After reading this book I have to say that this is perhaps the best alternet history series I have ever read. Mr. Gingrich has written an ending that is both satisfying and fulfilling to the reader. I find that this series contains enough facts to make it believable as history that could have been and the events really could have happened during the Civil War. The critical question of the series is could the Confederacy have won the Civil War if Lee had listened to Longstreet and not Pickett at Gettysburg? Would a more calculated and cautious approach have carried the day in the long term or was a side with fewer resources but better management destined to defeat? As any consultant can tell you, it is possible to acquire management and turn around any effort, and Lincoln did that admirably by bringing Grant east, firing the cronies in the War Department, and launching a brilliant plan to trap Lee between the Catoctin Mountains, and the Potomac and Monocacy rivers. The book shows how the overwhelming resources of an industrialized country, which seemingly mends its wounds effortlessly, correctly characterizes the Union by focusing on the seemingly unending supply of goods, arms, railroads, industrial capabilities and manpower. With such resources it seems inevitable that the South would surely lose in any type of protracted conflict. The writers masterfully created this atmosphere.
The South, on the other hand, more than makes up for the ample resources of the Union through its spirit to persevere and through its superiority in leaders in its Army, with Lee being the standard for which generals of both sides strive to attain. The sheer personality of its generals and fighting spirit of its soldiers carries the Southern efforts to victory time and again.
But `time' is the enemy in this scenario. Both sides stand to lose the cause because of the passage of time. Although endowed with unlimited resources, the Union is riddled with political strife and division between its political parties. The losses on the battlefield erode the will to continue as the opposing parties use each loss as leverage to condemn the other and concede to enter into peace negotiations with the South. Lincoln finds himself in the unique position of knowing he can win the war but realizing the political opposition and public opinion are unwilling to pay the price for such a victory, regardless of the overwhelming advantage of the North's unlimited resources.
But Lee on the other hand finds himself virtually victorious on the field of battle time and again but in the process loses the ability to sustain the campaign because of the dwindling of manpower resulting from his victories. What good is it to win all the battles and in the end have no army left to claim the final victory.
On top of that , the writers were masterful in accounting for the battles and maneuvers of the armies, bringing personalities to life and illustrating the horrendous manner in which war was waged in 1863. In today's age where even the loss of one soldier is newsworthy, and the loss of 1,000 brings a clamor of public opinion that can turn the tide of support, battles were measured in losses in the tens of thousands. For example, the Battle of Antietam is estimated to have had over 23,000 casualties in a single day.
The writers masterfully present a plausible accounting of horrifying fighting and complex maneuvering in battle after battle. Eventually, the cost of such great conflict brings the story to an end that is indeed plausible and, in my opinion, accurate. This is an alternative history that should cause any Civil War history buff to wonder. I'm glad I chose to read the book. If youre a civil war buff you should read all three books in this trilogy you will enjoy them. (it is critical that you read all three of the books of the trilogy to appreciate this work. )
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Mr. D. J. Walford
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