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Posted on Tue, Jun. 25, 2002 |   |
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We need Robert and Ulysses In April 1865, the great Gen. Robert E. Lee had a choice. His army of Northern Virginia - after days of forced march from Richmond in retreat from Ulysses S. Grant's armies - was starving. While still ready to fight, the Confederate general made what was the toughest decision of his military career: he chose to surrender. That single decision is one of the reasons the United States are united today. Lee had options, as explained by Jay Winik in his book, "April 1865." The easiest thing would have been for Lee to tell his men to scatter and become a guerrilla band of nomads, striking Union forces and quickly retreating. That action would have put a lot of pressure on the Union, not the least of which would have been having to garrison most of the South with troops, creating, what Lee thought, would be a long and costly and nasty occupation. Guerilla tactics of a non-traditional war with constant sniping and hit-and-run-attacks could have very well led to eventual southern independence, or, more likely, the destruction of both nations. The people of the South and North would have been in the middle. Non-combatants in a non-traditional war. The mental and physical attrition on both sides would have been so high reconciliation would have been impossible. Lee knew those costs, and even in the face of advice from his most trusted lieutenants, he decided to give up the fight. There are several parallels in history of civil wars, but if there is one that matches the rejoining of sides - a real union - such as what happened between North and South, I've not heard of it. While many Southerners still speak the word "Yankee" with real bitterness and Northerners still regard the South is "Bubbaland," for the most part, the two sides have peacefully coexisted for 137 years. There are some pockets of folks (and I've heard from them recently) who believe the South will rise again, but few people would consider that anything but a fantasy. If you want a picture of what could have happened to our country had not the likes of Gen. Lee, Gen. Grant and President Lincoln set forth a path of reconciliation, you need look no further than the Middle East. You could easily say Israelis and Palestinians are blood brothers, locked in a battle over the same piece of land that holds both heritages. The Israeli army surely has the power to exterminate the Palestinians; however, Israel is a civilized country. And although it is difficult to determine for Palestinians, Israelis in their heart of hearts, they know not every Arab is a suicide bomber who wants to kill and maim innocent people. There seems to be an endless supply of individuals so wrapped up in ideology and religiosity that they gladly give their lives to their god as they detonate - sending their souls straight to Hell. And on the other hand, there is a constant stream of apologies from Israel over Palestinian civilians killed. The last included three children. Violence begets violence, no matter the side. Who's right and who's wrong gets clouded in the latest episodes of retribution and retaliation. Can there be an end to the violence in the Middle East? Only if someone, Arab or Jew, in a position of power and respect has the courage to say, "No more." But where are Gens. Grant and Lee when we need them? Unfortunately, we're stuck with Yasser Arafat and Ariel Sharon. The attacks of a week ago were more than successful in the eyes of the bombers. Not only were Israelis killed, so were the efforts toward peace as President Bush decided to delay his announcement of a plan to form an interim Palestinian state. The attacks also forced Israel to fully occupy Palestinian land, something two generals over 100 years ago knew was a prescription for disaster. We need a special juncture in history, one similar to the Lee/Grant meeting in Appomattox Court House. Unfortunately, there was one ingredient in that meeting that is absent in the Middle East: respect. Charles E. Richardson's columns appear Tuesday and Sunday. He can be reached at crichardson@macontel.com or 744-4342. |
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