Question

What were the causes and consequences of sherman's and grant's turn toward total war in the conquest of the south? was sherman's aim of destroying southern civilian morale a fundamentally immoral one? in what ways is it fair to call the civil war "the first modern war"?

Answer 1

The implementation of total war was a strategy picked by the Union officers for multiple reasons.

1) Total war will result in the destruction of Southern supplies and transportation. Sherman destroys railroad tracks, burns crops, and ruins plantations so that the Southern army/citizens have no resources to survive.

2) It will bring the Civil War to an end much quicker.

Sherman's idea of destroying the South can be viewed as an immoral action. This is due to the fact that Sherman and his troops will be destroying the land and property of individuals who may not even be part of the war or the Confederate war effort.