Why do Americans refuse to admit that Americans lost the Civil War? Too Prejudiced?

Question

When you tell Americans that Americans both won and lost the Civil War, they start mumbling about the Confederate States. Don't they realize that the Confederate States were composed of Americans; therefore, Americans lost the Civil War. (as well as winning it). And they've lost a few wars since, as in Vietnam and North Korea, and the present war.

Answer 1

You would be surprised at how many school age children think Confederates were not Americans. (my family were Virginia and North Carolina Confederates)

As an example, my son and I were playing a game with Civil War soldiers. My son (8 at the time) said he wanted to be the American, because they always win. And I said, well they are both Americans. To which he replied, "The Confederates can't be Americans, because they lost."

How many other American children think the same thing....

Answer 2

What does Civil War mean?

According to Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary 11th Edition, pg. 227

civil war: a war between opposing groups of citizens of the same country.

So, I guess you're right in saying Americans both won and lost the Civil War. The interpretation varies depending upon where you live and how you studied this war in school.

In the North, it was called The Civil War or the War to Preserve the States. In the South, it was called the War Between the States (I think this is right).

I am wondering what you're point is. Most Americans know about the Civil War. Anyone taking an American History class will tell you the causes and the results. We spend enough time on it and there are still hundreds of books coming out on this topic.

As for the other wars, yes, Americans/America didn't win or fair as well. I don't know what else to say about that. Hopefully, the government rulers have learned something from these wars.

Answer 3

The Union won the civil war, and they were the Federal Government, so the United States of America was the winner. We were defeated in Vietnam, but necessarily in Korea, remember there is a South Korea, which is independant from the North, so It's tie! Iraq is not going well for the American forces, but it's not over yet. You can call it a lose when the Iraqi government loses control and the country dives into a full scale civil war. Which is a very real possiblitiy, and at that point it is doubtful that our troops would be able to control things on the ground.

sanrun

Answer 4

If you are referring to residents of the United States only, remember that at point in history the Confederate States had left the union. Ergo, they were not part of the United States. The United States won that war. The Confederate States did not.

If we are referring to all Americans, then both Canada and Mexico should be included. Neither one had much to do with the American Civil War. So we can not correctly say that Americans either won or lost the civil war.

If you are talking about the British Civil War, with Cromwell and all, then we had nothing to do with it.

Vietnam was not officially a war but some kind of weird military involvement. In practicality, it was a war. IMHO, we lost.

Korea was a UN intervention and US troops were part of that. It was a blazing hot spot in the cold war. IMHO, nobody won in that one.

I can see the present situation going the way of Vietnam.

Hope this helps

Answer 5

Well it could be argued that while some Americans died in the civil war, that because the United States remained intact no one really lost. You don't hear alot of folks going around saying "Boy I wish the CSA had won the war! " (and I live in the south!).
As for the other wars, Vietnam was a defeat, but since S. Korea is still today a Democracy, and we went in to prevent the communist north from over running the south, how is that a loss exactly? And in the present war, while coordinated terrorist attacks still occur, a democratic government is in place, moving steadily towards taking full control of itself. How exactly is this a loss? You have a strange definition of losing. Or do you just hate America?

Answer 6

prejudiced? what does that have to do with anything. That's like saying that the British lost WWII because them and Germany both used to be part of the Roman Empire. The USA won and the CSA lost, its that simple, no one says that America didn't lose the Civil War, but if u want to make that argument, at the time of the CIvil War, citizens of the CSA were COnfederates, not Americans.

Answer 7

the war was between the north and the south and the north won. the north was the the north states.i served during vietnam and if bombing of hanoi and the northern areas of north vietnam had beed about 8 months sooner we would have defeated north vietnam.however president L B johnson couldnt get anything done because mcnamara had resigned sooner than most adult americans thought. his wife was sick and he was actually going to be fired as secretary of defense. he had a great plan but it never was voted on. n.korea was like vietnam. the oppressed people of s korea and their plight and fight against communism. was the same as s. vietnam.the fight was really won because today s. korea is a free country and not like what s.vietnam has become.saigon is now ho chi minh city and many tourists from around the world travel to see this beautiful area of the world.of course there are many parts of the country that still isnt as pretty because of mine fields and military artifacts as in tanks that are rusted and other type of weapontry. the united states military were at war with iraq when hussein was the leader and president of the military. the U S military found that iraqs army were poor in spirit as well as starving and in need of help which when they surrendered to american troops they received medical care food water and other treatment that was needed. after hussein was captured the terrorists groups were on top of the list for captured or killed whichever came first.i have read that bin laden has died from typhoid but that has not been verified

Answer 8

How Stupid can you be. Any American that does not know that the Confederates States of America was composed of the States below the Mason Dixon Line. Virgina, N.C., S.C. ,GA,
Tenn, ALA, Maryland, Miss. and others and that they lost the Civil War must have been born outside the USA.
I am a Rebel, and I sure hate to admit we lost the War, but we did.
Save up your Confederate Money Boys, The South will rise again.

Answer 9

Are you American? What is your deal? I ignored your last question. Why do I bother? Oh, well, here goes:

America continued as a Union--Civil war is won.
America is considered winner of Korean war, with compromise dividing North and South.
America withdraws from Vietnam after a compromise dividing North and South--no winners.
Present War--pending.

And, people like to forget, but we got into the Vietnam war because our friend FRANCE asked for our help. YUP, FRANCE!

Answer 10

We haven't declared war since WWII, so, if we are speaking technically, we haven't lost since the Civil War. Vietnam was a "police action", as was North Korea, and the present "war" was never declared. It's called a "war on terror", but we haven't declared war on anyone in particular.