DOC April 1865: The Month That Saved America (P.S.) by Jay Winik in History

Review

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful. Brilliant Study of the Civil War's EndBy Eric MayforthIn American history courses in school; we see that Richmond fell early in April 1865 and that a mere week later Lee had surrendered to Grant at Appomattox. While it is natural to infer from this that the surrender was a foregone conclusion after Richmond's fall; in "April 1865" author Jay Winik teaches that that was by no means the case; and that there were several points both in that week and in that most fateful month that events could have gone off the rails to the great detriment of the future of America and the world.While the eleven states that formed the Confederate States of America were the only states to secede in American history; Winik notes that the generations of antebellum Americans had always viewed the unity of the nation as fragile and that secession movements; not all of them Southern; were plotted from the earliest days of the Republic.As April approached in 1865; the Confederacy was in increasingly desperate straits; so much so that many Southerners voiced what four years earlier had been unthinkable--giving blacks freedom in return for military service in the Confederate Army. That measure was taken too late to save the Confederacy; though; and after Richmond fell Lee attempted to join up with Johnston's troops in North Carolina. Within days; however; Lee's army was surrounded; and Winik rightly lauds the general for making the pivotal decision to surrender rather than attempt guerilla warfare.Winik's portrait of the surrender at Appomattox and its aftermath is superb. Lincoln and Grant were wise enough to know that knitting North and South back together into one nation called for magnanimity and the refusal to destroy the dignity of the South and Southerners. Most know that the South was devastated as a result of the war; but the author's assessment of the total extent of that devastation is truly arresting.Even with the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia; the war was not quite over and there were a few remaining anxious moments for all who hoped for peace; and Winik describes the surrender of the rest of the Confederate forces.Five days after Lee's surrender; President Lincoln was assassinated in Washington; and this volume tells the story of that tragedy in great detail. Winik notes that precedents for the transfer of power were still not robust in the 1860s and recalls how Andrew Johnson became Lincoln's successor; with the attendant effects on postwar politics."April 1865" also offers biographical sketches of Lincoln; Davis; Grant; Lee; and other figures who played key roles during that month. This volume as much as any other I have ever read is a refutation of the Marxist doctrine of determinism and control of history by impersonal forces--Lincoln; Grant; and Lee especially show how much individuals and the decisions that they make (as well as fate and good or bad luck) can turn history on a dime and have effects that last generations if not centuries.This book has a great picture section; and it was enjoyable to read and elegantly written; challenging the vocabulary of even serious readers. For those history buffs who love reading about the Civil War and who want to gain a deeper understanding of key figures of the war and of the importance of the conflict coming to a close in the manner that it did; I cannot recommend "April 1865" more highly.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. For those who know a lot about the Civil War you will be surprised how this book will grab you with beautiful language and increBy RebeccaThis book is unique; unexpected. I was a little put off by his description of Lee in the beginning (he seemed to be gushing) but I was drawn in. This is not a chronological telling so be prepared for that. He has you absorbed in a person or event then bam he jumps back in time. The description of Lincoln's assassination had me nearly in tears. For those who know a lot about the Civil War you will be surprised how this book will grab you with beautiful language and incredible details about things you thought you already knew. I will likely read this book again.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Very Interesting Take on Civil WarBy RRManTomA very interesting story indeed. This book filled in some gapping voids in my knowledge of the civil war. It presented an altogether surprising and different perspective on the South's decision to secede from the Union; Sherman's critical role at the end of the war; and the question around guerilla following the collapse of Lee's army. Plus as a bonus; the epilogue neatly ties the whole thing together and has an entertaining take on a set of characters that emerged at the end of the war. Really glad I read this book!