The American civil war offers Hong Kong lessons in how to compromise and end conflict

The ending of America’s divisive conflict shows how it took great political courage and wisdom for the victor to offer generous and compassionate terms of surrender, promising peace and no prosecution. There are useful lessons here for Hong Kong’s government

Paul Yip

Published: 6:30am, 23 Nov 2019

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Hong Kong has experienced more than five months of confrontation, with no light at the end of the tunnel. The level of violence, number of injuries and arrests have only increased. Trust between the police and demonstrators is nearly non-existent.

We have talked to students. Some are exhausted and frustrated at the lack of progress in advancing their demands and improving governance. The government is simply relying on the police to restore law and order. Neither side has made any significant concessions or compromise, and the whole community is suffering.

Compromise is not a sign of weakness; it requires strength and wisdom to break a deadlock and provide an opportunity for recovery. Perhaps we can learn from the ending of the American civil war that broke out in April 1861 between the northern Union states and the southern Confederate states.

Four years in, the Confederate state army, already disadvantaged in terms of manpower, industrial capacity and economy, was facing low morale, food shortages and exhaustion. Knowing this, General Ulysses S. Grant, who led the Union army, wrote to general Robert E. Lee, leader of the Confederate state army of northern Virginia, to persuade him to surrender.

Protesters gather for the four-month anniversary of the July 21 Yuen Long attack on commuters, at Yoho Mall in Yeun Long. People are increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress in advancing their demands and improving governance. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Lee negotiated surrender terms that allowed his men to keep their swords and personal belongings, and to return home in peace as long as they did not turn against the Union or break the law. These were generous terms for the men, who had expected to be imprisoned.

In addition, Lee asked for his soldiers to be allowed to keep their horses and while this could not be added to the surrender documents, Grant instructed his soldiers to allow it. Grant also arranged for transport and food supplies for the more than 1,000 men, who had not eaten for days.

When Lee and his men bid farewell, Grant and his officers took their hats off as a sign of respect; in return, Lee did the same. After Lee’s surrender, the rest of the Confederate State Army also surrendered, bringing the civil war to an end.

There are not many wars in which victors show generosity to the defeated. Grant, a brutal general capable of sacrificing his men to win, was known as a butcher rather than a man of compassion. It was also public sentiment at the time to treat the southern army as traitors. But Grant knew that if Lee surrendered, the war would be over.

He also knew that Lee would never surrender if that meant prosecution, and, safe in the knowledge that then-president Abraham Lincoln intended to pardon the Southerners to reunite the country, Grant decided on a compassionate and flexible approach. This was not a display of weakness, nor did it create a bad precedent. Grant’s wisdom ended a civil war that had lasted for four long years and reunited a country he later led as 18th president.

Hong Kong has entered its sixth long month of protest and conflict. It is heartbreaking that some 5,000 people have been arrested, including more than 750 schoolchildren younger than 18 and at least 105 minors aged between 12 and 15.

In the recent standoff between protesters barricaded inside Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the riot police, it was encouraging to see restraint and goodwill on both sides to resolve the crisis peacefully. Some protesters managed to leave the compound peacefully to face the possible legal consequences.

It is important that a legal process is in place to deal with the matter. The community, including parents, would be relieved if the government could give a second chance to those not involved in serious violence.

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It is important to demonstrate to the world that Hong Kong, as a civil society, is able to resolve conflicts orderly and with few injuries. The authorities need to have the courage to break the mould of traditional thinking and find the political wisdom and courage to do whatever they can, in good faith and harmony, to lift Hong Kong out of this dark pit. That is the only way people can return to their normal lives in anticipation of the necessary social, economic and political reforms.

We need to work hard together to restore trust and harmony between the community and police for the betterment of Hong Kong. We need an efficient and responsible police force to protect our lives and property. Hatred has no place in our society. Rather, compromises should be made so we can all move forward. Can Grant’s political wisdom bring any inspiration to Hong Kong?

Paul Yip is chair professor (population health) in the Department of Social Work and Social Administration at the University of Hong Kong. The article was prepared with help from CC Choi

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