The Civil War

W: The Civil War occurred from 1861 to 1865 and was fought between the Union and the Confederacy. Although many people think that the Civil War's main objective was to free the slaves, the war began to preserve the authority and unity of the Union. The Civil War also marked the beginning of a whole new generation of modern wars. The Civil War introduced brand new war plans, weapons, communications, and transportation. M: I once heard that the war brought changes to the public as well. W: That's correct. The war advanced hygiene, medicine, social services, and such. The war was modern not only because it involved a wide variety of resources but the public as well. The people behind the war front received much more detailed information and learned about the horrors of the war. M: Why was that? W: Photography had been recently invented. Therefore, for the first time in history, many aspects of the war, such as dead bodies and tensions, were witnessed by the general public. As the war came close to an end, the Confederacy suffered a great deal of economic difficulties, and its stand on racism, poverty, and dishonesty also suffered. M: How was the Union's condition? W: The Union lost many of their people, but since they won the war, their ego and pride were sometimes viewed as conceited.