering what crazy, violent monsters they've been to the world.
S2Cents 8 months ago
LOL.
I love your interpretation of this portrait and Grant himself (the last parts especially). I agree completely with your thoughts on Modern Warfare; it's maddening what lengths politicians will go to prove a point.
leyashir 11 months ago
indeed - "completely mad" is a touch hyperbolic wouldn't you say. If anything, modern warfare is calculated and systematic - with specific political and ideological goals. I think the CW falls into this category - for both sides.
mkeithharris 1 year ago
I think you might be reading a tad bit too much in to this one photo, bro.
mkeithharris 1 year ago