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Communist Leader Joseph Stalin : The Death Of One Man

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Communist leader Joseph Stalin once promulgated “The death of one man is a tragedy. The death of millions is a statistic.” Attesting to the manner in which war assimilates the mind into accepting death, Stalin’s words came to fruition in the minds of leaders during the American Civil War, a four year strife over sectionalism. While both sides suffered heavy losses, the Union was ultimately able to defeat the Confederates States of America in 1865 after the Confederates surrendered. Nonetheless, such defeat could have been avoided in the case that the South held true to their values and exhibited the resilience which many believed characterized the South. All in all, the Civil War could have become a victory for the Confederates States of America, in retrospect, on the basis that they would have obeyed the principle delineated by noted war General Sun Tzu which reads “If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.” The Civil War, while debated by many historians, resulted in a Union victory and a Confederate resignation. Prior to the war, the Confederacy was seen to have many advantages, from their

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