Blog #20: Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address

Since many necessary words were already spoken during Lincoln’s presidency, Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address is not as long as his first. He explains that both the North and the South tried to avoid war, but when war did come, it was the South who provoked it. Nonetheless, nobody suspected the large extent of blood and horror that the war brought on. Nobody suspected that the issue of preserving the Union would be settled before the issue of slavery would be. Lincoln then goes on to quote the Bible, saying, “woe unto the world because of offenses; for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh.” By saying this, he is basically confirming his belief that the war was brought on by the South and that they were unjust in their position. Lincoln finishes by saying that without anger toward anyone, but rather with love from God, Americans should strive to regain peace within the nation.

President Harry Truman gave a speech concerning the surrender of Germany that is similar in some ways to Lincoln’s 2nd Inaugural Address. Similar to Lincoln’s Address, Truman mentions God and says that He helped the nation obtain its victory over Germany. Finally, Truman hopes for peace, just as Lincoln desired for the nation at the close of the Civil War.