Jintai Art Museum - Cuba, US Civil War and WWII

No new history or archaeological information today so I’ll present the latest Military and War art collection from the Jintai Art Museum in Beijing.  The gallery is here.

There are a number of recent sketches of modern world leaders who have been involved in the political side of various world conflicts.  Kofi Annan (Secretary General of the UN from 1997-2006 and also served as a UN-Arab league special envoy to Syria through part of 2012); Henry Kissinger (US Secretary of State 1973-1977 and US National Security Advisor 1969-1975); Boutros-Boutros Ghali (Secretary General of the UN 1992-1996); Boris Yeltsin (First President of Russia 1991-1999); Fidel Castro (First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba 1961-2011, 15^th president of Cuba 1976-2008, 16^th prime Minister of Cuba 1959-2008); Tony Blair (Prime Minister of the UK 1997-2007); Gerhard Schroeder (Chancellor of Germany 1998-2005); William J. Clinton (42^nd President of the US 1993-2001)

Fidel Castro, revolutionary and Prime Minister of Cuba, in Washington DC April 1959, trying to win US support for his rule in Cuba prior to declaring himself a communist

2005 Sculpture of "Before the Decisive Battle" – Abraham Lincoln.  There is not a particular battle this relates to.  The artist simply wished to show Lincoln as a leader.

Lincoln and McClellan, October 3, 1862, near Antietam after the September 17 Battle of Antietam, Maryland

October 3, 1862 photo near Antietam of Allan Pinkerton, Lincoln and Major General McClernand. 

Pinkerton headed the Union Intelligence Services during the war and among other accomplishments filed at least one assassination attempt against Lincoln.

McClernand was a powerful Illinois War Democrat and was given senior command positions.  However, he was somewhat unsuccessful, relieved of command June 18, 1863 then reinstated in field command in 1864 by Lincoln because of his political sway in Illinois.

Possibly 1868 painting "The Peacemakers" showing Sherman, Grant, Lincoln and Admiral Porter.

Major General Sherman is best well known for his “scorched earth” policy of waging total war against the Confederacy.  After the Civil War, he presided over much of the US Army’s conflicts with Native Americans.

Ulysses S. Grant defeated Robert E. Lee in the US Civil War and effectively ended that conflict.  Afterwards he was elected to be 18^th President of the US with his term marked by scandal.

Admiral Porter served effectively in both the Mexican-American War and the US Civil War, afterwards helping to raise the standards of the US Navy.    

2004 Sculptures of the Wright Brothers.  They helped to develop early aviation in general and assisted the US military in developing military aviation capabilities. 

 Fort Meyer, Virginia September 3, 1908 – Wright Brothers  demonstrating an aircraft for the US War Department

General of the Air Force Henry “Hap” Arnold, taught to fly by the Wright Brothers and victorious commander of US Army Air Forces during WWII