[MountainWalker]

BroJoeK: "Of course it was about protecting the Union from Confederates' aggressive actions to destroy it. But protecting slavery (Confederates) and freedom for slaves (Unionists) were never far from the top of the list of reasons for war."

My point (which was your point before you forgot) stands. The war was principally to hold the union together. Even if reason #2 were a over a cause less noble than abolition, the war would have still happened.

[BroJoeK]

MountainWalker: "My point (which was your point before you forgot) stands.
The war was principally to hold the union together. "

Pro-Confederates often try to minimize slavery's centrality to secession & Civil War.
Well... minimize all you wish, but slavery was at least number two reason and in some contexts, number one.