Evening star., 1943-09-26
Unconditional Surrender
Means Many Things
By John H. cline.

e
Minister Churchill announced at Casa
blanca that this war would end only in
the unconditional surrender Of the Axis
powers, they started lively discussion
that probably will continue down to the
final armistice.
The collapse Of Italy demonstrated
that not many people have any clear idea
of what is implied by unconditional sur
render, nor is it likely that Mr.. Roosevelt
had any specific meaning in mind when
he first used the phrase. In the case Of
Italy, unconditional surrender was not
followed by the imposition of oppressive
armistice terms. Nor is 1t likely that the
Italians win be dealt with harshly In the
final settlement. What will happen in
the case of Germany and Japan remains
to be seen, but it is worth noting that the
President, especially with respect to Ger
many, has been at some pains to assure
the German people that unconditional
surrender will not entail degradation or
oppression for them.
1t may be recalled, however, that the
term occupies prominent place in our
own history. On February 16, 1862, the
Confederate commander at Fort Donel-
son. Gen. Simon B. Buckner, sent
messenger to Gen. U. S. Grant asking for
the appointment of commissioners to
agree upon the terms of capitulation."
Grant replied that he could not accept
any terms but immediate and uncondi-
tional surrender" Buckner of necessity
accepted what he described as the 'un-
generous and unchivalrous" terms, and
the Union commander thereafter was
known as Unconditional Surrender"
Grant. That was the origin of the phrase
which the President put before the re-
porters at Casablanca.
Surrender at Appomattox.
In Grants time, however, 1t did not
have the same stern meaning that pub
lie opinion attaches to 1t today. Gen.
Buckner cooled off after his first outburst
and he and Grant parted on amicable
terms. When Gen. Lee surrendered the
Army of Northern Virginia at Appomat-
tox on April 9, 1865, 1t was, in effect, an
unconditional surrender. But that ex-
preston was not used at any stage and,
In fact, the whole affair was handled
with degree of tact and consideration
which was wholly foreign to the at
mosphere in which this war probably will
end. For purposes of contrast, however,
II for no other reason, 1t is interesting to
review the circumstances OF Gen. Lees
surrender. sf
On the 7th of April, 1885, the ragged,
starving remnants of the proud Army of
Northern Virginia were retreating from
Petersburg toward Appomattox Station,
with the Federals in close pursuit Their
position was all but hopeless, and as
darkness fell courier rode up to Gen.
Lee with a sealed letter from Gen. Grant.
This message said: General: The re-
suits of the last week must convince you
Of the hopelessness of further resistance
on the part of the Army Of Northern vir-
ginia in this struggle. feel that it is so,
and regard 1t as my duty to shift from
myself the responsibility of any further
effusion of blood, by asking of you the
surrender of that portion of the c. S.
Army known as the Army Of Northern
Virginia"
Lee was not ready to capitulate. He
still hoped to shake off his pursuers and
effect junction at Danville with the
army of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. But
neither was he willing to reject Grants
proposal out of hand. Here, perhaps.
was a chance to negotiate an honorable
peace, and so, while disclaiming belief in
the hopelessness of his own position,
Gen. Lee wrote back to ask "the terms
you will offer on condition of It's (the
army's) surrender"
BY the afternoon of April 1t had
become clear that the Federals might
beat the Confederates to Appomattox,
where the latter hoped supplies would be
waiting. 1t was with this knowledge that
Lee received Grants reply, the Union
general stating that he would insist only
that the officers and men who were
surrendered should not bear arms again
until properly exchanged. Lee was still
unwilling to surrender, but he wrote back
suggesting meeting the next morning
between himself and Gen. Grant.
Lees Outlook Hopeless.
The next day was Palm Sunday, and
at an early hour it became evident that
the end was at hand. The Confederates
were virtually surrounded by vastly
stronger Union forces, and Lee, unwilling
to throw away the lives of his men, made
the great decision. There Is nothing
left for me to do" he said, "but to 60 and
r he Ji.
thousand deaths" One of his officers
protested that the men had right to
ask that they be spared the humiliation
of asking terms of Unconditional Sur
render" Grant, but Lee had made up his
mind. Under a flag of truce, he rode
through the lines to the point he had
designated, but Grant was not there.
Grant had decided that he lacked
authority to treat on the subject OF
peace" yet he did not close the door, and
Lee, fearing less favorable terms than
those originally proposed, renewed his
request for an interview and asked for
suspension Of hostilities pending the
adjustment of the terms of the surrender
of this army"
The rest of the story is we'll remem-
bered-how Lee arrived first at the Nc
Lean House, where the meeting was to
be held, and of Grants appearance soon
after. Grant wrote out the terms of
surrender quickly and Lee suggested a
change to correct the inadvertent omis-
sion of a word in Grants text. The
Confederate men and officers were to be
paroled, the latter to keep their personal
property, side arms and horses. Grant