The Civil War 100 by Michael Lee Lanning

The Civil War has a hold on the American mind unequaled by any other eventoand for good reason: it is, after all, the most bloody and brutal war in which America has ever been involved. Three million fought and six hundred thousand died. But the war was so much more than that: it was a cultural, technological and political transformation on a scale that today is hard to imagine. Many intersecting causes and crucial events led up to the war and ultimately influenced its outcome. Brilliant politicians and soldiers on both sides played instrumental roles, on the battlefield and off. Which causes were the most important? Which events most influenced the waris outcome? Which soldiers and generals truly deserve to be remembered as legends, and which actually had exaggerated roles? For armchair historians and Civil War buffs alike, The Civil War 100 answers these questions and many more. Michael Lee Lanning retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Army after more than twenty years of service. He is a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War, where he served as an infantry platoon leader and company commander. Lanning has written fifteen books on military history, including The Battle 100: The Stories Behind Historyis Most Influential Battles.