The Long Civil War: New Explorations of America's Enduring Conflict

In this wide-ranging volume, eminent historians John David Smith and Raymond Arsenault assemble a distinguished group of scholars to build on the growing body of work on the "Long Civil War" and break new ground. They cover a variety of related subjects, including antebellum missionary activity and colonialism in Africa, the home front, the experiences of disabled veterans in the US Army Veteran Reserve Corps, and Dwight D. Eisenhower's personal struggles with the war's legacy amid the growing civil rights movement. The contributors offer fresh interpretations and challenging analyses of topics such as ritualistic suicide among former Confederates after the war and whitewashing in Walt Disney Studios' historical Cold War–era movies. Featuring many leading figures in the field, The Long Civil War meaningfully expands the focus of mid-nineteenth-century history as it was understood by previous generations of historians.

John David Smith is Charles H. Stone Distinguished Professor of American History at the University of North Carolina–Charlotte. He is the author or editor of many books, including The Dunning School: Historians, Race, and the Meaning of Reconstruction. Raymond Arsenault is John Hope Franklin Professor of Southern History at the University of South Florida. He is the author of several acclaimed and prizewinning books, including Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice.