Lincoln and the Fight for Peace
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- Create Date：2022-03-01 11:21:37
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：John P. Avlon
- ISBN：179713602X
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Summary
A groundbreaking， revelatory history of Abraham Lincoln’s plan to secure a just and lasting peace after the Civil War—a vision that inspired future presidents as well as the world’s most famous peacemakers， including Nelson Mandela， Mahatma Gandhi， and Martin Luther King， Jr。 It is a story of war and peace， race and reconciliation。
As the tide of the Civil War turned in the spring of 1865， Abraham Lincoln took a dangerous two-week trip to visit the troops on the front lines accompanied by his young son， seeing combat up close， meeting liberated slaves in the ruins of Richmond， and comforting wounded Union and Confederate soldiers。
The power of Lincoln’s personal example in the closing days of the war offers a portrait of a peacemaker。 He did not demonize people he disagreed with。 He used humor， logic， and scripture to depolarize bitter debates。 Balancing moral courage with moderation， Lincoln believed that decency could be the most practical form of politics， but he understood that people were more inclined to listen to reason when greeted from a position of strength。 Ulysses S。 Grant’s famously generous terms of surrender to General Robert E。 Lee at Appomattox that April were a direct expression of the president’s belief that a soft peace should follow a hard war。
While his assassination sent the country careening off course， Lincoln’s vision would be vindicated long after his death， inspiring future generations in their own quests to secure a just and lasting peace。 As US General Lucius Clay， architect of the post-WWII German occupation， said when asked what guided his decisions: “I tried to think of the kind of occupation the South would have had if Abraham Lincoln had lived。”
Lincoln and the Fight for Peace reveals how Lincoln’s character informed his commitment to unconditional surrender followed by a magnanimous peace。 Even during the Civil War， surrounded by reactionaries and radicals， he refused to back down from his belief that there is more that unites us than divides us。 But he also understood that peace needs to be waged with as much intensity as war。 Lincoln’s plan to win the peace is his unfinished symphony， but in its existing notes， we can find an anthem that can begin to bridge our divisions today。
As the tide of the Civil War turned in the spring of 1865， Abraham Lincoln took a dangerous two-week trip to visit the troops on the front lines accompanied by his young son， seeing combat up close， meeting liberated slaves in the ruins of Richmond， and comforting wounded Union and Confederate soldiers。
The power of Lincoln’s personal example in the closing days of the war offers a portrait of a peacemaker。 He did not demonize people he disagreed with。 He used humor， logic， and scripture to depolarize bitter debates。 Balancing moral courage with moderation， Lincoln believed that decency could be the most practical form of politics， but he understood that people were more inclined to listen to reason when greeted from a position of strength。 Ulysses S。 Grant’s famously generous terms of surrender to General Robert E。 Lee at Appomattox that April were a direct expression of the president’s belief that a soft peace should follow a hard war。
While his assassination sent the country careening off course， Lincoln’s vision would be vindicated long after his death， inspiring future generations in their own quests to secure a just and lasting peace。 As US General Lucius Clay， architect of the post-WWII German occupation， said when asked what guided his decisions: “I tried to think of the kind of occupation the South would have had if Abraham Lincoln had lived。”
Lincoln and the Fight for Peace reveals how Lincoln’s character informed his commitment to unconditional surrender followed by a magnanimous peace。 Even during the Civil War， surrounded by reactionaries and radicals， he refused to back down from his belief that there is more that unites us than divides us。 But he also understood that peace needs to be waged with as much intensity as war。 Lincoln’s plan to win the peace is his unfinished symphony， but in its existing notes， we can find an anthem that can begin to bridge our divisions today。
Reviews
Gary Moreau
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Thousands of books have been written about Abraham Lincoln， but few have focused on the last days of his life and his plan to restore the Union。 “This is the story of Abraham Lincoln’s plan to win the peace after winning the war， his vision for national reconciliation and reunification。”His plan was brilliant in its simplicity and understanding of human nature but difficult to put into practice – “unconditional surrender followed by magnanimous peace。” Alas， his successors did not prove up to th Thousands of books have been written about Abraham Lincoln， but few have focused on the last days of his life and his plan to restore the Union。 “This is the story of Abraham Lincoln’s plan to win the peace after winning the war， his vision for national reconciliation and reunification。”His plan was brilliant in its simplicity and understanding of human nature but difficult to put into practice – “unconditional surrender followed by magnanimous peace。” Alas， his successors did not prove up to the task and the country went through another century of lost opportunity and upheaval。 Lincoln refused to enter into a negotiated peace under a temporary truce。 He knew that the country would inevitably slip back into violence were victory not clear and indisputable。 Having finally secured unconditional surrender， however， he was a generous victor， even allowing Lee’s army to keep their horses and a few weapons to use for peaceful purposes。 The southern soldiers were simply allowed to return to their towns and families。“We are not enemies， but friends， though passion many have strained， it must not break our bonds of affection。” It was a perspective long since forgotten in this age of rabid polarization and red-hot hatred。 Oh how we could use his leadership now。Avlon is a solid writer and despite the sensitivities of the subjects involved （three-quarters of a million Americans died） he studiously avoids getting drawn into emotional platitudes and subjective judgments。 The book is well researched and he stays very much on topic throughout。 The Lincoln portrayed here is truly a remarkable man， in large part because of how unremarkable he considered himself to be。 He was incredibly brave， to be sure。 But he also had periods of self-doubt， suffered depression， and had spats with his spouse to the same extent most of us do。He was not FDR or John Kennedy。 He was not handsome or refined。 But he understood human nature。 And that was an understanding so desperately needed， but totally lacking， at Versailles （ending World War I）， and in Washington today。 I highly recommend you read this book。 Even more importantly I highly recommend you buy a copy for your sons and daughters when they reach an age when they are thrust into the world in whatever role they may play。 Lincoln’s was a perspective we can all benefit from yet today。 Perhaps now more than ever。 。。。more
Eric
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