The first episode examines cultural and political tensions that led to the most told and bloody war that has been waged on American soil. The issues of slavery and states' rights provoked a deep division between north and south, with brothers fighting each other and families were shattered. What was once unimaginable war today is seen as inevitable.
The second episode of the series examines the technological innovations that tipped the balance of power from one side to another and forever changed the way of waging battles. The armored ships, submarines, balloons or the invention of the telegraph were used by both the North and the South in their desperate search for strategic advantage at the risk of permanently losing the war.
The last episode of the series examines the impact that the Civil War had on American history. As the fog of war dissipated, the country fell into a deep recession and survivors continued to struggle to heal their physical and psychological wounds. The end of slavery did not guarantee equality, and the clash between federal and state laws caused the life of former slaves Southeast was even tougher. The legacy of the Civil War was the survival of a nation and, although progress has been made since then, there are many who think that the wounds inflicted upon American society during the conflict have not entirely healed yet.