How Did Civil War Leaders Villify/Demonize the Other Side? Without the Use of Racism, How Did They Do It?

Question

During the Indian Wars, Indians were labeled savages who scalped settlers (it was actually the other way around ). The Germans were labeled "the Huns" during WWI to evoke ancient hatred of Asian nomads who invaded Europe in the 5th Century. The Nazis provided an easy target during WWII with their Naziism and for the Japanese, anti-Asian sentiments were not hard to evoke in the US. This anti-Asian racism lasted through Korea and Vietnam.

But how about our Civil War? Both sided were white and American. How did the North villify the South? As rebels and slave-owners?(That did not sound too demonic , considering the time). How about the South against the North ? Damn Yankees (pretty tame)? *****rs Lovers (insulting enough?)

Men are not naturally inclined to kill and maim other men with whom they have no personal quarrels so the leaders have had to use something to dehumanize and demonize the other side. What did they use during the Civil War to villify each other?

Answer 1

The leaders did not need to villify the other side. The public already had developed negative opinions in the years leading up to the war. Sectional politics had been a part of every major controversy since the Missouri Compromise of 1820.

Sure there was a certain amount of name calling, but it was not as effective as simple patriotism. The difference being in the South loyalty was to one's state. The officers in the armies knew their opponents as friends and comrades. They did not stir recruits with a lot of hot headed hatred.