The American Civil War

By: Gary W. Gallagher, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Gary W. Gallagher

Between 1861 and 1865, the clash of the greatest armies the Western hemisphere had ever seen turned small towns, little-known streams, and obscure meadows in the American countryside into names we will always remember. In those great battles, those streams ran red with blood - and the United States was truly born.

If you've ever wanted to understand the Civil War, this series of 48 startlingly evocative lectures by a leading Civil War historian can serve as both an ideal single course or a solid starting point for further exploration - a richly detailed examination of how this great conflict affected every person in America. For you'll gain not only a deep knowledge of what happened, but new insights into why.

You'll learn how both sides' armies were recruited, equipped, and trained, and about the hard lot of those they took prisoner. You'll hear how soldiers on each of those sides dealt with the rigors of camp life, campaigns, and the terror of combat. And you'll understand how slaves and their falling masters responded to the advancing war, as well as the desperate price paid by the families so many left behind.

Though this series of lectures goes far beyond a simple examination of battles and generals, it also offers detailed analyses of the strategic and tactical dimensions of the Civil War's most important campaigns. At the same time, it never forgets that the conflict involved far more than pins on a map - and indeed claimed a greater cost in human lives than all other American wars combined.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2000 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2000 The Great Courses

Welcome to Audible, Great Courses!

I have been a fan of the Great Courses for a long time. The two biggest drawbacks were price and difficulty of download. So, hooray for Audible for bringing us this collection!

"The American Civil War" is a terrific overview. I have recently moved to "Civil War country" near Antietam and am especially glad to refresh my memory of lessons past and add new knowledge about this subject.

Professor Gallagher gives us military information, of course, but there's also much about the political, social (regional, racial, etc) and other ramifications of the conflict. I especially enjoyed lectures about what was going on at the homefront on both sides during the war - and the attention to the experiences of women and African Americans (slave and free). It's not difficult to understand, hearing this recording, why we still live with so much "baggage" from the Civil War. Also, how fortunate we have been since to experience no warfronts on our homeland.

I learned a great deal from this course and highly recommend it!

A little dated, but good material, worth a listen

What made the experience of listening to The American Civil War the most enjoyable?

It wasn't the canned applause and horn music at the beginning and end of each lecture. The professor does a good job on a huge topic, opening avenues for further investigation depending on your interest, e.g. a given battle, region, or topic such as politics or race.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The American Civil War?

Gallagher's consistent debunking of the "lost cause" school of thought

Which character – as performed by Professor Gary W. Gallagher – was your favorite?

N/A

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

No.

Any additional comments?

It's a little dated. Gallagher refers to Gone with the Wind more than a dozen times, I think.

Unbiased history lesson

Excellent breakdown of the civil war. Gallagher does an excellent job explaining key points on both sides of the war from the battles you know and some you don't; the political rhetoric from the north, south, and international; and how life was impacted for those not on the front lines. I highly recommend to anyone who would like to learn about events of our past and how they still shape us today in a unbiased presentation.

Thoughtful lesson on US history

This course was excellent. Professor Gallagher did a very good job presenting fact and perspective as so much of what is being pushed today is more to support political narrative than the educate on the Civil War. He’s is superbly knowledgeable on the topic, and I will likely revisit his lectures again.

A amazing lecture by a passionate speaker.

Absolutely loved it will continue learning more about the American civil war and it fascinating history.