Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Would you have fought?

You have read the reasoning of several soldiers about why they joined their army, and what their experiences were.  You have also seen pictures of the consequence of battle.  Given that newspapers published these photographs, and that there were even riots in response to the draft, what do you think made these soldier continue to join up and fight?  Do you think you would have fought?  Why or why not?
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33 comments:

  1. SabrinaMay 9, 2012 at 9:02 AM

    I think I would have fought to be in control. To show everyone that I stood up and fought for what was right. I would probably still fight today. I would rather have fought then be kept hostage as a slave. At least I could have died (if shot) fighting for our country. If I was in that time period, God would have told me what the right thing to do was, he would have guided me through it and helped me everyday.

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    1. GordonMay 9, 2012 at 9:14 AM

      What is so important about fighting, why do you think so many men and boys signed up to fight?

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    2. CorinaMay 9, 2012 at 9:27 AM

      Do you think you actually would have a lot of control? I agree you would be in a way by helping your side.

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    3. SabrinaMay 9, 2012 at 9:27 AM

      I think they signed up to fight because they wanted what was best. They felt devoted to help others in this fight

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    4. GordonMay 11, 2012 at 8:58 AM

      They say that one third of the population died in the war, do you think some soldiers thought it would be a risk or do you think they all thought it would be a breeze.

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    5. JocelynMay 13, 2012 at 10:36 AM

      I very much agree with what you said, wanting to have some control. Just in general though, what do you think would have happened back then if a women tried to join to fight in the war?

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    6. JocelynMay 13, 2012 at 10:38 AM

      I very much agree with what you said, wanting some control. In general though, what do you think would have happened back then if a women tried to join the war to fight?

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    7. TJMay 13, 2012 at 2:37 PM

      Lets, for augment's sake, say you died. Do you think you would be more or less likely to join if you knew your death would be from bleeding to death, and/or disease instead of bullets and/or explosions?

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    8. greenpersonMay 14, 2012 at 6:55 AM

      Given the time period and what the people believed in I would of fought. I would be fighting for what I believe in, for what I believe is right which is freeing the slaves. There would be more excitement also then my normal dull life though from what I've read it wasn't very exciting.

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  2. GordonMay 9, 2012 at 9:12 AM

    I would have fought for my country and my government, i would have been proud to fight, proud to stand up and fight for the slaves who could not fight, and fight to keep myself and others alive.

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    1. SabrinaMay 9, 2012 at 9:29 AM

      Agreed! Why would you be proud to fight? What would have encouraged you to sign up?

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    2. JocelynMay 13, 2012 at 10:40 AM

      I agree, I would be very proud to fight for my country and people. Do you agree that this war was worth fighting in?

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    3. greenpersonMay 14, 2012 at 6:58 AM

      What do you think would happen if we did not engage in that war? do you think that the country was Capable of settling its differences peacefully?

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  3. CorinaMay 9, 2012 at 9:25 AM

    The main reason I think people signed up and continued to sign up was for fighting for what they believed in. But also the fact that war was at that point so apart of their lives. War was every where and affected everyone so it was hard not to be apart of the war in some way. If I had lived in that time I probably would have helped. I would not have been good dealing with all of the blood and things of war but I think I would have been good with strategy.

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    1. SabrinaMay 9, 2012 at 9:29 AM

      Why would you have helped? what would you have considered doing? What encouraged you to help your country?

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    2. JocelynMay 13, 2012 at 10:42 AM

      Do you think that women would have been readily accepted to help in the war? What position would you have wanted in the was considering that you would want to avoid blood?

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    3. CorinaMay 14, 2012 at 5:18 AM

      No I don't think women would have been readily accepted to help in the war as in fighting. Only as working as a nurse and doing things behind the scenes. I do think women would have been completely willing to help however they could because they did not get to do as much back then.

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  4. KurtMay 9, 2012 at 4:13 PM

    I would have fought under the confederate flag. Being a spy for the Union, helping the Union push the rebels back to their defeat. At the end of the war I would stay under cover staying close to the group of rebels that still belived they had a chance at wining and exposeing there plans and saveing the presiden from being killed.

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    1. CorinaMay 10, 2012 at 5:28 AM

      Being a spy would actually be a really good idea.

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    2. greenpersonMay 14, 2012 at 7:01 AM

      But why would of you fought? You mention being a spy but how would you accomplish this I'm sure that the union didn't just accept people to be spies?

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    3. KurtMay 14, 2012 at 7:21 AM

      I would have fought as a spy. The Union did accept people to become spies if you enlisted. It was a lot easier to become a spy in that time because high ranking scouts like sgt's were trusted and asked to become spies. Plus all most all scouts were and considered spies some were placed in the enemy army to watch them and some were placed on the field to watch the enemy Army's movement.

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    4. NoahMay 29, 2012 at 5:36 PM

      I've only heard of a Confederate spy no union ones, could you give a example please?

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    5. KurtJune 3, 2012 at 5:44 PM

      Well it is difficult to give an example because you don't hear vary much about them because they are spys. They were pleace in the battle field to watch movements of troops like a scout not to moneter the government or the genrals that I know off.

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  5. JocelynMay 13, 2012 at 10:29 AM

    I think I would have fought in the war because it would be helping our country and people. I would want to be able to have some control and say in what was happening, even if it was just a small contribute. I would much rather be fighting in the war than sitting on the side lines.

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    1. MaggieMay 23, 2012 at 9:01 AM

      I agree very much! I would feel that if I did not fight than I would feel bad seeing all the innocent people dying and not being able to do anything about it.

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  6. stephenMay 13, 2012 at 11:12 AM

    Fighting in the war means protecting your country and doing what is right. I would have fought in the war than watching all of the innocent people dying in front of me.

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    1. KurtJune 3, 2012 at 5:47 PM

      I can see what you mean but the people in the war were not exatly innocent they were doing the same thing all the other people were doing killing to say alive.

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  7. TJMay 13, 2012 at 2:34 PM

    I think kids now have a much different view on war then before things like x-box(s). Having access to them has made some kids think killing is fun. I don't have access to any killing games or an x-box, so I have not been affected by those. I would not have fought in the war; combat is not my strong suit. Maybe planning strategy for it, but not fighting. I don't think that the boys who did fight in the war knew what they were getting into. We have had people study history now, and we know just how bad war is.

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  8. AlexisMay 14, 2012 at 5:16 AM

    I think that the people signed up for the war to represent their country. I think that those who did fight, fought proud. They were proud that they were helping the country rather than just sitting back and watching the bodies drop right in front of them. I would want to fight for this very reason.

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  9. DJHargyMay 14, 2012 at 5:20 AM

    I would not have fought in the war. I didn't like the type of fighting they did in the war. They marched in a formation towards the enemy, in wide open space, while their commanding officers stood back out of harm's way. The commanding officers may have been brilliant in their strategies but they never wanted to engage in close range battle. They preferred to send a group of infantry to attack.
    Also the grossest part of the war was the sawed of limbs and the smell of blood and decay that was all pervading in the "healer's" tent. It was not uncommon for soldiers to die within the first 48 hours after losing a limb. Those that did not die got sick from the mixing of blood from other patients. There was a rumor that went around that the nurses could cut through a limb so fast that you would not notice until it was over.
    Yes it would help your country but if helping your country means committing suicide by marching through a field with no more armor than a jacket then I would not fight not even for money. Money was one thing the young soldiers were promised but not many got recompense for their services.

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  10. greenpersonMay 14, 2012 at 6:50 AM

    It depends on whether or not how strongly they felt about there country at that time. And according to the accounts that I read a lot of the people that joined because of of the excitement that they thought they would have. I'm sure however that there were people that didn't join and were discouraged when they saw the photos of the death and destruction. I would of fought as a Union soldier because that is where my heritage comes from and I am repulsed by the idea of slavery.

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  11. MaggieMay 23, 2012 at 8:57 AM

    I would have fought because it seems that they fought for the respect and even if they did die they still have the respect of being able to say they fought for their country. It's like even modern day people serve the country to say they did and for the respect and health in it. It is a good service and will always be a good thing.

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  12. NoahMay 29, 2012 at 3:50 PM

    I would not of joined army as a infantry man. However I would of joined as a gunner or a seaman(especially on a ironclad for all of protection) but in all I would of fought yes because the union cause seems just.

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