New Understanding of the Civil War

C-SPAN ^ | JUNE 6, 2013 | Thomas Fleming

[Pelham]

Thomas Fleming talked about his book, A Disease in the Public Mind: A New Understanding of Why We Fought the Civil War, in which he portrays the Civil War as a tragedy that American leaders foresaw and struggled to prevent.

He spoke about how public opinion and propaganda helped spark the war, and the longstanding tensions between the North and South. He also discussed events that heightened fear of a slave rebellion in the southern states. The Pritzker Military Library hosted this event.

[Pelham]

Thomas Fleming discussing his excellent book "A Disease In The Public Mind", a new look at why we fought the Civil War

link to the video

[Pelham]

“A Disease in the Public Mind” ping

[Pelham]

“A Disease in the Public Mind” ping

[JohnBrowdie]

published in 2013.

[JohnBrowdie]

I enjoyed his 2015 effort, “the great divide”, where he examines the deteriorating relationship between george washington and the increasingly treacherous thomas jefferson.

warning: if you have bought in to the popular myth surrounding TJ, avoid this book. it will definitely make you angry.

[Honest Nigerian]

Fleming wrote a very excellent book titled Washington’s Secret War. I have truly enjoyed several of his books.
Sort of excited to see what is in the two boks mentioned here.

[youngidiot]

The more one actually learns about Thomas Jefferson the less they’ll like him.

[JohnBrowdie]

indeed. he arguably committed treason as sec’y state under GW and as VP under adams. that’s just for openers.

[LongWayHome]

Yes...the Jefferson troubles with Hamilton & Washington were disheartening.

[Jolla]

Hamilton had issues

[lapsus calami]

 

 

a tragedy that American leaders foresaw and struggled to prevent.

 

That is correct - all you have to do is study the Congressional record of the time. There was a lot of back & forth going on about how best to organize and manage the dissolution of slavery, since it would be a big change to the society and culture of America. There was even discussion about the creation of a sort of social services-type bureau to assist newly freed slaves during the transition. Always found it interesting that no one wants to discuss those aspects of official history.

 

 

[higgmeister]

Well reading that was my “Well Duh!” moment for the week. ,p>There is not much else to say about that.

[Dalberg-Acton]

I agree. It’s a shame Aaron Burr took so long to kill him.

[higgmeister]

So not “A New Understanding.”

[Steve Van Doorn]

Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind has conducted survey research on issues of public importance in the US
https://view2.fdu.edu/publicmind/

[Hieronymus]

I’ve long held that the Louisiana Purchase was the beginning of the end of “Strict Construction,” and so whatever good Jefferson did, the author of the Declaration of Independence ultimately destroyed the brilliancy of Madison. Macon’s Bill number 2 was also idiotic, but that was later.

What was Jefferson up to under Washington that was treacherous?

Three cheers for Patrick Henry.

[Hieronymus]

That is true of most people that one initially thinks of in a very positive way. No man is a hero to his valet.

[Hieronymus]

He may ultimately have led to the downfall of the Republic that he helped to declare, but he had some good qualities.

They were thieves and thugs and smiters; they were better men than you!

(From Chesterton’s The Appeal of the Peers)
https://www.poetrynook.com/poem/appeal-peers

[wardaddy]

I’ll have to get this for me wado and Thomas barksdale

[Kalamata]

>>youngidiot wrote: “The more one actually learns about Thomas Jefferson the less they’ll like him.”

The more I learn about Jefferson, the less I like Hamilton and Marshall. Both did permanent damage to our nation with their “implied powers” treachery against the Constitution.

Mr. Kalamata