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Difficulty: HardCivil War Military Mobilization and Strategy

"We rely greatly on the sure operation of a complete blockade of the Atlantic and Gulf ports... in connection with such a movement down the Mississippi river to the Gulf, with a cordon of posts on the line of that river, as to completely envelop the seceding States, and actually clear the Mississippi from the mouth of the Ohio to the Gulf. This, with the blockade, will envelop them, and bring them to terms with less bloodshed than by any other plan."

—General Winfield Scott, letter to Major General George B. McClellan, May 3, 1861

Which of the following best explains why the strategic plan outlined in the excerpt initially faced significant opposition from the Union public and political leaders?

  1. A
    Critics argued that the Union lacked the industrial capacity and naval resources to sustain a long-term blockade.
  2. B
    Abolitionists objected that the plan failed to prioritize the immediate emancipation of enslaved populations as a primary war goal.
  3. Many northern leaders believed the war could be won quickly through a direct march on the Confederate capital.Answer
  4. D
    Diplomats warned that establishing a naval blockade would violate international law and provoke war with Great Britain.

Answer

Many northern leaders believed the war could be won quickly through a direct march on the Confederate capital.
The correct answer is correct because at the outbreak of the Civil War in the spring of 1861, both the northern public and political leaders believed the conflict would be short and resolved by a single, decisive Union victory. There was immense pressure on the military to launch an immediate campaign to capture Richmond, the Confederate capital. General Winfield Scott's Anaconda Plan, which proposed a slow economic strangulation of the South through a naval blockade and control of the Mississippi River, was criticized as too passive and slow-moving.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the date and context of the stimulus.
The letter was written in May 1861, immediately after the fall of Fort Sumter and before any major battles had occurred.
Understanding the temporal context helps identify the prevailing military assumptions of the early war period.
2
Identify the strategy proposed in the excerpt.
General Winfield Scott proposes the Anaconda Plan, which relies on a naval blockade and controlling the Mississippi River to slowly envelop and squeeze the Confederacy.
Recognizing the strategy allows us to understand its long-term, slow-acting nature.
3
Evaluate the contemporary criticisms and public sentiment regarding this strategy.
The northern public and political leaders expected a short war and demanded an immediate offensive toward Richmond (popularized by the slogan 'On to Richmond!'). They viewed Scott's plan as overly cautious and slow.
This connects the slow strategy of the Anaconda Plan to the domestic political pressure for a rapid military decision.

Key Concept

Union Military Strategy and the Anaconda Plan
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Topics

Civil War Military Mobilization and Strategy

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