Why the South Lost the Civil War - 1696 Words

The Civil War was not the defeat of a hopeless rebellion. The Confederates had legitimate opportunity to win independence, but they failed to capitalize on it. The South’s chances at victory were not remote; rather they could expect to win. The ultimate cause of the South’s failure was a lack of aggression in all aspects. The two times the Confederates attacked the North at Antietam and Gettysburg, the results were catastrophic because of a lack of strategy. An offensive plan of war does not necessarily mean charging right at an opponent, who in this case had more than three times the number of men as the Confederates. Rather, an effective form of offense would be to attack northern factories, farms, and cities. This would damage the†¦show more content†¦Therefore, the Border States felt they would be safe staying in the Union while the confederates fought a destructive war. The confederacy had the ability to persuade these states to secede in 1861 when Presid ent Lincoln ordered supplies to be brought to Fort Sumter in South Carolina. The north claimed they just wanted to keep the men in the fort alive, but there actions were provocative. Foolishly, the confederates fell for their plan and fired upon the fort. This made the South look like the aggressors in the war rather than the north, and persuaded the Border States not to secede as they felt their lifestyle was not going to be ruined by the north. If the South avoided this unnecessary conflict and instead waited for the north to attack first, it would confirm that the North wanted the confederates to succumb to their ideals and change their society to conform to their standards. The South almost certainly won if they had the Border States on their side. If acquired, they would double the confederates’ manufacturing and increase the white population by forty-five percent. The states also had a large supply of grain and edible goods, which the rest of the cotton-focused south la cked. Missouri and Maryland were especially important for their strategic locations. Missouri would protect the Mississippi River, while Maryland surrounded the Union’s capital in Washington D.C. on three sides. Due to the South’s weak central government, some mightShow MoreRelatedWhy the North Won the Civil War by David Donald: Reflection on the economic, military, diplomatic, political, and social reasons the South lost.1314 Words   |  6 PagesWhy the North Won the Civil War Historians have argued inconclusively for years over the prime reason for Confederate defeat in the Civil War. The book Why the North Won the Civil War outlines five of the most agreed upon causes of Southern defeat, each written by a highly esteemed American historian. The author of each essay does acknowledge and discuss the views of the other authors. 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