re: History Debate: Ulysses S. Grant vs. Robert E. Lee

In my opinion Lee did more with less for far longer than Grant. Both however were great generals and Grant does get less credit than he often deserves.

As for the Slavery question, yes I think blacks would have been better off in the long term if the war had not been fought. Slavery would have eventually come to an end, but it would not have been quick. I think in the short term blacks would have been far worse off, but much of what happened following the civil war probably does not happen. The plight of freed slaves after the civil war and right up to modern day can in large part be blamed on the anger and bad blood created by reconstruction and carpet baggers. Southern whites who were already angry after losing the war were subjected to reconstruction and the overall destruction of the southern economy and oppressive carpet bagging regimes. They looked for the easiest scape goat for their plight and found the freed slaves. Without the war there is no Klan, Jim Crow, or other oppressive organizations and policies. In my opinion those were all brought about by angry southerners who wanted revenge for what came after the war.