The Custer ControversyWhat actually happened at the Battle of Little Big Horn has spawned countless books and opinions on why General Custer attacked the Sioux and the Cheyennes on June 22, 1876. The books and online articles that tell the facts, the chronology, and which have survived have been written based on facts but are not all unbiased in terms of perspective. Most of these writers want to prove that Custer was either a hero or a villain. From the perspective of the general's men, they saw him as a fearless leader, one of the few who stood at the front of the battle, while the politicians interpreted the general's actions as selfish and reckless. Custer's last stand granted him immortal status at the cost not only of his own life; but also those of his entire brigade involved because of a tactical blunder. Unfortunately, the magnitude of this "mistake" cannot be understated, but denying what he accomplished during the Civil War and Indian Wars is the argument that continues to rage. Was General Custer truly an American hero or an overly aggressive general who sought fame and glory? George Armstrong Custer was born to Emanuel and Maria Custer in New Rumley, Ohio, on December 5, 1839. Emanuel was a blacksmith and farmer by trade. This allowed Custer to learn to ride horses at a young age. Custer rode newly shod horses in the shop while Emanuel made horseshoes. Custer received the nickname "Autie" as a young boy because of the way he pronounced his middle name, Armstrong. Custer attended school regularly and was known to be very intelligent. When Custer completed his education at McNeely Normal School, he accepted a teaching position in Cadiz, Ohio, in 1856. Custer was attracted by the idea of ​​a free college education and decided... .. middle of paper...... Hyslop, S. Eyewitness to the Civil War » The Complete History from Secession to Reconstruction. Washington DC: National Geographic Society. Kent, Z. (2000). George Armstrong Custer: Civil War general and Western legend. New Jersey: Enslow. New perspectives on the West. The bull sitting in the west. PBS, 2001. The web. 21. Retrieved November 12, 2011 from http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/s_z_sittingbull.htm. Paine, L. (1996). General Custer's Story: Shedding New Light on the Drama of the Battle of Little Big Horn. Thorndike, Maine: G. K. Hall & Co. Perrett, B. (1991). LAST STAND! Famous battles against all odds. London: Arms and Armor Press. The Battle of Little Big Horn, 1876, “Eye Witness to History.” Retrieved November 20, 2011 from www.eyewitnesstohistory.com. Utley, R., Wilcomb, W. The American Heritage History of the Indian Wars. New York: American heritage.