BLUE & GRAY FOREIGN RELATIONS (Part the Second): THE TRENT AFFAIR

Charles Wilkes (1798-1877)

James Murray Mason (1798-1871)

John Slidell (1793-1871)

In which we continue our discussion of Union and Confederate diplomacy by looking at the Trent Affair, which took the U.S. and Britain to the brink of war.

Our book recommendation for this episode is Caution and Cooperation: The American Civil War in British-American Relations by Phillip E. Myers.

“Phillip E. Myers places Anglo-American relations during the Civil War within the broader context of the whole nineteenth century, arguing convincingly for the lack of any real chance of British intervention on the side of the Confederacy… Based on extensive research in the United States and Great Britain, this major reinterpretation of the transatlantic relationship is ‘international history’ in its truest sense.” ~ Mary Ann Hess, Editor, New Studies in U.S. Foreign Relations Series

Listen to Episode 84: ForeignRelationsPartSecond

BLUE & GRAY FOREIGN RELATIONS (Part the First): “KING COTTON DIPLOMACY”

William Henry Seward (1801-1872)

In which we discuss Union and Confederate foreign relations early in the Civil War, especially the South’s use of “King Cotton Diplomacy.”

Our book recommendation for this episode is Blue & Gray Diplomacy: A History of Union and Confederate Foreign Relations by Howard Jones.

“No other single volume offers such a comprehensive view of the challenges facing both Union and Confederate diplomats in London and Paris- and the motivations and responses of those courts. Jones has given us an exceptional study, a work on Civil War foreign affairs that is clearly written and synthesizes the most recent scholarship.” ~ John Belohlavek, University of South Florida

Listen to Episode 83: ForeignRelationsPartFirst