sherman's hard war strategy

American Civil War - American Civil War - Sherman’s Georgia campaigns and total war: Meanwhile, Sherman was pushing off toward Atlanta from Dalton, Georgia, on May 7, 1864, with 110,123 men against Johnston’s 55,000. His father died while William was still a boy and after his father’s death, he was raised by a family friend, attorney Thomas Ewing. His siblings all enjoyed professional success. This page was last modified on 18 March 2009, at 20:55. Confederate soldiers were answering the pleas from their womenfolk and deserting in droves to head back to the homestead...and then the War came to an end just a couple of months later. These tactics definitely bended the common rules of war, but Sherman was willing to do this because he believed that it would bring his country back together. William Tecumseh Sherman was born in 1820 in Lancaster, Ohio, to Charles Robert Sherman, a successful lawyer. But the hard-war strategy left a legacy of bitterness that lasted for generations. “With Sherman’s Mississippi Campaign, Foster has contributed significantly to the literature on the Civil War’s western theater. (A) Sherman's hard war strategy was to conduct the Norths campaign as a war of conquest and employ a scorched earth tactic to break the rebellion. The influential 20th-century British military historian and theorist B. H. Liddell Hart ranked Sherman as one of the most important strategists in the annals of war, along with Scipio Africanus, Belisarius, Napoleon Bonaparte, T. E. Lawrence, and Erwin Rommel. “I wonder if the vengeance of heaven will not pursue such fiends!” Le Conte wrote of Sherman’s army. Mark Grimsley described Sherman’s Savannah campaign in The Hard Hand of War. [3] The speed and efficiency of the destruction by Sherman's army was remarkable. What was General Sherman's "hard war," what was his "bold strategy" after taking Atlanta, and how did he justify his unconventional plan to Grant and Lincoln? Total War in the Civil War. Sherman's concept of total war was a continuation of the tradition of the "nation at arms" established by the French Revolution. See, for instance, Grimsley, pp. See, for instance, Grimsley, pp. Sherman’s March represented an evolution of the broader Union policies of “hard war.” DAVID EVANS, historian and author of "Sherman's Horsemen" At the time, Sherman's decision to abandon his line of communications and cast off for the Georgia coast … After serving during the Mexican War of 1846–1848, he resigned his commission in 1853. The results were his March to the sea which ultimately broke the confederates. Hirshson, p. 393, quoting B.H. William Tecumseh Sherman (February 8, 1820 – February 14, 1891) was an American soldier, businessman, educator, and author. This page has been accessed 17,354 times. summarises the points and evidence you provided to support your thesis. . Be sure to completely answer all the questions for each bullet point. Atlanta was devastated. Atlanta was devastated. Write a 1000-1500-word essay addressing each of the following points. arguing that the Meridian campaign holds a greater significance in the development of Sherman's 'hard war' strategy than has been previously admitted. His vision of hard war brought the Confederacy to its knees, but forestalled thousands of battlefield and civilian deaths. Many Southerners reviled his “scorched earth” tactics, while others saw them as necessary to the end of the war. Liddell Hart credited Sherman with mastery of maneuver warfare (also known as the "indirect approach"), as demonstrated by his series of turning movements against Johnston during the Atlanta Campaign. It futher discusses the change in strategy these men employed and point out a battle or campaign in which each man used their new strategy and how or if these strategies were successful. However, the Civil War was dragging on and General William Tecumseh Sherman was determined to finally end the fighting. For instance, Alabama-born Major Henry Hitchcock, who served in Sherman's staff, declared that "it is a terrible thing to consume and destroy the sustenance of thousands of people", but if the scorched earth strategy served "to paralyze their husbands and fathers who are fighting ... it is mercy in the end."[5]. Therefore, he believed that the North had to conduct its campaign as a war of conquest and employ scorched earth tactics to break the backbone of the rebellion, which he called "hard war". Grimsley cited a letter from Sherman to Grant… My guess is you're referring principally to Sherman's "March to the Sea" near the end of 1864, i.e., the last full year of the U.S. Civil War, in which this general led a vast Union army from Atlanta through northern Georgia and parts of South Carolina to Savannah on the Atlantic coast, effectively splitting the territory of the Confederacy. arguing that the Meridian campaign holds a greater significance in the development of Sherman’s ‘hard war’ strategy than has been previously admitted. (4%) Format includes title page, body of paper, & reference page, with pages numbered, _____ 5. The American Civil War lasted four years, from 1861 to 1865. General Sherman's record as a tactician was mixed, and his military legacy rests primarily on his command of logistics and on his brilliance as a strategist. 190–204; McPherson, pp. In his campaign through Georgia he implemented his total war strategy, which included speedily advancing through Georgia to the Atlantic at any cost, something he called hard war. Its importance rested more in its impact on Sherman’s evolving policy toward Southern civilians and the Union strategy to win the war than on immediate military ramifications in Mississippi. . [4] Consuming supplies, wrecking infrastructure, and undermining morale were Sherman's stated goals, and several of his Southern contemporaries noted this and commented on it. To Sherman war is hell and he demonstrated that he had every intention of wreaking havoc upon the southern states. Nine successive defensive positions were taken up by Johnston. The expedition demonstrated to Sherman and other Federal commanders how to conduct “hard war” successfully. The letter came towards the tail end of Sherman’s campaign in Georgia and his capture of Savannah, a “Christmas gift” for President Lincoln. explains how the essay will be organised (order of points). The essence of the Union’s hard war strategy is demonstrated in General William Tecumseh Sherman’s March to the Sea, a path of destruction across the State of Georgia principally from Atlanta to Savannah. The results were his March to the sea which ultimately broke the confederates. Separate each section in your paper with a clear heading that allows your professor to know which bullet you are addressing in that section of your paper. Submit an electronic copy in the assignment drop box by the due date. The practice of bending rails around trees, leaving behind what came to be known as Sherman's neckties, made repairs difficult. Sherman's greatest contribution to the war, the strategy of total warfare—endorsed by General Grant and President Lincoln—has been the subject of much controversy. (20%) Write the Paper in a scholarly manner General Sherman's record as a tactician was mixed, and his military legacy rests primarily on his command of logistics and on his brilliance as a strategist. sets out the context/background of your argument; introduces the theoretical perspectives you will be using; may define key terms (alternatively you can do the work of defining terms in the second paragraph); sets out your thesis statement/line of argument/central contention; and. Let's use Sherman's March to the Sea as a template to understand the reasoning. This means two pages of content, which requires clear and focused writing. Union General William T. Sherman led 60,000 soldiers on an approximately 300 mile march from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia. The author's main theme is the development by Sherman of his "hard war" strategy and the destruction of the enemy's capacity to make war by destroying his economic base and his support among the population. His younger brother John served in the U.S. Senate. When the city council appealed to him to rescind that order, on the grounds that it would cause great hardship to women, children, the elderly, and others who bore no responsibility for the conduct of the war, Sherman sent a response in which he sought to articulate his conviction that a lasting peace would be possible only if the Union were restored, and that he was therefore prepared to do all he could do to quash the rebellion: Literary critic Edmund Wilson found in Sherman's Memoirs a fascinating and disturbing account of an "appetite for warfare" that "grows as it feeds on the South". William T. Sherman, a major-general for the United States Army during the Civil War, wrote the letter to General Henry Halleck, who was in Washington D.C. at the time. Sherman’s tactics along with those used by Union cavalry commander Philip Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley are seen as the first use of modern total warfare. The Army destroyed railroads, farms, and houses- gobbling up  food and confiscating jewelry looted from civilians. Atlanta was devastated. [6] One of the most serious accusations against Sherman was that he allowed his troops to burn the city of Columbia. Sherman’s army burned much of Columbia, the capital of South Carolina. Liddell Hart also stated that study of Sherman's campaigns had contributed significantly to his own "theory of strategy and tactics in mechanized warfare", which had in turn influenced Heinz Guderian's doctrine of Blitzkrieg and Rommel's use of tanks during the Second World War. The essence of the Union’s hard war strategy is demonstrated in General William Tecumseh Sherman’s March to the Sea, a path of destruction across the State of Georgia principally from Atlanta to Savannah. Avoid excessive use of quotations. (C) Sherman moved deep into … Sherman’s army burned much of Columbia, the capital of South Carolina. Sherman's strategy of total war brought the war home to many in the Deep South. Though exact figures are not available, the loss of civilian life appears to have been very small. There should be two main sections, one for each bullet below. President Lincoln and Generals Sherman and Grant embraced a “hard war-soft peace” philosophy by the end of the war, with General Sherman being its principal proponent; given that General Sherman was a war criminal, it makes sense that he supported such brutal policy. -- Civil War History "With Sherman's Mississippi Campaign , Foster has contributed significantly to the literature on the Civil War's western theater. Therefore, he believed that the North had to conduct its campaign as a war of conquest and employ scorched earthtactics to break the backbone of the rebellion, which he called "hard war". Support your ideas with at least three (3) sources using citations in your essay. Accusations that civilians were targeted and war crimes were committed on the march have made Sherman a controversial figure to this day, particularly in the South. Engraving depicting brutality of Union troops along the path to Savannah. Sherman's March to the Sea refers to a long stretch of devastating Union army movements that took place during the United States Civil War.In the fall of 1864, the Union General William Tecumseh ("Cump") Sherman took 60,000 men … In summary, Sherman deployed relentless tactics on this march, focusing completely on the needs of the Union Army and hindering resources that could be used for the Confederate war effort. “Sherman’s strategy is the art of war employed by the unsuccessful,” Signal declared. And his brother Hoyt was a successfu… Although looting was officially forbidden, historians disagree on how well this regulation was enforced. The author's main theme is the development by Sherman of his "hard war" strategy and the destruction of the enemy's capacity to make war by destroying his economic base and his support among the population. His vision of hard war brought the Confederacy to its knees, … Sherman himself downplayed his role in conducting total war, often saying that he was simply carrying out orders as best he could in order to fulfill his part of Grant's master plan for ending the war. [11] Former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert McNamara refers equivocally to the statement that "war is cruelty and you cannot refine it" in both the book Wilson's Ghost[12] and in his interview for the film The Fog of War. “Sherman’s strategy is the art of war employed by the unsuccessful,” Signal declared. He became acquainted with the people and geography of the South when the U.S. Army stationed him in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina between 1840 and 1846. Sherman's advance through Georgia and South Carolina was characterized by widespread destruction of civilian supplies and infrastructure. 712–714, 727–729. Sherman’s army burned much of Columbia, the capital of South Carolina. The damage done by Sherman was almost entirely limited to the destruction of much property. (A) Sherman's hard war strategy was to conduct the Norths campaign as a war of conquest and employ a scorched earth tactic to break the rebellion. He eliminated Atlanta's war making potential and brought sheer destruction to Georgia, then offered generous surrender terms. Grimsley cited a letter from Sherman to Grant… Sherman himself stated that "[i]f I had made up my mind to burn Columbia I would have burnt it with no more feeling than I would a common prairie dog village; but I did not do it . Major General William Tecumseh Sherman was a contradiction embodied. ESSAY GUIDELINES -: Write a 1000-1500-word essay addressing each of the following points. Review the rubric criteria for this assignment. William T. Sherman, a major-general for the United States Army during the Civil War, wrote the letter to General Henry Halleck, who was in Washington D.C. at the time. After the fall of Atlanta in 1864, Sherman ordered the city's evacuation. . This masterly campaign comprised a series of cat-and-mouse moves by the rival commanders. What was General Sherman’s “hard war,” what was his “bold strategy” after taking Atlanta, and how did he justify his unconventional plan to Grant and Lincoln? "[7] Historian James M. McPherson has concluded that: In this connection, it is noteworthy that Sherman and his subordinates (particularly John A. Logan) took steps to protect Raleigh, North Carolina, from acts of revenge after the assassination of President Lincoln.[9]. Make sure to cite using the APA writing style for the essay. Called total war, it … Step-by-step answer Liddell Hart, "Notes on Two Discussions with Patton, 1944," Feb. 20, 1948, GSP Papers, box 6, USMA Library. He engages notable Civil War historians . The influential 20th century British military historian and theorist Basil Liddell Hart ranked Sherman as one of the most important strategists in the annals of war, along with Scipio Africanus, Belisarius, Napoleon Bonaparte, T. E. Lawrence, and Erwin Rommel. Replacing Grant as the overall commander in the West in March 1864, Sherman vigorously implemented the Union’s then-prevailing “hard war” military strategy, in the process making his name infamous to generations of Southerners. The letter came towards the tail end of Sherman’s campaign in Georgia and his capture of Savannah, a “Christmas gift” for President Lincoln. 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