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Civil War:  Blood on the Battlefields, an American History Channel series first aired in June of 2015 is replayed.  There have been many studies done on the Civil War and many people, still today, that spend a lot of time researching that horrible war among our own citizens.  

One of the starkest things that stand out in considering the Civil War and the battles fought in that war, is the horrible bloody carnage that most every soldier witnessed or suffered.  In every war, even the modern ones, soldiers come to a stark awareness of horrendous injuries to their fellow friends and soldiers.  Hospitals were scenes of unfiltered carnage that was laid out for all to see and witness where limbs were amputated, many times without any sedation or pain-killing medicines.  As time has progressed war continues to be horrible and uncivil but thankfully field medicine and changes in the way people are treated save much more but still grievous injuries happen.

My thought though, for this post/topic would we be as strong as our past relatives and ancestors who witnessed first hand these atrocities and horrors of battle.  I've never been in the military and while I have mixed emotions about that fact, I don't know how I would feel about seeing someone laying out holding their intestines in their hands as their life slips away.  I don't know which was the most uncivil war, the most horrendous injurious war as all wars have their measures of carnage and horrors but today I wonder just how many Americans and citizens ever care to appreciate the sacrifices and experiences that those who did volunteer and were drafted and went into battles to secure, keep, and maintain our freedoms.  

I also think about those that, today, blindly at times, protest against a whole group of people, a whole race of people, blaming all for past deeds and errors yet in doing so fail to appreciate and recognize that many of that same race died and sacrificed and endured horrors totally unappreciated, in order to make sure that all people are and were able to be free.  To me, when we fail to teach our history, even the unkind and ugly history, we create a situation where people lose sight of sacrifices that people made and we potentially doom ourselves to repeat many of histories mistakes and errors.  

One more aspect of the Civil War brought out so vividly in the Civil War series, is I cannot envision or comprehend the feelings that soldiers must have felt as they stood face to face with their enemies firing point blank into each other's faces and then running headlong into each other with bayonets fixed because they were so close they had no time to reload.  Here you had people, brothers, family members, and people that could be lifelong friends facing off against each other, killing each other, over alliances that often were determined by where you called home rather than a specific belief or subject.  I just don't think people can appreciate or understand what people that actually fought in those battles faced and endured over those horrible years.  We are truly spoiled today with our luxuries to the point that we don't think a bit about pulling down statues erected to those who did things that I doubt we could ever do today.  It's not a statement that what they fought for was right, or wrong but it's understanding what a generation endured and experienced and appreciating the magnitude of that rather than the political implications of the war.  

Be as the Bereans ( Acts 17:11 )

Last edited by gbrk
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 I have often had the same thought. My great great  grandfather joined(by force) the confederate army at the age of 40 years old and fought in the infantry, marching everywhere he went.

 I have often thought that when I was 40 years old, there was no way I could go fight as an infantryman.

The Civil war was brutal because of the rifle and repeater arms. The wars fought before that was hand on hand fighting and that had to be hard to do as compared to how we fight today.

The most god awful conflict today are opposing football fans.

But I didn't include the unjust, criminal and socialist combat
forces against the local law enforcement which plays out to
capital murder by way of illegals and those that shouldn't be
Americans.
 
Never has our country witnessed this type of malicious and
treasonous violence from within the Country itself.
 
Mexico has declared war on America and we haven't answered
in full to that threat.
Kraven posted:

The most god awful conflict today are opposing football fans.

But I didn't include the unjust, criminal and socialist combat
forces against the local law enforcement which plays out to
capital murder by way of illegals and those that shouldn't be
Americans.
 
Never has our country witnessed this type of malicious and
treasonous violence from within the Country itself.
 
Mexico has declared war on America and we haven't answered
in full to that threat.

A lot of people don't realize that many in Mexico actually believe that the United States illegally took much of the Southwest from Mexico and that some states like Arizona and California and Nevada actually still belong to Mexico and believe they should take them back.   I would say that through illegal immigration they are attempting to do just that but I know and recognize that a great number of those crossing illegally are coming from outside Mexico and from South America.  Still, I believe the bulk to be Mexican citizens though, I just don't know that there is any structured organization or actual agenda on the part of those who cross the border into the Country.  They may just be looking for the promise of jobs that America seems to pose to them where they can work and send their money back home to their families until they can arrange to get their families over here as well.  

One thing that does seem to be apparent though with respect to the illegals that cross the border and that is that they have no intent to make America their Country and that their allegiance still lies with Mexico.  If they chose a flag to salute and honor it's not the American Flag and it's not the American Constitution and that is a stark difference from most immigrants that come to the Country legally and through the right prescribed way.

Frankly, I can't imagine how many of the pioneers made it in their ventures out west during the 1800's what with all the adversaries they had to endure and face.  

Back to the (UN)Civil War, when I lived in Chattanooga, Tennessee I, on many occasions, would go down Chickamauga Battlefield not too far south of Chattanooga and visit, reading the plaques.  One of the most interesting things about the battle actually happened many places where the North and South pitted themselves against each other.  Many times the two armies, hundreds and up to thousands of men were mere yards if not feet apart and didn't realize it.  

On a few occasions major leaders, generals, were on horseback or within sight of the enemies soldiers and escaped because the soldiers didn't recognize who it was within their weapon's reach. 

I also read about one event during the Revolutionary war though, where George Washington was saved due to a marksman being ordered not to take the shot because it wasn't considered fair to do so.  

George Washington was saved

Wars have evolved tremendously over the years but still, there is unbelievable and horrendous carnage because maybe people don't fight as much hand to hand and face to face but the weapons we have are so much more deadly and effective.  Given some of the weapons available today the best course of action is to avoid conflict altogether if possible.   Another change, recent times, have brought to wars and conflicts is the need to get things over with as quickly as possible in one massive blow, if possible. Take out the enemies command and control structure all together along with radar and other offensive capabilities.  

Another thing I have found interesting, and scary, is how after the Cold War and when both sides began to talk and share it was discovered that not only did Russia have Nukes in Cuba that were ready to be used but they had field nukes that would have been used and greeted our soldiers upon invasion had that happened.  Little did our military leaders know or realize and little did we know how close we came to the potential Nuclear holocaust and a potential end of the world as we knew it then.

Last edited by gbrk

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