Poll of the Day > What side did your state fight for in the American Civil War?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I think technically the confederacy, that's what the Brits did... right?

I think technically the confederacy, that's what the Brits did... right?

Virginia. I believe we were neutral.

didnt exist yet

The Union. And my state took a confederate battle flag from Virginia and kept it. And have refused to give it back ever since.

Virginia: can we have our flag back yet?

Minnesota: No. it ours now.

I wish people would still rub it in the faces of Southerners that Confederate statues are massive participation trophies for the losers of a conflict.

Confederacy tried to gain allies in europe, but diplomatic/economic issues kept European powers out of the war. France didn't want to risk war with Prussia, and Britain didn't want to risk war with the union.

The Emancipation Proclamation is what kept European powers out of the war. Both Britain and France were inclined to support the Confederacy, but Lincoln deliberately emphasized the slavery issue to guilt Europeans by pointing out that they'd be supporting a pro-slavery nation when they themselves had outlawed slavery.

In the early parts of the war Lincoln was actually willing to compromise with the South over the slavery issue (in spite of being an abolitionist himself, he considered preserving the Union to be a far more important thing than freeing the slaves, and said multiple times he would have given in to Southern demands if it meant keeping the peace), but the success at Gettysburg (which was kind of ridiculous if you know the full story behind it) allowed him to reiterate the Northern cause as Emancipation as a major PR move, which led to Europe backing off support.

Prussia and the German Confederation probably would have sided with the North either with or without French or British involvement, but it was more concerned with its own internal issues and goals (which eventually led to full German unification) at the time.

That's a much better summary. In hindsight, I oversimplified my explaination too much.

Ohio was Union I think, though my family came over from Germany fleeing WW1.

We don't have a history of fighting in wars... Mostly running from them, though my grandpa did some reconstruction in Germany after WW2, which was a good experience I think.

I don't think I'd want to join any war either tbh. Unless it was super obvious it was a noble cause, like WW2 or Ukraine.

My state, Illinois, fought for the Union.

The Union. And my state took a confederate battle flag from Virginia and kept it. And have refused to give it back ever since.

Virginia: can we have our flag back yet?

Minnesota: No. it ours now.