The Broken Marriage of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln Saved the Civil War
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- Опубліковано 11 жов 2024
- Abraham Lincoln was apparently one of those men who regarded “connubial bliss” as an untenable fantasy. During the Civil War, he pardoned a Union soldier who had deserted the army to return home to wed his sweetheart. As the president signed a document sparing the soldier’s life, Lincoln said: “I want to punish the young man-probably in less than a year he will wish I had withheld the pardon.”
To discuss the incredibly story marriage between Abraham and Mary Lincoln is Michael Burlingame, author of the book An American Marriage. We discuss why Lincoln had good reason to regret his marriage to Mary Todd. His revealing narrative shows that, as First Lady, Mary Lincoln accepted bribes and kickbacks, sold permits and pardons, engaged in extortion, and peddled influence. The reader comes to learn that Lincoln wed Mary Todd because, in all likelihood, she seduced him and then insisted that he protect her honor. Perhaps surprisingly, the 5’2” Mrs. Lincoln often physically abused her 6’4” husband, as well as her children and servants; she humiliated her husband in public; she caused him, as president, to fear that she would disgrace him publicly.
In the summer of 1944, a handpicked group of young GIs-including such future luminaries such as Bill Blass, Ellsworth Kelly, Arthur Singer, Victor Dowd, Art Kane, and Jack Masey-landed in France to conduct a secret mission. From Normandy to the Rhine, the 1,100 men of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, known as the Ghost Army, conjured up phony convoys, phantom divisions, and make-believe headquarters to fool the enemy about the strength and location of American units. Every move they made was top secret and their story was hushed up for decades after the war's end.
The unit’s official US Army history noted that “its complement was more theatri¬cal than military,” and “It was like a traveling road show that went up and down the front lines imperson¬ating the real fighting outfits.”
They pulled off twenty-one differ¬ent deceptions and are credited with saving thousands of lives through stagecraft and sleight of hand. They threw themselves into their impersonations, sometimes setting up phony command posts and masquerading as generals. They frequently put themselves in danger, suffering casualties as a consequence. After holding Patton’s line along the Moselle, they barely escaped capture by the Germans in the Battle of the Bulge, and in March 1945 they performed their most dazzling deception, misleading the Germans about where two American divi¬sions would cross the Rhine River.
To explore the story of this forgotten subterfuge is today’s guest, Rick Beyer, author of “The Ghost Army of World War II: How One Top-Secret Unit Deceived the Enemy with Inflatable Tanks, Sound Effects, and Other Audacious Fakery.” We look at how a traveling road show of artists wielding imagination, paint, and bravado saved thousands of American lives.
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#abrahamlincoln #civilwar #americanhistory #americanpresidents #marytoddlincon
As a life long student of Lincoln , I must say this interview was well researched and excellent
Incompetent “scholarship” infused with misogynistic prejudice and petty mindedness. Mary Todd Lincoln’s volatility was undeniably driven by mental illness and loss of her sons.
Though I value many of his insights, I take Burlingame with a grain of salt. He has always had a strong dislike for Mary and turns to William Herndon (who outright hated Mary) for many, many references. IMH, other Lincoln historians and writers such as Jason Emerson are far less biased and worth reading first. Daniel Epstein's book "The Lincolns" remains my favorite because it is also highly informative, less biased and presents the story of the marriage without making Mary a villain.
Why does that guy keep smacking his lips
ikr! It's annoying and kept distracting me from his thoughts.
I would listen but I can't handle the lip smacking
Not a balanced view of Mary Todd Lincoln. Instead, you are partaking of the gossip and sensationalism of their day.
When does history become useless gossip? there is no clear answer to that.
I don’t think MT had it in her too pull herself. Regardless if she wanted too.
From what ive heard of the srriage there is no doubt he was devoted to mary.
Trash history