[Thrusher]

I'm saving my energy for the big one. William T. Sherman's birthday is on February 8th.

As much as it pains me, a die-hard southerner, to say this... I do wish ol' General Sherman were around today. I have a feeling that the Middle East would be a whole different place right now if they'd him run the WOT.

[RayStacy]

That's the problem with the POS -- he could hardly treat the islamic head cutters worse than the defenseless women of GA.

[Moose4]

There's a place and a time for a Lee, and a place and a time for a Sherman. Say what you will about Bill The Arsonist, he did what he said he was going to do, and he won.

Honestly, I don't know if scorched-earth is the best policy in the WOT. In some places, yeah, but not everywhere. We're doing OK in a lot of Iraq by winning over the population.

}:-)4

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

I am a Southerner and was taught early as a child that Sherman was evil, not quite on Hitler or Stalin's level, but close. In Georgia, his name was generally spoken as a curse.
I love history and because I received a heavy dose of the history of the War Between the States in my youth, I found it more interesting to study European and Ancient History in college and later in life. Still, the history of that awful war still resonates in modern times.
We have gone from treating my Southern ancestors that fought for the CSA as heroes to misguided bigoted slave holders. Yes, my ancestors had slaves. I am told from my Grandparents, parents and Aunt that our ancestors worked in the fields alongside the slaves.

Back to the issue. William T. Sherman changed history, because his tactics included destroying the economic base of the keystone state of the South (Georgia). In fact, his troops destroyed my Mother's family plantation. From an objective view, Sherman anticipated the future of warfare. I agree that we could use some tougher tactics than have been the case. However, in a counterinsurgency operation, destroying the enemy is hard until you figure out just who the enemy really is.
Lee and Sherman, in their own way were both true American heroes.

[Shadowstrike]

Actually you should be wishing that Gen. Lee was still around today. A true gentleman to be sure, he was also one of the most brilliant tacticians in the world. Many of his military maneuvers were taught in the most noble institutions in this country. Sherman, for all his own brilliance, was awed by Lee.

And yes, here in 'Bama we had a big celebration for General Lees' birthday - we just did it on Martin Luther King Jr. Day :)

[SWEETSUNNYSOUTH]

There sure wouldn't be anything left worth keeping.

[RobbyS]

Amen. We in Texas have another view of Sherman. He was the one who finally broke the Comanche hold on the Panhandle and west Texas. And he was no arm chair general. He took part in a face-off with two chiefs who had escaped from the reservation. In was a trap in which Sherman was the bait. His original name was Tecumseh, and he and that notable had much the same spirit.