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"King Cotton" Diplomacy is Topic of Next Brunswick Civil War Round Table Meeting

Max R. Williams, Professor of History Emeritus, Western Carolina UniversityMay 24, 2012 - Southport, NC - Tuesday, June 5th is the next meeting of the Round Table. The speaker will be Max R. Williams, Professor of History Emeritus, Western Carolina University. His presentation is entitled, "When Cotton Wasn't King: Civil War Diplomacy." The meeting will be held at Trinity United Methodist Church, 209 E. Nash St., Southport. Registration begins at 6:30.

Throughout the Civil War, both the North and the South fought for freedom as they conceived it. Both sides anticipated a short war. However, after four years of battle, both sides were bloodied, and the South lay prostrate. How could the leaders of the Confederacy have been so misled? They were aware of the superiority of the Federal government in manpower, manufacturing, railroad mileage, ammunition factories and finance. Why did they expect success? King Cotton! Southern leaders believed both England and France would lift the American blockade so that cotton might flow into their textile mills. This assumption proved wrong despite a fierce diplomatic campaign to entice the European powers to intervene. Arguably, diplomacy played a decisive role in the ultimate decision.

Max Williams is well qualified to speak on this interesting topic which had a major impact on the outcome of the war. He is a North Carolina native; award-winning career educator for 38 years of teaching, 34 years on the History Faculty; the only recipient of all major awards offered by Western Carolina University for teaching, research and service; a well-respected publications editor; and, is currently director and program coordinator for the Round Table.

Everyone is welcome. There is no admission fee for this meeting. It will be the last meeting before the July/August break. Visitors are encouraged to become members of this fast growing non-profit organization where most of the dues collected go toward inviting the most renowned and knowledgeable Civil War historians. Annual dues are $25 for adults and couples, and there is no longer a membership fee for students.

For more information, contact Wally Rueckel at (910) 253-7382, or wrueckel@questor.com


 


 


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