Contrary to the only other comment so far, I found this inspiring and elevating. I understood the civil war in a way nothing else in 17 years of formal education did. Burns was trying to tell what is perhaps the most compelling story since this country was founded. He had no footage, and was not interested in dramatizing the battles (which is notoriously difficult to to without boosting one side). Instead, he found a way to take the still images and remnants of the war and the stories of individuals and make them more real than any movie could do. Eleven hours of reenactments would have been interminable - and silly - as vaunted as the reenactors are, they get away with it because they are romanticized - can you imagine reenacting Ardennes or Khe Sanh? In a world where TV viewership is measured in 5-minute chunks if you're lucky, Burns kept viewers' attention for 11+ hours - and with no commercials - quite a feat.

For someone who lives outside the United States of America and has an interest in it's history 'The Civil War' for me delivers everything that I'm unable to get here in the UK.

History books don't even come close in highlighting the lives and stories of the those involved in this watershed of America history, it's effects not only felt in North America but eventually the world.

Outstanding.

This series is excellent, probably the best ever. Ken Burns brilliantly captures all of the elements of one of America's greatest disasters. Shelby Foote and all of the other authors and historians that took part in this series were excellent. Foote especially was great for bringing some really good incite on the war. Also Sam Waterston gives an excellent performance as the voice of Abraham Lincoln. Morgan Freeman also does an excellent job as Frederick Douglass. Not to leave anyone out, all the voice-overs were superb. Its a great way to spend 9 1/2 hours, if you have them. But, if you don't have time to watch all, I highly recommended seeing "The Cause" (part 1) and "The Better Angels Of Our Nature" (Final part). They both are truly masterpieces on their own.

When The Civil War first aired in 1990, it became a phenomenon. I

was a little kid, but I remember "Ashokan Farewell" and the

intriguing black and white images and voiceovers from the screen,

and people talking about it all over the place. To be sure, the

intimacy of the film eventually made me a Civil War buff, as it has

for tens of thousands across the country.

The fact is, Ken Burns created a monumental piece of television

that chronicled, if not in a general fashion, by far the most defining

moment in our history and an incredibly groundbreaking way.

The film is simple, yet is so profound in it's simplicity and style,

using just pictures and accounts and music and some bursts of

color from modern cinematography. For the first time, we heard the

accounts of real soldiers and people, and instead of taking sides,

it gave a sense of humanity to both sides in a war that is riddled

with political and social posturing, but was ultimately all slaughter.

It's a technically revolutionary film. Burns and his colleagues have changed the nature of the documentary. Working with old photos on glass plates, an unpromising base, the occasional talking head, and often penetrating and sometimes poignant voiceovers, he contributed to our cultural iconography. His touches have been imitated often in the following decade: the sound of buzzing locusts, the voice-over reading a letter and then signing off by reading the name of the writer aloud, are now taken-for-granted techniques in documentaries (and commercials as well).

Before this series, interest in the Civil War was practically nonexistent. I'm not referring to seeing pretty ladies bounce down the stairs of the big house wearing hoop skirts and ribbons, but the ghastly things taking place at locations that previously had barely rung a bell, like Shiloh.

I was teaching at an eastern university when this series appeared, roughly fifty students, known to be among the brightest available, majoring in communications. I asked the class how many had watched at least one episode. One hand went up, tentatively. I asked why she'd been so hesitant and she said, well, she hadn't really "watched" it, but her husband was a CW buff and was taping it while she passed through the living room. Fewer than fifty percent of our High School seniors can pin the Civil War down to the correct half-century. I'm tempted to click the "Spoilers" box to warn those who don't know who won.

It's against this background of general ignorance that "The Civil War" should be viewed. The film's intent was as much popular as academic, and it seems to have had a good deal of general appeal, my elite class notwithstanding. Popular enough so that a book appeared shortly afterward, "Historians Respond," edited by Bob Toplin, which predictably consisted almost entirely of carping over details, and of claims that Burns missed the whole point of the CW, that he didn't pay enough attention to the role of women and African-Americans. In other words, that he didn't make the kind of movie that THEY would have made. They demand too much. For one thing, a viewing of the series makes it clear that Burns does present the points of view of women and African-Americans. If the prevailing professional opinion is that he didn't go far enough, well, every book has a last page. A program dealing exclusively with the part that slavery played in the CW would have been another program.

A word about the commentators. Bearse knows combat; he was a marine on Guadalcanal. He sticks to military facts, mostly tactical. Senator Symington is surprisingly smooth and knowledgeable. The two chief commentators represent the original opposing points of view. Shelby Foote states proudly in the epilogue to one of his historical volumes on the CW, "I am a Mississippian."

But he's a gentleman, not a stereotypical redneck. He admires the Confederate Southern Army without disparaging the Federals. (Who could help admiring the CSA as a military force?) But, like all polite Southerners, he seems slightly ill at ease discussing the CW in a public venue. He seems like a nice guy and is a marvelous story teller. Barbara Fields, an academic historian, has less screen time. The first impression the viewer gets is that, wow, she's a knockout! The second is that she's cool as a cucumber and presents the modern view that the CW was all about slavery, that whites were almost peripheral to the issues. It's hard to argue with her. After all, slaves were suffering for two hundred years while whites were engaged in "the pursuit of happiness". Yet her anger flares up and it seems misplaced to me. "I don't have much patience with people who say that abolition was difficult because of political circumstances". I hope future historians are kinder to us than our current ones are to Americans of the 1860s.

Slavery should never have been sanctioned under the Constitution but if allowances hadn't been made, the South would not have joined the Union. It was the slaves that paid the price for that union. Given that it was already in place, what could Lincoln have done about slavery that he did not in fact do? Declare it illegal at the firing of the first shot? Hardly. There were slave states that did not secede. Any attempt to turn the CW from a fight to preserve the union into a fight to free the blacks might have turned them back into the Southern camp. Moreover, Lincoln's support in the legislature depended on Democrats, and Republicans too, who were opposed to any attempt to make the CW into a struggle for black freedom. If Lincoln lost his majority in congress he might have lost the whole game. As it was he jumped at the first chance to issue his Emancipation Proclamation. Fields was wrong, too, in saying that we're still fighting the CW today. The chief issues of the war have been resolved. There is no more slavery. African-Americans can vote if they want to. They can take whatever empty seat on the bus is available. Affirmative action works to their benefit. If she means that "social equality" has still not been achieved, she's quite correct. One of the reasons perfect equality hasn't been achieved is that the achievement would involve our completely ignoring the fact of race in this country, and at this point it's inconceivable.

Equality depends on everyone's ability -- and willingness -- to ignore race and ethnicity. I'm all for it. These tribal loyalties are nothing if not bothersome. Burns's series shows one earth-shattering step that has brought that still impossible goal a little closer than it was.

This is by far the best documentary I've ever seen. History is my favorite subject to study and I have seen a lot of documentaries and "The Civil War" by Ken Burns is by far my favorite.

The Civil War is my favorite subject in history to study and Ken Burns does and excellent job at spacing out the sequence of the war in this set, basically two videos per year of the war. Many people stereotypically think of documentaries as dull and boring, but Ken Burns definately does not let "The Civil War" fall into that stereotype. Thats why this documentary is not only good for learning but the soundtrack, the scenery and everything else put into it makes you really appreciate and get a feel for the Civil War era. As you watch through the videos from Fort Sumter through Antietam and Gettysburg and up to Appomattox, you can really get the fealing of how the actual Yankee and Rebel soldiers felt during these times. burns does not only focus on the battles which would stand out as the most interesting part of a war, but he gets into the personal lives of the soldiers, the soldiers' families, abolitionists and slaves.

David McCullough has a wonderful voice as the narrator and it was also nice to hear some familiar voices for some of the characters such as Jason Robards, Morgan Freeman, and Sam Waterston. The interviews by Edwin Bears, Shelby Foote and other historians were always nice to hear among the documentary.

Overall a very well done documentary on the Civil War. If you are interested in American history in general this and "The West" also by Ken Burns are an excellent choice to see.

As a historian I can say that there is little so difficult or gratifing as to bring history accurately alive for others. As a military historian I will say that war is both the highest and lowest achievement and calling of humanity. All wars are filled with pathos, and it is almost by definition impossible to fully understand and contextualize them until they are of the past. It may be that the US Civil War is that around which the greatest pathos exists; perhaps the last war in which honour and purpose were equally upheld on both sides - which is not to say that all those who participated were honorable or idealistic. In this work, Ken Burns brought history to life, made the war as understandable as possible, and transmitted the pathos, the honour, the horror, the vileness, and the humanity of the thing. In so doing he redefined film documentary. The Civil War is the best use to which television has been put.

Ken Burns is a genius and we owe him a huge debt of gratitude for making this wonderful documentary on the American civil war. Even though this is several hours long, I have watched it over and over and still never tire of it. Each time I see it I learn something new. The voices doing the various parts are perfect, the pictures are perfect, EVERYTHING IS PERFECT! From the experienced historian to the novice all will enjoy this. So many things touched my soul from the start of the war to that lovely true letter from the soldier, Sullivan Ballough written to his wife when he knew he would die... (many tears were shed at this point) to the end. In my opinion I could comment on this for pages and pages but no matter what I said it could not show my depth of gratitude for seeing this masterpiece. It will go down as the best documentary ever about the civil war.

Not only is "The Civil War" Ken Burns' best documentary, it is one of the best out there, also. It easily mixes emotions with facts, while keeping an eye on narration.

It doesn't go for cheap "recreation" moments; in other words, we don't see a redo of the tale told with about five soldiers who look like they're dressed for Halloween; we instead see real pictures while listening to vivid narrations by such actors as Jason Robards, Laurence Fishburne, Morgan Freeman, Jeremy Irons, M. Emmet Walsh, Pamela Reed, and more.

If you haven't seen this four hour epic yet, then go find it at a video store right now.

I watched THE CIVIL WAR when it first aired in 1990 and have seen it several times since, and it never seems to lose its impact. While it wasn't Burns' first film, it typified his style perfectly and was really the peak of his form. I enjoy how he uses accounts of both the great and the common participants, and how he doesn't offer an oversimplified account of either side or their motives. I doubt it'll ever be topped.

No war on earth has generated more literature than the American Civil War, most of the story being familiar to most people. So how do you hold the attention of a mass audience for eleven hours?

One way is to involve Shelby Foote, who wrote the 3000-page history that will surely never be supplanted as the definitive account of the conflict. Foote manages to look and sound unlike any other Mississippian of 70-plus, despite the authentic Deep South accent. He always said he didn't want to be just another Lost Cause apologist, and he is certainly anything but that. He manages to exude a profound knowledge of this vast subject, edged with creative insight, humour and a unique whimsical charm.

As in his book, themes are the key - how to maintain a long narrative thread, with the main events in sequence, but without making it feel like a series of tutorials. Instead of just marching forward, it manages to dance. Dozens of themes glide past each other, some of them major topics like Conscription or the Siege of Petersburg, others quite minor, like home-made hooch or the mysterious 'acoustic shadow' that could make a battle inaudible to troops in the next valley. Like any old soldier, I can connect with the front-line joke about Tullahoma. It comes from two ancient Greek words. One means mud. The other means more mud! And I like the jibe about the beleaguered Confederate President Davis: by the end, he was presiding over a Confederacy of the mind.

The spoken quotations from generals and politicians, or from letters and diaries, can seem like rather a conventional treatment - until you start to notice the unusually high quality of speech. These are actually some of the world's most famous actors, as listed in the last frame, if you ever get there. But certainly too conventional is the musical track - same old tunes over and over, all too loud and distracting, and some of the recordings distinctly wobbly.

As the slaves' view of the war is emphasised more than usual, I was surprised there was nothing on how the Native Americans felt about it too. And there were some rather odd disembodied statements that didn't seem to relate to anything before or after, as well as some quite unnecessary reminders of what was happening in the rest of the world in each of these years. The historian Ed Bearss seems to think he's in a horror-film, with his strange posture and weird hand-signals, curiously lit as well. His glamorous Afro-American counterpart Barbara Fields appears to carry conviction until she declares that the civil war is not over yet - not while some people live in houses and others on the street. Oh dear, just another PC indoctrinaire after all.

Finally, don't miss the diaries of Mary Chesnut, far more sensitive and insightful than you would expect from a fashionable lady of South Carolina. And a clip from the 75th anniversary reunion of Gettysburg veterans (1938, and with sound) is a startling piece of theatre, right there on the battlefield, though I can't help wondering if there might be a few sly gatecrashers among all those fine old boys with their brave white moustaches and rebel yells.

My English is not very good, and so i write only comments about movies, that had me completely mesmerized. "The Civil War" from Ken Burns was the second film that I ranked with full 10 stars! I saw it for the first time a few years ago and get every episode on VHS to see it almost every year again. It is a awesome documentation with no other documentation can compare. It's fascinating, because it's contains only old original photographs, the voices of some narrators, and sometimes a short interview with a historian, but it will jolt you out of your seat and captivate you on the screen to miss not one second of it! The live and fate of all the persons that was described in this documentation let your think, they are still alive today, perhaps in your neighborhood or your family. A lot of them will become almost personal friends of you. Ken Burns simply did a perfect job, he build a time-machine for us. He did not use simple re-enactments, only old original pictures and cuttings from newspapers, comments and quotes from diaries and letters tell the stories of the soldiers and civilians of the Civil War. I am really not a sissy, i can count the very, very few movie-scenes that make me cry on the fingers of one hand, but when the narrator read out the Letter from Sullivan Ballou for his wive Sarah, i burst into tears. It is a monument of true love! Every member of a government today that play with the idea to declare war should be forced to read this letter!

I'm 13, and I learned more about the Civil War in these videos than I have in my entire life! It might just be that my teachers don't teach it well, but I think it's something else! When I first started watching them with my parents, I was doubtful of their quality. How is a guy going to make a documentary about a time when there were only still photographs? I thought it wasn't possible to keep the audience interested, especially in a 12.5 hour long documentary. Well, I was wrong.

Ken Burns is actually an amazing film maker. He not only gave information in his documentary, he told a story. And not just any story, he told the story of one of the worst wars in the history of the world. By using still photographs mixed with voice overs and quotes, he brought the world of the Civil War to life.

A great documentary!

What a marvellous documentary, which I had the pleasure to watch in German TV afternoon after afternoon due to my vacation leave. Nowadays here at least historical events are presented with historical photos/movie clips which are added to by awfully staged scenes by mediocre actors, mostly even dubbed because these scenes are shot in Rumania or the likes (no offence).

This production here is simply breathtaking. No staged scenes just heartbreaking photographs of all these young people, staring confidently, sometimes a little fright is visible, into a camera. Add to this the letters being read - in German in my case, by marvellous contributors - it makes you feel like being there and rooting for Elisha Rhodes and Mary Chesnut and all their contemporaries.

I as a German never learned f all about the Civil war but was fortunate to have a Dad who was fascinated by all things American, the liberators for a young soldier who was drafted at 18 to do the Russian campaign. Should there ever be a documentary about these boys, I'd proudly present a little tin cigarette case which dad received from a Russian POW, made from a tin plate, the upper side shows a tank and war planes, the other side shows a little peaceful house with birds. All made by use of a fork and as a gift for bread being smuggled in by dad, Breslau it reads.

This drifting towards an other war just goes to tell how many heartbreaking stories have to be told. And the Ken Burns documentary is epic and wonderful by showing the faces of war, the voices of war. Could you imagine photographs of dead soldiers, some unimaginably mutilated in our days? Unimaginable. We today have clean wars, you get the numbers of deads but are spared the pictures. This documentary made me shed so many tears, war is hell (Sherman) and so many stories are still untold. War is hell indeed. And should be shown as such. Where is the documentary about letters, unsufferable pictures and such about nowadays wars? Unbelievable, but the two last centuries dealt with war much more honest than today when we are sold for in these days of internet and all around "information".

Watch it.

History, and the major events within it, can be hard to get across at times to those who either don't know about it or didn't live through it. Especially when you are trying to get across a conflict that lasted four years, had its roots in the very foundation of the country, cost hundreds of thousands of lives and whose repressions can be felt to this very day. That conflict would be the Civil War and in the eleven hours that this documentary series covers, history comes across very well. In that time, director Ken Burns creates on a large canvas a fascinating real-life story that is both epic and yet personal.

One of the great things about the series is that while it tells an epic story, it is a story that is personal story nonetheless thanks to the voice work and interviews. Burns choice of actors is virtually perfect in casting voices to the real people who wrote the words. Sam Waterston is a perfect Abraham Lincoln and his rendition of Lincoln's most famous speeches (the Gettysburg Address and the second inaugural address) are beautifully done. There's also fine work from Jason Robards as Ulysses S. Grant, Morgan Freeman as Fredrick Douglas, noted playwright Arthur Miller as General Sherman and George Black as Robert E. Lee amongst others. There's also the work of Derek Jacobi and Jeremy Irons as various voices throughout, especially Irons when he reads the article from the New York Times on Matthew Brady images of Antietam. Last not least is the narration of historian David McCullough who leads the viewer through the journey across the war that changed the United States forever. Outside of the voice work for a moment there are the interviews with historians and in particular Shelby Foote who relates not only facts but the personal stories of those who fought the battles and lived through the war. Foote also reads the occasional piece as well including two fantastic pieces in the last episode that help to sum up the entire series brilliantly. Together, they form the personal connection to an epic story from our past.

On the other side of the equation is the epic tapestry that are the events of the war. Burns and his team take years of building tensions, four years of war and the aftermath and successfully condense it all into eleven hours and nine episodes. Burns use of archive photographs, when combined with the use of sound effects, help to bring to life not only the battles but the political maneuverings, the home lives of civilians and the like for example. Burns also makes fine use of paintings and drawings made at the time and afterwords to help illustrate battles where, due to the photographic technology at the time, there are no photographs such as the first Ironclad battle for example. There is also some fine use of newly filmed footage which, even if a field of battle is now empty, help to illustrate the sites where the battles took place. Plus there are moments, such as the corn fields at Antietam if my memory serves correctly, that help put the viewer into the point of view of those who fought the battles. All of these help to portray the epic scale of the Civil War.

Last but not least is the music used in the series. In particular is the use of Ashokan Farewell, a modern piece that nonetheless beautifully fits not only the period but the underlying tragedy of the war. In particular the use of the piece to underscore the letter by soldier Sullivan Ballou, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, the story behind the founding of Arlington National Cemetery and Foote's reading in the last minutes of the final episode make those poignant word all the more emotional. There are also beautiful versions of We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder and Battle Cry of Freedom as well. But perhaps the most moving piece, besides Ashokan Farewell, is a heartbreaking version of Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier which in musical form illustrates the sense of loss felt by those who fought, died and lost family and comrades in the war. The music, both of the era and afterwords, brings the viewer to the era and adds an incredible emotional power to the entire series as well.

Ken Burns massive documentary The Civil War is, at is heart, everything a great documentary should be. It features fine readings by fine actors, great interviews, fine use of images in the form of photographs and paintings, the use of newly filmed footage and the use of incredible and at times heartbreaking pieces of music. Together all of these elements succeed in doing that is truly rare of a documentary or any film telling of history for that matter: history comes alive again.

How about if we suggest that this documentary is allowed an 11? OK, if we could I would vote that high. I own the VHS set and have watched it all the way through many times. I became a severe Civil War nut-case around the time I bought this set and have never turned back. I own the soundtrack, the coffee table book from this series. Not only did I fall in love with this series I also developed a true love of Jacqueline Schwab. I fully know why Ken Burns just sits in awe of her talents: they are that great. I have several of her CD's at home and love them. She is at the peak of her form in this series.

The Burns brothers worked so very hard on this series, often re-shooting material after their research revealed that they had made mistakes in quoting the history. Their determination to tell the story using a wide angle lens, taking in a deep field pays off. The quotations from the letters of the simple soldiers, of politicians and from the great warriors gives the film such weight and power. Shelby Foote just blew me away: I ended up buying his trilogy on the Civil War, read all three books (huge....) and consider them to be the finest masterpieces of Civil War writing to date. The other historians quoted add very important perspectives; there are simply no extraneous moments in these chapters. Everything adds one to the other. The material is so very accurate that there are very few quibbles that Civil War experts have found. It is deeply admired and is singularly held up as one of the finest examples of documentary work ever done. I defy anyone to watch the entire epic and not be swept up into the passionate debate that still enjoys the attention of authors who every year add dozens of new books to the field. The Civil War was the defining moment to America. Abe Lincoln emerges (for me) as the quintessential and greatest of Presidents. His courage and vision and daring have never been equaled and they probably never will be. He was discounted as a country bumpkin lawyer by all those who countenanced their own opinion of themselves far above him; they were all wrong. Lincoln emerges in this series as a giant, a titan who could see above the carnage into the future and who gave of this vision to Grant and Sherman enough clarity that it hung over their deliberations during reconstruction.

I could rave on and on about this series. The best I could ask is for the curious to rent the set and start with tape/CD 1 and just sit back for an experience you'll not find elsewhere. This is as good as this genre gets and it reaches the peaks of satisfaction and achievement. Outstanding and monumental achievement and a must see for all those who know too little about the Civil War.

We in Britain believe that we make the best television documentaries in the world and, in David Attenborough, we probably do have one of the best. Ken Burns' series, "The Civil War", though, outshines them all. Lord Reith, Founding Father of the BBC, said that broadcasting, by which, at the time, he meant radio, should inform, educate and entertain. The BBC may, from time to time, forget this, but Ken Burns has done all three. If a tsunami, a tornado, an earthquake should suddenly take away everything you hold dear, after the family photographs, "The Civil War" is the one thing you should save. It is, quite frankly, the best documentary ever made.

Although Ken Burns documentary is well researched, it still lacks a larger view of American history as it stood at that time. Shelby Foote is over utilized and his sympathies are quite apparent. David McCulloch gives the documentary an instant legitimacy that no documentary deserves. An unknown narrator would have given this show a better push for viewers to search out this war for themselves. And what of the "Nullifiers" and their precious 10th Article of the Constitution? The Civil War started decades before 1861 and current events show that it's still being fought today. This series, even giving it's length, is nothing more than an overview, a glossing over of events. But that's his style, all style. Billy Crystal and Bob Costas for "Baseball", all style, all voices, all faces. As a documentary film maker, he's not in the top 10. Given his funding, that's a terrible shame.

The Civil War (1990)

**** (out of 4)

For a more detailed look at the episodes, check out their own pages where I've written on each of them.

Ken Burns' nine-part series taking a look at the history of The Civil War is without question one of the greatest achievements of any documentary. Clocking in at over twelve-hours, this film doesn't have a single weak moment to be found and it's brutal honesty is something that one has to respect. It really does seem that Burns wasn't interested in taking sides or pushing any of his own political agenda, instead he just delivers a terrific film that gives you a clear idea of what was going on in the country leading up to the war, the attitudes during the war and the downfall after the battles. We get to hear about everything from the first shots being fired to the final man being killed in action. The documentary is so well-detailed that by the time it's over you're really going to feel as if you know everything on the subject and this here is also something very important for any documentary.

The nine different episodes cover every inch of the war but some of the most haunting moments deal with the 600,000 plus that were killed during the war. Not only do we hear about the battles but it's also shocking to see how many of the deaths were due to illness and disease and not a gunshot. We also see the horrors that some soldiers found themselves in after being captured and held in Southern prisons that were overflowing with people. The horrors were that the South couldn't feed their own troops let alone all the prisoners. There are some pretty graphic photographs of soldiers that were nothing more than skin and bone and these images are very close to what we'd see decades later with the Holocaust. As with most of Burns' movies, this one here features photographs of the time and these here are certainly priceless and gives one a great view of the destruction caused by the war. Even the assassination of Abraham Lincoln is covered as well as its aftermath.

History buff as well as film buffs are really going to love this documentary. I've seen several documentaries on the subjects covered here but having everyone in one package is a major plus and even better is how terrific the stories are told. You see the various ups and downs from both sides and you really get to understand why the war took place, how many times it came close to ending and of course what happened to make the South still not be too fond of the North even after all these years.

I love The US Civil War films, try to collect and watch them all. And was looking for the series for a long time, and finally got them. it took me several days to watch all 9 episodes, but that was really worth it. Ken Burns did a marvelous job here - the music, the interviews, the old photos, the scenery, the outstanding depth of materials prepared - everything here stands out and shines. The deliberate slow tempo of the narration makes it a treat for the unprepared, but the Civil War buffs like me devour every modicum of information and love it. I must praise the excellent voice-over, the great casting of actors doing this job, the supers array of facts and figures. The old footage of war veterans talking, laughing and hugging made me cry. I loved every minute of the whole serial Very highly recommended Not only for buffs but for all who like history

Ken Burns' The Civil War is not perfect. Maybe the focus is too much on the battles and who the generals were. But for non-history buffs, this is one of the greatest documentaries ever produced. It is a chance to see details that you won't find in history books or even fictional films about it. But the struggle is covered well. The idea that this documentary glorifies war is ludicrous. To show the pictures and describe in detail all the pain felt by both sides lead me to believe that Ken Burns is more anti-war than anything.

This should be required viewing for all American, no matter what creed, race, or political slant is. You will get an understanding of war and how this country struggled and still continues to struggle with race. To me one of the most powerful aspects of this whole documentary is that it shows both sides, not as good or evil, but as human beings.

Me being a northerner and in no way trying to understand a southern mentality, I believe that this film shows how both sides were heroic, to be willing to die for whatever cause they believed in, no matter how ill-mannered or immoral their stance was.

As an Englishman with a Black American Grandfather this Series caught my imagination to the extent of becoming a civil war buff,To this day I am still reading up on Civil War history,but the biggest surprise was to learn that there were Black Troops in The Confederate Army,I pointed this out to a friend of mine who did not believe it until i showed it to him in writing,I only hope that more programmes of this sort can be shown in the future.

Recently I watched North and South,this was my second time around and it became more and more engroseing.I cant comment on the accuracy of the uniforms as it don't have the knowledge but i did give more insight into the Civil War,

If I have any inaccuracies please feel free to put me right.

I have watched this several times now, especially as the remastered DVD came out a few years ago. To my mind, it is still the best war documentary I have ever seen, and I am sure it has spawned an entire generation of civil war buffs.

Particularly moving is the end of episode seven, when the origin of Arlington National Cemetery is described. Again and again, the human cost f the war is made explicit, and it sort of comes together at that point.History doesn't get any more poignant.

Any person who has any sense of the history of the country should own the series, and I completely agree with Shelby Foote when he says that any real understanding of our country has to be based on an understanding of that tragic conflict

When I saw this mini-series/documentary back in 1990, I couldn't wait until the next installment was aired. It was shown over several weeks (on Saturday, I believe) and it gained popularity and audience as word began to spread. This was Ken Burns' first big project, and he never topped it, in my opinion. Burns was extremely fortunate in that he had the on-screen presence of the late Shelby Foote, noted CW historian and Southern gentleman. Foote was near 80 when he appeared in the documentary, but without him, it would've never reached the heights of excellence that it has. Yes, Shelby Foote is THAT good. This documentary takes you into the middle of the debates and the conflict, and helps us understand just how complex this war was, and continues to be.

As a historian I can say that there is little so difficult or gratifying as to bring history accurately alive for others. As a military historian I will say that war is both the highest and lowest achievement and calling of humanity. All wars are filled with pathos, and it is almost by definition impossible to fully understand and contextualize them until they are of the past. It may be that the US Civil War is that around which the greatest pathos exists; perhaps the last war in which honour and purpose were equally upheld on both sides - which is not to say that all those who participated were honorable or idealistic. In this work, Ken Burns brought history to life, made the war as understandable as possible, and transmitted the pathos, the honour, the horror, the vileness, and the humanity of the thing. In so doing he redefined film documentary. The Civil War is the best use to which television has been put.