Spring lecture series on the Civil War at the GCC Batavia campus Room T102 at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays. All are free and open to the public. Pre-registration for each lecture is encouraged by contacting The BEST Center at 345-6868.
On Feb. 6 -- "Hanging Henry Wirz: Debating the Meaning of 'War Crimes' during the American Civil War" will be presented by Carole Emberton, assistant professor of History at the University of Buffalo.
Her presentation will explore how the concept of "war crimes" emerged in response to Wirz's trial as commandant of Andersonville Prison. The debate over Wirz's guilt as well as other atrocities committed during the war, including the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre and even the act of secession itself, reveal the anxiety produced by the war's immense devastation and the struggle to control its meaning for future generations.
It also highlights the importance of mid-19th Century developments in international law pertaining to the rules of war and justice for those who violate them.
