History   

The Civil War was three years old before these two iconic generals of that conflict, Ulysses S. (“Unconditional Surrender”) Grant and Robert E. (“Marse Robert”) Lee faced each other on the battlefields of Virginia. In those early years, Grant had risen from disgrace and obscurity in the West to become Lincoln’s most trusted general. At the same time, Lee had defeated, outwitted and mastered every general of the Army of the Potomac thrown against him. In desperation, Lincoln called Grant east to take on Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia. After reviewing the achievements of these two military titans in those first three years, we will study their strategies and tactics through the battles of The Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, the North Anna River and Cold Harbor; Grant’s crossing the James River; the siege of Petersburg and the battle of Five Forks; culminating at Appomattox. We will examine their characters, their strengths and foibles as military leaders, the logistic and manpower resources at their disposal; and the political implications and aspects of the campaign, particularly in the North. In the process, we will look for answers to questions not asked in your history books, including: Was Northern victory inevitable? Did Lee’s leadership in this campaign live up to his reputation? How close did Grant (an acknowledged alcoholic) come to falling off the wagon? Were the casualties suffered on both sides warranted? Some of the answers may surprise you.

It is often said that China is the world’s oldest continuous civilization. While the Egyptians, Syrians, and Iraqis may have something to say about that, in today’s China there is no dispute. China’s view of itself has remained remarkably consistent over at least three millennia, Perhaps it is best summed up in a letter from one of China’s greatest emperors to England’s King George III, rejecting the request of the King’s emissary to establish a diplomatic presence in Beijing: “Our dynasty’s domestic virtue has penetrated every country under Heaven, and kings of all nations have offered their costly tribute…we possess all things…and have no use for your country’s manufactures.” Since the Qing emperor’s letter was written in 1793, China has experienced a spectacular collapse, and a phoenix like rise. Let’s examine China’s tumultuous past, how it informs today’s China, and talk about what this portends for the remainder of the 21st century.