I can wrap up this three part series on the US Civil War fairly easily.

But, first I'd like to say that host Ashely Judd is an extremely attractive woman. It's really too bad she is such a fucking over-the-top, leftist whacko! I almost didn't watch Part 1 after seeing she was hosting it.

FYI, each episode is hosted by a different person who "has a personal connection/history with the conflict". Trace Adkins hosts next week and Dennis Haysbert hosts the last episode.

Okay! Back to wrapping it up.

As a Gettysburg native and resident, I feel relatively qualified to say that this Smithsonian Channel "presentation" is, thus far, about as pathetic as one might imagine. It's "slavery this" and "slavery that" when it comes to the war's intricate causes. Needless to say, there was no mention of the harsh taxes, tariffs and other humiliations and depravations the South was forced to endure, prior to seceding. Judd makes sickeningly simplistic statements - overstating the obvious and trivializing the momentous, as the saying goes.

Whoever wrote the script is a blooming idiot and doesn't understand that words actually have meaning.

For example, "The Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves in Southern states."    I'm sure the slaves were happy to hear they could just pack up and split, on Lincoln's word! WTF?!?    And, of course, she overstates Lincoln's feelings regarding slaves and slavery to such a ridiculous, inaccurate degree, I almost turned it off! (Ha! No mention he was a Republican, either! Should we be surprised?)

You might think I'm making too much of this kinda shit, but the whole episode was filled with such drivel. Another example is her making it sound as though Lee just couldn't wait to surrender, since he arrived at Appomattox before Grant! Huh???  

Fucking absurdity after absurdity. In fact, I'm thinking of calling Gettysburg College (my father was a physics professor there for 35 years, btw) and ask the history professor (who participated in this abortion of a documentary) WTF he thought of how poorly they presented a topic that demands a proper telling.

Ugh! Every fucking time I watch something on the Civil War they fuck it up! No matter who makes it! And this year being the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, I've been subjected to more idiocy in this regard than ever! Grrr! This kinda crap just pisses me off! How're we ever going to have citizens who know and understand the history of our nation, if no one is willing to tell it? Unfortunately, not everyone has time to crack a book!

Fuckin' . . . rascals! (historically accurate term! LOL)

Anyway, there ya' have it: my critique of The Civil War 360. As a rant, I'd give it a 6 outta 10 - but, only because I held back! I didn't want to seem petty - you know?  

So-called "documentaries" that are hosted/presented by celebrities...well, you can usually expect them to be garbage.

Yup.

And I guess and hour isn't nearly enough time to get into minutia. Although, I'd have thought they could have, at least, been correct in what they'd said - if not detailed.

Oh, well. For me, another hour wasted.  

Watched it last night on the DVR.  Best part of it was the HD video of some of the artifacts and pictures.  Other than that, totally agree with the OP.  And she is not as good looking any more as she once was.  Looking like she's been hitting the native bourbon a bit.

I can't be the only one who clicked on this expecting the Atlanta Cyclorama, can I?

America knows nothing about it's own civil war.  And it's sad.

Is this the "History" channel?  
Wait I think it's on the Smithsonian channel.  Replace references to the History Channel with the Smithsonian Channel.

Any programming on the History channel that contains actual history is purely coincidental and not intended to have any historical or educational value whatsoever.

Okay. The artifacts were kinda cool, but not so great as to make the time spent in front of the TV worthwhile, IMHO.

I want my hour back.

You can say that again. They ought to use that line as a standard disclaimer that scrolls across the bottom of the screen.