Civil_War__Why_the_South_Lost

The Civil war was a fight between the Northern and Southern regions of the United States, also known as the Union and Confederacy. It took place from 1861 through 1865. The war came as a result to tension between the North and South over slavery, states’ rights, and the South’s declining political power. The North was victorious in this conflict ultimately ending slavery. The South lost the war because they were outmanned and overpowered military wise by the North. Resources that the South had were inferior to those of the North. The South lacked manufacturing factories during the time of the war. They did not have many other facilities either, such as ironworks to make cannons and guns. The North was a juggernaut in comparison to the South. The South was not known for being industrial. Economy in the South was based on agriculture and economy in the North was based on industries. Most of the workers in the South were involved in agriculture. Roughly 85% of people in the South worked in agriculture compared to 40% of people in the North. The South’s lack of manufacturing capabilities was one of their faults that led to their downfall in the Civil War. The South’s economy started to collapse while the North’s prevailed. The North had more manpower than the South during the Civil War. However the war went on for 4 years, proving the South relentless in their attempts to gain control of the war. The South had the military skill to keep up with the North, but they simply did not have the numbers that the North did. It seems as though man-for-man the Southern soldiers could have been victorious in their war efforts, but this was not the case. The South believed in fighting an honorable fight, which is why they decided not to use guerilla warfare. They wanted to be seen as a “civilized nation.” Although it may have helped the South win the war, it did not suite the image they wanted to put out. The South definitely believed in their honor, respect, and was admirable in their decision not to use guerilla warfare, which would have used fewer resources and would have resulted in them being more successful. The South lacked transportation infrastructure. Somewhere around 25% of railroads ran through the South. The trains that the North had were also bigger than those of the South. This allowed for more men and supplies to be transferred from place to place. Railroads were still however new when the war took place. They were soon strategic, essential, tactful weapons in the war, in which the North took advantage of. The Southern states in the war were not blessed with the political and military leadership that the North was. This is a possible explanation of why the North was so prosperous in the war. President Abraham Lincoln was a better leader than Jefferson Davis. The military leadership in the North was also superior to those of the South. They were more tactful, smarter, and wiser than the Southern leaders. The political status of Lincoln, and the military status of leaders such as General Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan. The North won the Civil war because they had more manpower than the South. They were more industrially sound than the South, which allowed them to manufacture more firearms and weapons than the South. This also allowed them to build more railroads and provided more transportation for the North. The South’s stubbornness and pride prevented them from using Guerilla warfare as a method of winning the war. These faults are reasons that explain why the South lost the war, leading to the abolishment of slavery and giving more political power to the North. The South could have won the war, had they had a better President, MORE and better equipped men, were lead by wiser and more capable generals, and were been more aggressive. Works Cited Adkesheiln, W. (2009, May 12). Confederate Strategy. Retrieved February 7, 2010, from Suit101: http://us-civil-war.suite101.com/article.cfm/confederate_strategy Amsler, B. (2010, January 20). Railroads in the Civil War. Retrieved February 10, 2010, from Gateway NMRA: http://www.gatewaynmra.org/articles/civil-war1.htm Foner, E. (2008). Give Me Liberty: An American History. W. W. Norton & Co. Rivera, A. (N/A). American Civil War. Retrieved February 8, 2009, from http://americancivilwar.com/authors/arrturo_rivera.html