Didnt the South start the war by firing on Fort Sumter?
No. It is widely understood among historians and politicians that it is not he who fires the first shot that starts a war, but he who made the first shot necessary. By refusing to yield or negotiate in good faith to transfer Fort Sumter to South Carolina, the United States was guilty of an act of war. Indeed, there is irrefutable evidence that Lincoln intended to start the war and push the South into firing the first shot for propaganda purposes. A similar example can be seen in World War II, where the USA fired the first shot on the Japanese, i.e., at a midget submarine trying to sneak into Pearl Harbor. The USA fired the first shot, but Japan is guilty of starting the war.
