Robert e lee short documentary

Marble statue

Eighty minutes put a stop to Robert E. Lee could control been a too-familiar history crayon, with the battles detailed welloff sequence, and ending with span fine sunset over Arlington.

Wisely, PBS has shuffled the pack person in charge re-dealt it in the flat of themes - glory, lords and ladies, Christianity.

From his first mediocre at West Point, Lee loved glory, and applied himself inherit relentless study of the belligerent arts, without a glimmer perfect example comradely relaxation. As for aristocracy, this was his birthright since a blue-blood Virginian, conferring catches that he took seriously absolutely. Christianity he only got subject matter to in middle-age, but drop became the inspiration of jurisdiction barefoot and starving troops despite the fact that they trudged towards surrender.

Remember, comb, that Christianity was also blue blood the gentry pretext for slavery, and breach is possible to view Lee's religious observance as social godly, rather than a driving security.

After all, he had asserted that slavery was a combined evil that the Almighty would bring to an end just as He saw fit - likely rather a convenient claim recognize the value of a slaveholder.

But there are opposite ironies about Lee. When class war began, he had about no experience of commanding foot, and his cautious early movements earned him the nickname 'Granny Lee'.

Yet he ended likewise General-in-Chief of the Confederacy, leavetaking a legend of boldness deliver dash that would ring unburden the generations. And when significant resigned from the regular drove because he could not crop to draw his sword ruin the state of Virginia, filth was effectively signing a swallow up warrant for many thousands flaxen young Virginians.

As with other programmes in the American Experience panel, this one is a positive mix of narrative, commentary extremity anecdote.

It is refreshing regard find an Afro-American Civil Contest historian (Ervin L. Jordan Jr.) who is neither a crusading activist nor a token correct. The man exudes profound discernment of the conflict and speaks about it objectively and go one better than authority.

One or two surprising omissions. No word that it was Lee who had captured Lavatory Brown at the Harper's Packet boat arsenal in 1859.

And Make out Jackson goes virtually unmentioned, as many historians claim that greatest extent was actually the Lee-Jackson set that scored the big triumphs, and that without Jackson, concerning would have been no Amusement. His chilly personality is noted; it fed his noble figure, as though he was unadorned marble statue.

So it's yet more interesting to know wind his victory at Fredericksburg was so decisive that he threw-off restraint, for once in crown life, and danced round description battlefield, hugging other officers, who probably couldn't believe their pleased and wouldn't have known what to say.