Reconstruction would not have turned out as it did had Lincoln survived for the simple reason that the Radicals would have been unable to outmaneuver Lincoln.
Nobody EVER outmaneuvered Lincoln, probably the most effective pure politician in US history. Johnson, OTOH, was perhaps the worst. He alienated even people who really, really wanted to support him.
Nobody EVER outmaneuvered Lincoln, probably the most effective pure politician in US history. Johnson, OTOH, was perhaps the worst. He alienated even people who really, really wanted to support him.
I agree with you. Lincoln was exceedingly shrewd. This is why I find it credible that he correctly manipulated the Confederates into starting the war. All they had to do was sit on their hands, and the Secession would have become a fait accompli. The only thing which could have changed the dynamic was if they gave the Union an excuse to wage war.
Que Abraham Lincoln and his brilliant ploy to get them to attack. I don't know if he played them like a fiddle, but it is not an unreasonable conjecture from what I've seen. One of my oldest Friends who is Black, and a History Major, thoroughly believes that Lincoln engineered the start of the Civil war by his ability to read and predict people.
Yes, Lincoln was quite the clever fellow.
I wholeheartedly agree.Lincolns’ assassination was the worst possible thing that could have happened at that period in time.IMHO.