Fighting the Civil War: Americas First Total War.

Fighting the Civil War: America’s First Total War

Writing My First 17B Paper Was…

A. A better experience than I thought.

B. A worse experience than I thought.

C. The worse experience of my college career.

How Do We Define “Total War”?

Number of Casualties (620,000 dead or 5.9 million in today’s terms).

Growth of Government and Mobilization of Resources

War Against Civilian Population Thesis: North was able to attack southern

home front and thus won the war.

A Quick War?Huge Northern Advantages

Manpower, Industrial Capacity

A Quick War?Huge Northern Advantages

Manpower, Industrial Capacity

Naval Power (Move Supplies, Attack)

Southern Advantages

Win by Not Losing

(Example of American Revolution)

Southern Advantages

Win by Not Losing

South Has Best Officers in Early Years

Southern Advantages

Win by Not Losing

South Has Best Officers in Early Years

South Attacked Northern Supply Lines

Southern Advantages Win by Not Losing

South Has Best Officers in Early Years

South Attacked Northern Supply Lines

Advent of Rifled Musket

The Rifled Musket Inflicts Staggering Casualties

The Rifled MusketIncreased RangeFrom 80 Yards to More than 400 Yards.

“Glory” Demonstrates Impact of Rifled Musket

Story of Robert Gould Shaw and the Massachusetts 54th Regiment

Massed Attacks Face Huge Casualties Amputations Frequent and Dangerous Officers Have Particularly High Casualty Rates

The Development of Trench Warfare Adds to the Slaughter

Between May 4 and June 20, 1864, U. S. Grant’s Army Suffered 65,000 Causalities.

Huge Causalities Made Home Front Crucial

How does your side maintain support of the war over long period of time?

North Made Political Decision to Make War on Southern Homefront

Emancipation of slaves (Thursday’s lecture)

North Effectively Made War on Southern Homefront

Emancipation of slaves Naval blockade caused

severe shortages, inflation.

North Effectively Made War on Southern Homefront

Emancipation of slaves Naval blockade caused

severe shortages, inflation.

Direct destruction of southern homes, farms, and railroads

Decisive Blow:Sherman’s March to the Sea, 1864-

1865

Impact on Confederate Morale:

Desertion and Manpower

Women and children suffered greatly: honorable to come home.

Lee in February 1865: “Hundreds of men are deserting nightly.” Eight percent of his army deserts that month.

Was Total War Justified?

A. Yes

B. No

Costs of Total War

A. The Moral Problem of Civilian Deaths

B. Reconciliation More Difficult

C. The Rise of the Corporatist State