The borÂder-obsessed map aniÂmaÂtor known as EmperÂor TigerÂstar views war from a disÂtance. The EmperÂor leaves such details as jourÂnal entries, letÂters home, and tales of valÂor and cowÂardice for othÂer hisÂtoÂry buffs.
His niche is meticÂuÂlousÂly clockÂing the defeat and triÂumph in terms of shiftÂing terÂriÂtoÂries, by year, by fortÂnight, and, in the case of World War I and World War II, by day.
His five minute take on the AmerÂiÂcan CivÂil War, above, leaves out most of the hair-raisÂing small scale skirÂmishÂes familÂiar from the pages of The Red Badge of Courage.
Trans-MisÂsisÂsipÂpi TheÂater aside, it also makes plain how litÂtle ground the ConÂfedÂerÂates gained after 1861.
The Blue and the Gray are here repÂreÂsentÂed by blue and red, with the musÂtard-colÂored disÂputÂed borÂder states pickÂing sides before the first minute is out. (The Union’s Naval BlockÂade is in forÂmaÂtion withÂin secÂonds.)
LegÂend:
Maroon = ConÂfedÂerÂate States of AmerÂiÂca and terÂriÂtoÂries
Red = Areas occuÂpied by ConÂfedÂerÂate forces
Pink = Gains for that Day
Dark Blue = UnitÂed States of AmerÂiÂca and terÂriÂtoÂries
Blue = Areas occuÂpied by Union forces.
Light blue = Gains for that day
YelÂlow = BorÂder states / disÂputÂed areas.
The magÂniÂtude is movÂing, espeÂcialÂly when paired with ground-levÂel obserÂvaÂtions, be they ficÂtionÂal, hisÂtorÂiÂcal or eyeÂwitÂness.
Even the place-names on the map, which now were mereÂly quaint, would take on the sound of crackÂling flame and disÂtant thunÂder, the BibÂliÂcal, IndiÂan and Anglo-SaxÂon names of hamÂlets and creeks and crossÂroads, for the most part unimÂporÂtant in themÂselves until the day when the armies came togethÂer, as often by acciÂdent as on purÂpose, to give the scatÂtered names a perÂmaÂnence and setÂtle what manÂner of life future genÂerÂaÂtions were to lead.
HisÂtoÂriÂan ShelÂby Foote, The CivÂil War: A NarÂraÂtive
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Watch World War I Unfold in a 6 Minute Time-Lapse Film: Every Day From 1914 to 1918
Watch World War II Rage Across Europe in a 7 Minute Time-Lapse Film: Every Day From 1939 to 1945
Ayun HalÂlÂiÂday is an author, illusÂtraÂtor, and Chief PriÂmaÂtolÂoÂgist of the East VilÂlage Inky zine. Her play, FawnÂbook, opens in New York City latÂer this fall. FolÂlow her @AyunHalliday