Short History of the American Civil War

The American Civil War, fought between North and South in the years 1861-1865, was the bloodiest and most traumatic war in American history. Rival visions of the future of the United States faced one another across the battlefields and, as in any civil war, families and friends were bitterly divided by the conflict.

In this Pocket Essential, Phil Davies looks at the deep-rooted causes of the war, so much more complicated than the simple issue of slavery. He examines the military and political leadership of the North and South and analyses the war aims and grand strategy that each had. In a vivid and concise narrative he recounts the events that led from the early battles through the terrible confrontations at Gettysburg and Vicksburg to the South's final surrender at Appomattox. Complete with maps, chronology and further resources, this is the ideal introduction to a war that has shaped American history.