Introduction
It is these days that the United States of America is a solidary and democratic country, where everybody has the equal rights and freedoms. However, it was not always so and there were times when people had to struggle for their beliefs and for their ideas concerning the country they want to live.
Main text
This is what The Killer Angels novel is all about. The novel tells about one of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil War – the battle of Gettysburg. It is a historical novel written by Michael Shaara in 1974. In fact, it was not a spontaneous decision of him. In 1966 Shaara had a family vacation to the very place of the battle. This was a moment that inspired him on writing his novel.
The Killer Angels do not describe the Gettysburg battle itself. This novel is focused on people, their decisions, motivations and emotions. The Killer Angels describe the two parties of the American Civil War, and Gettysburg battle particularly, that are completely different in their motivations and beliefs.
The main purpose of this essay is to analyze the “northern perspectives” and the “southern perspectives”. I am also going to discuss the personal motivations and traits of the main heroes of the novel and the influence of all the aspects mentioned above on the outcome of the battle of Gettysburg.
Basically my essay will be concerned with the southern part of the battle, its perspectives and the personal traits of its leaders, since from my point of view some mistakes of the commander Robert Edward Lee led to the victory of the North.
First, let me consider the southern part and its people in general. What the South at those times was about? South was associated with rich, aristocratic life, noble gentlemen whose honor was the biggest value in their lives. They could die to protect or recover it. People of the South deeply believed in God and were convinced that everything happening on Earth has God’s will for that. It should be mentioned that even slavery was also considered as the will of God.
Northern people were completely different. They did not have that feeling of unity as southern people had. In the North people had different religions, languages and cultures. The only common feature about them was their strong desire to fight for the equal rights and freedoms among all the citizens of the United States.
These differences can be seen in the leaders of the two parties of the battle. Both Robert Edward Lee and Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain are very experienced in waging warfare; however they have opposite personal characteristics and the views on the tactics and strategies of war. As for me, these are the main reasons why Robert E. Lee failed to win the battle of Gettysburg. So, let me analyze these two people.
Robert Edward Lee was a commander of the South. This is a real gentleman; his honor and his dear Virginia are the most precious things for him. Like all the people from the South he is a deeply religious person and he knows that God controls the course of all the events. “He believes absolutely in God. He loves Virginia above all, the mystic dirt of home. He is the most beloved man in either army” (Michael Shaara, 16).
Lee’s another distinctive feature is his unshakeable belief in his soldiers. He is convinced that his men can do everything, but on the other hand it may seem that he does not feel sorry for his men, since he was ready to lose them for the great idea. For achieving his goals he can break the rules and make risky and chancy decisions. Sometimes he even does not consult the other commanders for approving this or that plan. This definitely cannot be a benefit during the war, since all the decisions should be thought over thoroughly and discussed with the other knowledgeable people.
Joshua Chamberlain, the leader of the North, is very different. He used to be a college professor, but had a great desire to be a military man: “Tall and rather handsome, attractive to women, somewhat boyish, a clean and charming person. An excellent student, Phi Beta Kappa, he speaks seven languages and has a beautiful singing voice, but he has wanted all his life to be a soldier” (Michael Shaara, 1987, p.19).
Unlike Lee, he had treated his soldiers almost in a fatherly way. He respects every single man and believes in all of them. He also has a great respect towards his enemy and when he saw the dead bodies of the Confederates, he wished they were buried decently. However, he is also ready to use his soldiers for the higher idea.
So, we can see that the both leaders had strong personal traits and high motivations. Each of them was fighting for their homelands and the values they were brought up with. However, they had different views on waging war and those means that can be used for that purpose. They both have perfect personal qualities, but some of these qualities also cannot be applied in military circumstances.
This, I think, is the main reason of that outcome of the battle of Gettysburg, which we all know at the present moment. One of the commanders just appeared to be more strong-willed and resolute of his decisions. However, I think it would be wrong to blame a certain person of the Gettysburg battle results (Gary W. Gallagher, 1999, p. 39).
What is the main idea of The Killer Angels? I am sure that the author did not want just to point the main differences between the two men or the two armies. However, the historical point of view is also important in the novel. The author tried to create a military study and show the tragic element of the events.
I think that the main message of the novel is the faith and strong beliefs that have to rule people in their actions. Both people from the South and the North had opposite, but firm ideas of what they are doing on the war. This helped them not to give up and keep on fighting under any circumstances: bad clothes, lack of food and weapons and the general tiredness of the warfare. If you do not have such a clear idea on all your actions, it is more likely that you will not be able to succeed.
Summary
Another important thing to be mentioned is the strong will and resolution. If you make a decision, you have to make it after careful consideration so that you do not change it afterward. You also should not neglect the help of the other experienced people, who can definitely give you precious advice. This should especially be taken into account, if you know that some other people depend on your decisions.
Works Cited
Shaara, Michael. The Killer Angels. New York: Ballantine Books, 1987.
Gallagher, Gary W. The Days at Gettysburg: Essays on Confederate and Union Leadership. Kent: Kent State University Press, 1999.