The Battle of Gettysburg

The historians consider the Battle of Gettysburg as the turning point in the American Civil War. It was a bloody battle which lasted for three days and took many young lives. The armies of Generals George Gordon and Robert Lee fought near the city of Gettysburg from 1st till 3rd of July 1863. The Generals received the tasks to destroy the armies of the opponents since the result of the battle could influence the result of the stand-off. Thus, both men spent some time learning carefully the positions of armies. However, unfortunately, it did not allow both of them to avoid thousands of deaths. Indeed, it was the bloodiest episode in the Civil War, which was marked by the deaths of 50,000 men from both sides. The first time, these armies met in Chancellorsville, and this battle was dominated by Robert Lee`s army. The second day brought some superiority for General Gordon allowing him to find some defensive positions while Robert Lee`s army advanced towards the North. The third day of the battle has become the cruelest one. On this day, a series of bloody confrontations have led to many casualties on the Cemetery Ridge. Finally, the forces of the Union managed to grab the victory and overcome the army of Confederates.

Paradoxically, the factors or events that have led to the battle are still obscure for many American people. However, nobody can deny the fact that this battle was one of the most significant events in the history of the United States. It helped people to realize how many human lives could be taken because of the inability to find the reasonable compromises.

It should be pointed out that the Civil War has become a black page in the book of the history of the United States. The irreconcilable conflict between the North and South has led to many bloody battles, which took the lives of millions of young men. The question of slavery turned into a conflict of interests and sharing the spheres of influence. The Battle of Gettysburg is considered as the turning point in the war since it helped to speed up the process of gaining the victory for President Abraham Lincoln. In particular, this military operation allowed the Union army to take control over northern Virginia and defeat the Confederates. Being a wise and determined President, Lincoln did his best to finalize the war. After the battle, he proclaimed the speech at Gettysburg National Cemetery where he defined the importance of gaining freedom for all people as well as equal civil rights for everyone.

To summarize, the Battle of Gettysburg helped the US citizens to realize the importance of freedom as the essential virtue. After this battle, the nation united in the common desire to become stronger. The historical significance of the struggle lies in the fact that it hastened the abolition of slavery.