The American Civil War (1861-65) remains a searing event in the consciousness of the United States. This title shows how and why the conflict remains the nation's defining moment, arguing that it was above all a struggle for political supremacy. It also explores iconic battles like Shiloh, Chickamauga, Antietam and Gettysburg. Displaying a splendid gift for compressing facts without altering truths, Paul Anderson has produced a "short" history of the American Civil War that is long on quality and understanding. Lively, succinct, and perceptive, it is filled with sound, balanced judgments that make rare sense of a sprawling, complex, and crucial era in American history. A marvelous introduction to the war.