“While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted
altogether to saving the Union without war, insurgent agents were in the
city seeking to destroy it without war—seeking to dissolve the Union and
divide effects by negotiation. Both parties deprecated war, but one of them
would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept
war rather than let it perish, and the war came” –Abraham Lincoln
Tension, when is it strong enough to break a bond apart? New
conflicts between pro-Russian Ukrainians and the Ukrainian government have
arisen in Ukraine. We can look closer into this ongoing conflict in Ukraine by
also looking into the past at the American Civil War in the 1860’s.
A Turn After The Revolution
America’s revolution was a fight for freedom from tyranny
and for the rights offered in a democracy. Ukraine’s revolution also fought the
oppression of a dictator and sought to establish democratic rights.
In America, the rights were solidified in the U.S.
Constitution while Ukraine is still in the process of constructing the rights
that the Ukrainian people have protested for.
America’s civil war came 85 years after the revolution was
won while Ukraine only had its revolution nearly five months ago. Ukraine
hasn’t been able to focus on instituting firm and clear democratic rights in
the nation because it has been faced with constant tension. In order for it to
be the Ukraine that its people protested for, it must achieve peace and order
in the nation.
To Save The Union
President Abraham Lincoln when giving his second inaugural address said,
“Both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let
the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish.”
His word’s still ring true to this day. Ukraine and Russia both declared that
they wished to evade war. They did, and now Crimea is in the hands of Putin.
The acting president of Ukraine, Oleksandr Turchynov, has begun military operations against the armed
pro-Russia gunmen who have take over government buildings in eastern Ukraine.
Like Lincoln, Turchynov is attempting to save the union of Ukraine instead of
letting parts of Ukraine leave the nation and fall into Russia’s control.
Foreign Intervention
The American Civil War
was seen as a fight against slavery. This deterred foreign involvement in
America because European powers did not want to appear to be pro-slavery.
Ukraine does not have
this humanitarian call to battle that the U.S. did. Ukraine’s battle is largely
not against itself, but against its neighbor. Russian intervention will not
allow Ukraine to settle its own interior conflict and be a stable nation once
again. Russia’s interference will only weaken the nation of Ukraine without
strengthening the pro-West side or the pro-Russia side.
Ukraine Must Be United
Abraham Lincoln wanted
peace. He cared for the South and sympathized with the Southern people. They
offered to secede the union peacefully, but Lincoln did not see it in the power
or right of the president to allow the union to be divided and the nation
split.
The government of
Ukraine cannot continue to let Eastern regions of Ukraine secede. Although much
of the population of Eastern Ukraine may desire secession, it is not in the
power of the Ukrainian president to allow the nation to peacefully dissolve.
Do you think Lincoln
was right in his argument against peaceful secession? Is peace more important
than unity? Look comments below to express your opinion.
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