The legacy of the Civil War

In this book, Robert Penn Warren explores the Civil War as the central event in American history, examining how it is remembered and felt in the national imagination.

Warren discusses the war's impact on the consolidation of the Union, the abolition of slavery, and the lasting psychological and economic effects on both the North and the South.

He critiques the 'Great Alibi' of the South and the 'Treasury of Virtue' of the North, highlighting how these narratives have shaped national integrity and personal identity.

The book is a nuanced and balanced assessment of the Civil War's legacy, written during the centennial commemoration in the early 1960s.