What was the South's plan for defeating the North in the US Civil War?

Answer 1

The navy would blockade Southern ports, so they could neither export cotton nor import much needed manufactured goods. Meanwhile, General Winfield Scott's Anaconda plan called for the separation of the West and Eastern halves by the Mississippi River and therefore would cause for a quicker defeat of the South.

However President Lincoln wanted his generals to take the Confederate capital of Richmond Virgina, following the idea that if you control the capital, you control the country. General McDowell was to lead 30,000 troops to take the capital and it was felt by most men that it was to be a short and easy won war. It proved to be a fatal mistake as General McDowell did not count of the infrastructure and the eagerness of the South. As a result, the Battle of Bull Run, also know as the Battle of Manassas was the first Confederate victory during the war.

When Lincoln later asked General Scott why the battle had been lost, Scott merely explained that it was his own fault for listening to the president and not being firm that his own plans be followed. After this incident, the non-militaristic Lincoln would support and listen to the ideas of his generals.

Answer 2

During the American Civil War, the North's first formal strategic plan for victory was known (derisively) as the 'Anaconda Plan.' This plan consisted of a naval blockade of all Southern ports as well as the seizure of the Mississippi River, which seizure would cut the South into two much weaker halves than the previous whole. This plan proved generally effective, although it was soon supplemented with a direct attack in the direction of the Southern capital of Richmond, Virginia.

Answer 3

wanted to interfere with the goods that the South traded with each other. they used the way of an anaconda snake. an anaconda snake squeezes its prey tightly, so the union wanted to do that to the south.

Answer 4

The plan that followed secession of the Confederate states was primarily to prevent the North from occupying the Southern states. The US Army was rapidly mobilizing and had a much larger population base to draw from.

The South's strategy was threefold:

1) Continue to export cotton in exchange for weapons and supplies. The Union began to blockade Southern ports at the beginning of hostilities.

2) Gain credibility and disrupt Union war plans by invading the North and threatening Washington. This was tried several times, the last resulting in the Battle of Gettysburg, PA.

3) Invite military support from Britain and France. Either country might have seen some benefit to recognizing the Confederacy, as France had recognized the fledgling US in 1778. This plan finally failed due to Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, as Europe had already outlawed slavery and would be hypocritical to endorse its continuation in the South.

Answer 5

I be Honest and say i don't know much. But I know that they wanted use their navy as an advantage because the south's was not strong. This is because the south had mainly slave run plantations and farms, and not many factories like the North. We, the North, also used our navy to cut off supply lines. One type of ship we used was all metal plated (4-inches thick), and also had two cannons on top

Answer 6

In the first few days of the Southern rebellion, each side believed the conflict would be a short one. US President was certain of this. With that in mind he called for 75,000 volunteers to join the US military for a stay of three months. He also commanded the US Navy to partially follow the advice of General Winfried Scott, and blockade Souther seaports. The combination of these two acts, in the mind of Lincoln and most other people would soon force the South to see that the rebellion would not go on very long. The call for volunteers added to the problem that was not a solid prediction before Fort Sumter. The problem was that four more states joined the Confederacy, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas. Confederate President Jefferson Davis soon decided to move the Southern capital from Montgomery, Alabama to Richmond, Virginia. Richmond was only 100 miles south of Washington DC.This seemed like a perfect situation for Lincoln and his military advisors. In military terms, Richmond now became a "center of gravity". And just as Mexico had surrendered to the US in the 1846 Mexican War, when its capital, Mexico City, was captured by US General Winfired Scott, Lincoln was on solid ground by thinking a quick capture of Richmond would end the war. The "rebellion" was but a few months on, when the Union launched its assault south to capture Richmond.

Answer 7

When it became clear that the Southern rebellion was going to force the US to defeat the Confederate rebellion as soon as possible, it was believed in almost every quarter that the capture of Richmond was the fast and fastest way to force the rebellion to surrender. So although plans for a blockade were drawn up, a large Union army marching south into Virginia and taking Richmond was the best chance to quickly end the South's bid for independence.

Answer 8

the navy would block southern seaports so that the confederacy could not trade with other countries.

Answer 9

what was the unions plan of attack during the civil war

Answer 10

well there were 3 plans 1. to make a blockade of the ports 2. to capture the Mississippi river (the heart of the confederacy) 3. the anaconda plan!