The second half of Grand Design by Donal Stoker continues on with Stoker’s analysis of the war. He seemingly continues his support and provides evidence of the Union’s strategic thinking and analysis before battles. Stoker continues his top down approach of the war that he clearly states in the beginning of the book, which at times can cause some aggression states when analyzing the strategic components of this war. Its interesting and entertaining at points which makes the reader question if some statements are true when Stoker does not provide citations. Stoker’s top down approach also seemed to tarnish some of his analysis of the war because the leadership of the Civil War was not always a hierarchal state of command. A great battlefield …show more content…
The reason why the Union ultimately won the Civil War was because the Union and its leaders, despite Stoker’s harsh criticisms, considered strategy way more than the Confederacy did. Stoker points out that at the beginning of the Civil War, Lincoln began to consider how he was going to win. Despite more of Stoker’s very harsh criticisms at the very end of the book on Lincoln’s strategic ability outside of politics. The Union’s best leaders Lincoln, McClellan, Sherman and Grant considered the “ways and means”, much more than the confederacy to get the final “end” result the wished for, which was to win the war. The strongest point Stoker makes was his argument that if Lincoln had kept McClellan in place, his strategic thinking at the end of the summer in 1961 could have won the Union the war a lot sooner than it did. Utilizing McClellan’s complex strategic approach for several offenses and forcing the larger grand Union army at the heart of the Confederacy command. Lincoln could have won the war a lot sooner then essentially waiting for commanding generals Grant and Sherman to advance the Union’s strategy once
These civil war battles were a major victory for General Ulysses Grant from the Union and a disaster for the Confederate forces in the South. General Grant seized Forts Henry and Donelson in Tennessee as a way to invade the South directly. Both forts were important for the South because of Tennessee and Cumberland rivers ways as supply line. Factors that played an important role in the Unions victory were Grant’s character traits and the weather. General Grant’s leadership and critical traits of initiative, aggressiveness, constantly seeking creativity, inventive, and resourcefulness were key to the Unions victory.
While he writes about the events after they happened, his experience and detail involved in the book make up that. This book provides a greater understanding of the civil war from a side that is not usually written about. Overall, understanding of the civil war is expanded after reading this book. So it stands not just as a good source for information but also a primary source because of the author’s perspective. The confederate side of the story is silenced often because they lost.
The Diverse Politics of Slavery Key Words/ Terms Significance/ Definition Secession: Explain what secession means? Popular Sovereignty: How did popular sovereignty help to abolish slavery? Underground Railroad: What motive is there to use the underground railroads? Harriet Tubman: Who was Harriet Tubman?
Due to high causality figures and with constant confrontation, Sherman come to a decision to broaden the weight and Emotional distress of the war further than rebel soldiers and to include the civilian advocators Particularly, the common People in general of the Confederacy who filled the ranks of the confederacy. Sherman considered that forcing civilian to feel what he called the “hard hand of war” was a military essential. Making the war ruthless and remorseless would bring victory more swiftly and with a minimum loss of life. He considered that by doing this Confederate morale would be weakened and irregular armed force that were fighting the union forces by sabotage and stalking would withdraw. This would disseminate the message that
Sadly, the Union did not win that battle, but it helped people see the importance of communication. Lincoln began to plan battles more thoroughly with his commanders. It was important to Lincoln that he be updated on the war and battles. Often, he helped formulate tactics over the telegraph and change the role of the government during war (Leddy). Commanding and talking to Ulysses S. Grant over the telegraph (McNamara).
McPherson addresses an issue/problem people have had when we talk/write about the Civil War. That problem is what was both sides truly fighting for. This war broke up the Union into two parts, North and South. Without the war happening, America would not be same America as today. We as Americans need to know the real reason why in 1861, the North and South went against each other and that was because of slavery.
Lincoln’s plan was to bring the nation together and stop the fighting. Along with Lincoln there were other great commanders by his side. General McDowell led the second battle of the Civil War making the North realize this wasn’t going to be an easy battle to win. General Grant led the Union to a victory and the capture of the first Confederate capital. General Sherman led the Union to another victory and ended the Confederacy control on the Mississippi Valley.
Due to these successes he became largely popular and increased morale in the North and the Union soldiers. Although, he created many enemies in the political realm by often making politically charged statements differing from national policy, which in turn created tension between himself and Lincoln. Despite the strained relationship between McClellan and Lincoln and likely due to his past successes, the President recalled and granted him the command over the Army of the Potomac, which created defensive measures for the North. While in command, McClellan continued to frustrate Lincoln time and time again by delaying offensive action against the Confederacy.
During the Civil War, different groups thought different things about why the war was being fought. The North mostly fought for reunification while the South fought to save slavery. Lincoln, who was President at the time, began the war with one set of beliefs and eventually won the war with another. Lincoln’s focus for the war changed from reunification to the abolition of slavery.
The Civil War was first recognized as being a war to preserve the Union. However slavery was always a part of it from the beginning. After diverse events the war turned into a war to abolish slavery. The Civil War initiated as a war to preserve the Union, but traces of slavery were always seen in it. The Civil War turned into a war to abolish slavery because of two main events.
In strictly military terms, the Union was bound to win after this. But there was always the chance that Lincoln might have been voted out in the 1864 election, and that could have meant a compromise peace,
This changed the war because if Lincoln was killed, the North would go into a frenzy and be easily destroyed by the South. Also, he helped destroy one of the biggest battle plots of the civil war. Rose Greenhow was a Confederate spy,
Somebody once remarked, “No man is good enough to govern another man without the other's consent” (“Abraham Lincoln Quotes"). At the initial view, the Civil War was going to be won by the South. Nonetheless, all that changed when Abraham Lincoln constructed the Emancipation Proclamation because it did not solely free slaves, it further altered antiquity for the salutary and assisted the North in the war, which led to their triumph. The Emancipation Proclamation was Abraham Lincoln’s greatest achievement as president.
In September 1862, a battle was fought in a small town in Maryland. More lives were lost than any other battle or war that the United States has ever experience before or since. This battle had no true winner but it did have consequeses that changed the course of the Civil War. In James M. McPherson’s book Crossroads of Freedom Antietam The Battle That Changed the Course of the Civil War, he shows how small events added up to lead to the Battle of Antietam and ultimately to the North winning the Civil War.
The North had many advantages over the South the helped them win the civil war. These reasons included a central leadership, more resources, and recruiting black men for their armies. These reasons helped the North win the civil war and play a big part in how successful they would be. With having advantages, better tactics when fighting, and also a higher population, the North would use strategic planning to fight the South and ultimately win the civil war.