Significant Events during the Civil War - Assignment Example

Running Head: Significant Events….. Topic: Significant Events during the Civil War Order#: 429600 Topic: Significant Events during the Civil War 1. Three important reasons are cited why the Confederacy was defeated in the Civil War. Men, guns and the political and military leadership behind the men and guns! The winner North possessed them all and the South lacked them, throughout the war, in one form or the other. Destiny played its part. Quoting McPherson, Gabor S. Boritt writes, “McPherson divides proposed explanations into two categories (1) internal, focused primarily on what took place within the Confederacy; (2) external, with emphasis on elements that accounted for Northern victory. Both categories of explanation seem to assume Confederate defeat to be inevitable.”(7) The South performed well in the war, it was not weak, people were dedicated and they did put up a strong fight. If the things would have gone slightly different, the South would have won and the country would have been divided forever. The strategists had estimated that the South would not be able to put up the resistance for long and that it would be defeated quickly but the War continued beyond the expectations of the military and political leadership of the North. Weaponry-wise the North was strong, it had a good industry base. Factories could be converted into military arms and ammunition production units. South lacked that infrastructure. Getting the supply of weapons was a problem for the South. Military Generals of both the sides were capable and matched in leadership skills. The strategy employed by Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee was identical on many counts but the offensive-defensive strategy by the North enabled it to win. 2. If war period was tough, the period of Reconstruction was tougher. It is easy to break but difficult to build. It is easy to destroy but difficult to construct. What were the conditions in the South after the Civil War? John Hope Franklin writes, “Fields were laid waste, cities burned, bridges and roads destroyed. Even most of the woefully inadequate factories were leveled, as if to underscore the unchallenged industrial superiority of the North.”(2) The African-Americans had a tough time in establishing their identity. But the systems and procedures adopted during the Reconstruction Era are in vogue even today. The era of reconstruction was hailed as the less significant period of US history; but that observation has been contradicted by the recent researches. The issue of Reconstruction was not all about the emancipation of African-American population. The involvement in Reconstruction, of the African-American former slave population was deep and they were much interested in the process. The example of how the Slaves took care of Jefferson Davis’s plantation after he died indicated their positive attitude. Slavery, though legally abolished, in practice the remnants of slavery still existed. The bias against the African-Americans was prevalent. Also, the African-Americans were beginning to make bidding for power and their ambitions were in tune with the democratic process. Following the Civil War, during Reconstruction, Radical Republicans in Congress were in favor of tangible measures concerning the South. The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution (with its equal protection clause) was also the work of the Radical Republicans. The policies of Johnson and Republicans such as Rutherford B. Hayes wished to put a stop to the process of Reconstruction. If they were understanding and co-operative to the process of Reconstruction, the repercussion like the Jim Crow Era could have been possibly averted. Notwithstanding the bias against them, the African-Americans were not disheartened. They built their own schools and churches and the impact of slavery began to dilute, all over the country. Their involvement in the political process began to increase and this had the salutary effect on their living conditions and social status. The seeds of capitalism were sown during the reconstruction era, a policy that America pursues even today. A section of the historians assert that the Southern elite tried its best to sabotage the process of emancipation of the African-Americans, who were asserting their rights for independence in all walks of life. But for this negative approach, the process of reconstruction would have been accelerated at a faster pace. 3. The process of Reconstruction was a testing time for the country as a whole and particularly the South. Divergent views prevailed and the clash of opinions retarded the progress of reconstruction. Some wished to leave the issue as it was and stop the active involvement in Reconstruction. Others wanted to take the process to its logical conclusion. The important issue was to strike the balance between the executive, legislative and judiciary. Eventually, the focus of Reconstruction was on federal protection of Civil Rights (McPherson, 2001). There were three amendments to the Constitution, as well as legislation, which were passed by the Radical Republicans. But the Supreme Court stopped the reforms that were designed to help the South. Those reforms were supposed to improve the plight of African Americans were going through, but as they were stopped, the needed improvements failed to materialize. (McPherson, 2001).The Supreme Court intervened to the disadvantage of the South. It essentially invalidated the post Civil War rights legislation. The people who expected substantial and real changes were disappointed and angered. But the Supreme Court had valid legal grounds for its judgment. Justice Warren observed that allowing the legislation to stay as it was would tantamount to depriving the States of their political autonomy. The distinction between the State and Federal Government would almost vanish. The States would be useless from the political standpoint. Segregation and other kinds of serious anomalies that concerned human dignity were expected to go away—but that did not happen. The South was at a loss to understand as to why they had fought the Civil War. Changes gradually began to occur, but the pace was slow. African-Americans were allowed to own land and they were given increased freedom and protection .The agreed upon concession was blocked by one legal hitch or the other, and the struggle was intense for every concession they were entitled on par with the white race. 4. The South suffered the double tragedy. The devastation caused by the war and the bitter infighting amongst the Southern States, which prevented speedy industrialization on par with the North. The total impact of Civil War on the American economy was great. In North, the momentum of industrial progress was rapid, even before and during the war. Its infrastructure was excellent. It had an efficient railway system, good highways which ensured mobility of the people and commercial goods at a fast pace. The infighting blocked the process of progress in South. Interstate commerce and transportation was a serious problem. That was the position before and during the war as well. That was one reason why the war efforts of the South suffered. The economically devastated South needed great efforts to rebuild it but that process did not take off. After the war the pace of industrialization picked up in the already strong North. The South was nowhere near it. Many expected, after the war, the North will come to the assistance of the South but that did not happen. South had lost the war and the North behaved like the aggressive conqueror. It was not eager to help the South to rebuild. South moved towards the progress slowly and comparatively, the South lags behind the North even today, but not all the States. The cost of living in the South is relatively cheaper, and high-profile jobs are not available in the South. Some States in the South have become competitive to the States of the North now. On the whole, the Civil War hastened the industrial progress of America. The economy of the South is rural-oriented and it is densely populated. United States, as a whole suffered heavily on account of the Civil War. But war also enhanced the spirit and commitment of the people to build their country. So progress in every area-infrastructure, industries, transportation, technology-is seen in USA and it has emerged as number one economy in the world. 5 Ulysses S. Grant was appointed as the supreme commander of all Union forces in March of 1864.He was quick to estimate the weakness of the South, especially with regard to the manpower, and shortage of supplies. Grant perceived the weaknesses of the South and realized that General Robert E. Lee was facing critical problems. To drain Lee’s army, “Grant repeatedly attacked during the summer of 1864…Grant lost more men than the Confederates, but he replaced these soldiers with new ones” (Ulysses S. Grant, 2009, Ohio History).The losses suffered by Grant’s army almost in every battle were more but he arranged replenishments, and did not believe in retreating to Washington as the previous Commanders did. He kept on attacking, even when his army faced the situation of slaughter. Take for example, the effect of this strategy of Grant in Overland Campaign. “At the beginning of May 1864, Grant started toward the Confederate capital at Richmond with 118,000 men. Grant hoped to get around Lees line and capture Richmond. But his large army could not move fast enough to outmaneuver the smaller Confederate force” (People & events: Grants greatest battles, 2006, PBS). A fierce battle ensued and at the end of the two-day battle at Wilderness, “Grant had lost almost 18,000 men—6,000 more than Lee had” yet Grant declared victory (People & events: Grants greatest battles, 2006, PBS).But his great achievement was, he was penetrating deep into the South. After all, “he was headed south, toward Richmond, not back to Washington in retreat. To Grant, even the heavy losses in the Wilderness signified a victory. The Confederates had no reserves to replace the dead and wounded. But Grant could call on a huge supply of civilians to fill the Union armies” (People & events: Grants greatest battles, 2006, PBS). Sherman and other Union Generals were attacking the forces of South elsewhere. It took nine months and the Union forces had totally surrounded the Confederate forces and Lee’s forces were starving at Petersburg. Lee retreated and Grant captured Richmond. Finally Lee surrendered at Appomattox. Grant was thus willing to take risks, sacrifice the lives of his men, and that was the best strategy under the circumstances to put an end to the war speedily. ********** References: Boritt, Gabor S. Why the Confederacy Lost (Gettysburg Civil War Institute books) Oxford University Press, USA , October 7, 1993. Franklin, John Hope. Reconstruction After the Civil War; Google Books-1995. McPherson, J, (2001). Ordeal by Fire: The civil war and reconstruction. New York: McGraw-Hill People & events: Grants greatest battles. (2006). The American Experience. PBS. Retrieved April 16,2010 at Ulysses S. Grant. (2009). Ohio History. Retrieved April 16, 2010 at Read More