you are just about 100 % correct in my view but not quite. Hood famously stated that the south should have freed all the slaves and then succeeded. Had there been no slavery whats so ever (im talking from day 1 of the country), the north would have still been more industrial in nature and therefore more affluent. a split between the cultures would have still occurred, with the south believing they were being given the raw deal. Remember the differing ideas of a strong federal or strong state government was going on even before we officially became the USA. With the north generally supporting a strong fed and the south supporting strong state. The question really is would there have been a war without slavery, or would the north quietly let the south split away.
Let me add to the above, that while there can be no doubt that the war doesn't happen without slavery, I don't think its fair to lump anyone who fought for the south into the category of racist oppressors. Just as there certainly were non-slave owning citizen who fought as defenders against an army they felt was invading their homes, there must have been professional soldiers, even generals, who felt the same way.
I doubt it, and honestly I find it quite funny when people give Washington and Jefferson a pass just because they helped found a country. They helped found 13 colonies into a country. Robert E Lee actually was part of us getting Texas New Mexico Arizona and California. So his good deeds are swept under the rug because of his role in the Civil War. It doesn't make sense to me, but honestly I don't really care. If these people wanna whine over some dead folks made out of bronze have at it. Now if LSU ever puts up a statue of Saban then I'll help tear that bitch down.
My favorite Civil War statue... right here in Richmond across the street at the Virginia Historical Society.... a tribute to the war horses, Union and Confederate, who gave so much of themselves in causes not of their own making:
I think that's fair, but I also think at the same time if you polled them all and ask them if slaves in the south should be treated as equals the NO would be in the high 90 percent.
Our dogs have raced around that statue countless times, but I always stop to admire the beauty and sadness of the sculpture.
