The Birth of a Nation Warfare Quotes

Ben, the soon-to-be creator of the Ku Klux Klan, is depicted as a war hero who refuses to give up against insurmountable odds. This is a way of emphasizing his noble nature before we see him create America's longest-running hate group.

This is another moment meant to make Ben look heroic (woo). That aside, however, it also highlights the complicated nature of civil wars. Are you supposed to hate your fellow countrymen simply because they're wearing a different uniform?

This is certainly true. War doesn't just end as if you're switching a light on or off. It has consequences, many of which can't be fully understood until well after the fact.