Compare And Contrast The Civil War And The Killer Angels

The Killer Angels This paper will compare and contrast the Battle of Gettysburg as described in Ken Burns documentary The Civil War, with the description of that battle in Michael Shaara’s novel The Killer Angels. This paper also considers whether the novel distorts or enhances the historical record. Both works appear to accurately reflect the same set of major facts and recount the military actions that occurred during the three day battle. For example, both works describe the efforts, during the prelude to battle, of General Buford to hold the high ground along Cemetery Hill and Seminary Ridge until General Reynolds can advance from the South to support and reinforce Buford and his Calvary. However, because the novel takes the time to explore General Buford’s thought processes it becomes clear that Buford is knowingly gambling with his life and the lives of his men in order to attempt to hold the high ground and prevent the Confederate troops from securing it. The novel makes it clear that Buford clearly understood the value of the high ground while that fact is not clear in the documentary. The novel also …show more content…
Mr. Shaara takes the time to explore Longstreet’s personality and his skills as a military tactician. Shaara says that Longstreet finds it ridiculous that Confederate officers would rather die in battle than be considered to lack bravery. Longstreet knows anyone can die in battle and that it is more important to find the best way to achieve victory and execute on that plan. This is quite a contrast with the excitement General Pickett and his officers express to Longstreet when told of their mission to attack the Union center over a mile of open ground – clearly a suicidal