What makes one a hero? I learned the answer to that question when the traveling version of the Vietnam War Memorial – the Wall – was displayed in my community.
While visiting the Wall, I talked to a veteran of the Vietnam War, during which time he told me just who were the heroes of the Vietnam War. The heroes were the men whose names were written on the Wall.
In short, a hero is one who dies for a noble cause.
The American soldiers who died in the Vietnam War are regarded as heroes because the cause that they fought for was considered to be noble. Granted, the reason for the U.S. military fighting in Vietnam was muddled. Still, the Americans who favored U.S. involvement in Vietnam perceived that conflict as being a fight to keep people free from Communist tyranny.
Fighting to give people freedom is generally accepted as a noble cause, but what about fighting for the opposite reason?
The latter took place in the USA from April 12, 1861 to May 9, 1865.
Prior to that time, political leaders in the slave states noticed something that alarmed them. The westward expansion of slavery was being prevented by the free-state control of the federal government, and eventually there would be enough free states to amend the U.S. Constitution to outlaw slavery.
Then Abraham Lincoln was elected President on November 6, 1860. To the political leaders of the slave states, Lincoln’s election meant that their worse fears were coming true. So, on April 12, 1861 at 4:30 AM local time, the Confederate military started the U.S. Civil War by firing on Fort Sumter.
The April 2011 issue of Smithsonian Magazine describes the cause of the Civil War. Here is an excerpt from the magazine:
So, contrary to the claims made by Confederacy apologists, slavery was the cause of the Civil War. The Confederate soldiers who flew the Battle Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia (now commonly called the Confederate flag) were soldiers who fought to keep black Americans enslaved.
Were the Confederate soldiers who fought to keep black Americans enslaved heroes?
Answer: No. The Confederate soldiers didn’t fight for a noble cause. Instead, they fought for an ignoble cause – the continued enslavement of black Americans. That fact means that Confederate soldiers don’t qualify to be called heroes. Sure, they were brave, but bravery alone doesn’t make one a hero. The Japanese Kamikaze of World War II were brave, too, but one probably won’t find an American veteran of World War II who would call the Kamikaze heroes.
The “Wanted” posters say the following about David: “Wanted: A refugee from planet Melmac masquerading as a human. Loves cats. If seen, contact the Alien Task Force.”