answer two questions regarding the movie GLORY (civil war movie)?

Question

1) why is this film told through the eyes of the regiment's white colonel?

2)What were most of the Union soldiers fighting for, an end to slavery or preservation of the Union. Why?

Answer 1

Movie based on the book: Luis F. Emilio, A Brave Black Regiment: A History of the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry: 1863-1865 (Boston: The Boston Book Company, 1891).

The film suggests that most of the black soldiers were escaped slaves from southern secessionist states who wished to battle for the abolitionist north, but in fact the majority were born free in the North, although some did escape from slavery.
Of the major characters in the movie's version of the regiment, only Robert Gould Shaw was a real person. The rest are composite characters. The name of Shaw's executive officer (Cabot Forbes) is a combination of the first name from one of the real Shaw's friends and the last name of another.
Colonel Shaw was married, but his wife is not depicted in the film.
The manner in which Colonel Shaw dies in the movie is based on fact. His final words were "Forward Fifty-fourth" before he was shot several times in the chest.
The final scene of the film shows Shaw's body being thrown into the burial pit alongside his fallen soldiers. This is historically accurate. It seems to have been meant as an insult, but Shaw's father later said that he was proud that his son was buried next to his men.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glory_%28movie%29

Some Union soldiers were fresh immigrants fighting for their next meal & some were drafted and they too were looking for their next meal. Not too many foot soldiers had such high ideals as to slavery or states rights being the reason for fighting. It's always been about the guy next to you and not letting the rest of the 'boys' down. J/S

Answer 2

"Glory" is best viewed as entertainment. It depicts a series of stereotypes of mind 19th century America and the fighting of the Civil War. While some do have some connection with the events of the day by and large the movie is created to be profitable and the Civil War is used as a marketing devise to maximize profits. So if you have seen the movie I hope you enjoyed it. But it should be viewed as any other piece of entertainment created for private profit.

2. Union soldiers fought for different reasons. Some were motivated by patriotism, both the desire to preserve the Union and end slavery. However, Abolitionists generally opposed the war. From their view letting the Confederates go would in fact almost completely rid the Union of slavery and that was desirable.

Other enlistees had the same reason that enlistees in all wars have had. They were poor and had no real prospects of anything. Enlisting would provide them with food, clothing, shelter and medical care, things they were in need of.

Finally, in the Union many soldiers were drafted. Often draftees were recent immigrants who did not see that the war had anything to do with them. Some adapted quite well to military life; others resented it.

So soldiers had many motives during the war.

Answer 3

As for your first question, I did not see it that way. And as for the second, a majority of white Northerners were exceptionally racist. Even Shaw was not initially thrilled with the idea of commanding a regiment of blacks. Most Union soldiers didn't particularly care about freeing slaves. Some fought to preserve the Union. Others fought because they were drafted, while still others fought for the pay. The latter included a great many recent immigrants who were induced to join the Union army the very day they stepped off the boats from overseas. Since quite a few of them had served in European armies, they were familiar with the task. And of course, they needed money right away. There were regiments (a regiment numbered twelve hundred men, normally) where every man spoke German and most didn't know a word of English. Several Union generals were German immigrants as well, so it worked out. And of course, you can't discount the other black regiments. Nearly two hundred thousand black men served in Union regiments. The 54th Massachusetts was not the first black regiment to fight the Confederates, either, despite the impression given by the movie "Glory". That distinction belongs to the 1st and 2nd Kansas Volunteer Infantry regiments, who fought in Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) and drove the Confederates out of the territory at the Battle of Honey Springs more than a year before the 54th was even mustered.

Answer 4

preservation of the Union, as slavery was added to the mix after Lincoln freed them with the Emancipation proclamation. as for the white Colonel? who knows? hollywood??