Gods and Generals

This film (drama)Also known asGods and Generals，is aUSAProducerwomen sex，At2003Released in year 。The dialogue language isEnglish，Current Douban rating8.0(For reference only)。

"Gods and Generals," known as a sequel to "Gettysburg," is actually a prequel, riding the current trend of prequels. The film features almost the entire original cast from "Gettysburg," although the legendary General Lee is now portrayed by Oscar-winning veteran actor Robert Duvall instead of Martin Sheen. The director, cinematographer, and other behind-the-scenes personnel remain largely unchanged, suggesting a similar style to "Gettysburg." Being a prequel, it naturally narrates the story of the Civil War occurring before the Battle of Gettysburg. In line with the director and screenwriter Ronald Maxwell's usual style, it cannot avoid a detailed description of the famous battles of the first two years. Therefore, to better understand the plot, it is necessary to outline these battles. The first major battle of the American Civil War took place in Manassas, Virginia, and is often referred to by historians as the "First Battle of Manassas." From the perspective of the Civil War's scale, this first major battle was quite minor; both sides seemed to be testing each other's strength and did not commit large forces. At the time, the Northern army was under the command of General McDowell, while General Lee of the South did not actually command this battle, resulting in a very disorganized Southern army. Nevertheless, the Southern forces ultimately won, breaking through the Northern lines and causing Northern soldiers to panic and flee like buffalo. This battle also earned the nickname "The Great Skedaddle." After the victory at Manassas, General Lee decided to advance into Maryland (this was his first proactive Northern campaign). However, the battle plan fell into the hands of the Northern army, leading to fierce fighting near a creek called Antietam at a place named Sharpsburg. The Northern alliance attacked General Lee's forces with a three-to-one numerical advantage, resulting in a Southern retreat. The battle on September 17, 1862, was the single deadliest day in the entire Civil War, with a total of 23,582 soldiers dead or wounded on both sides, slightly more on the Northern side, marking it as one of the bloodiest days in American history. Due to this defeat, Great Britain, which had intended to meddle, postponed its recognition of the Confederate government. Additionally, this battle had another historically significant consequence: President Lincoln used this opportunity to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. By November 1862, dissatisfied with the ineffectiveness of Northern army commander McClellan, Lincoln appointed General Burnside, who, grateful for the chance, launched an ambitious winter offensive. This resulted in a brutal battle at the strategic location of Fredericksburg against General Lee's troops. In this battle, the Northern army still outnumbered the Southern forces, but communication and command were terribly chaotic. Although Burnside launched up to 14 continuous assaults on the Southern-held Fredericksburg, he could not break through the Southern line and ultimately had to withdraw unsuccessfully. The Southern army can be considered a comprehensive victory in this battle, inflicting around 13,000 casualties on the Northern army while suffering only about 5,000 losses themselves. After this battle, Northern morale plummeted while Southern morale reached its peak. To boost morale, the Northern army replaced its commander with General Joseph Hooker, but it proved ineffective. In late April to early May 1863, under a condition of 11,500 against 60,000, the Northern army still suffered a significant defeat at Chancellorsville, with more than 17,000 casualties. This battle is generally regarded as General Lee's greatest victory, though it did not come easily; the South also lost about 14,000 soldiers and the famed General Jackson, nicknamed "Stonewall." Some historians even argue that Jackson's unexpected death was the true turning point of the entire Civil War.