Leadership/Northern Victory Essay

Question 1

Introduction

Answer 1

• Turning point in war 1863, north started winning
• Blight “A war as Lincoln comes to define it in late 1862, and it’s absolutely clear in 63’, has to be a war to the ultimate aim of the unconditional surrender of the south”
• Ended in Lees surrender at Appomattox
• P1 a Grants Leadership. Smith & Blight
• P1 b Lee’s Leadership
• P2 Northern Strength. McPherson & Foote
• P3 Southern Weakness. Potter & McPherson

Question 2

P1 a Grant Leadership

Answer 2

Positives
- Total War. Civilian and infrastructure were military objectives
- More certain and aggressive compared to McClellan
- Vicksburg, split in half

Negatives
- Reckless and too confrontational
Eg. Cold harbour & 1st 30 days - lost 50,000
- Loss of life led to war weariness

H:
- Smith, tactics were crucial but controversial
- Blight, can argue Grant won the war but he thinks too much is made of this argument

Question 3

P2 Northern Strength

Answer 3

North
- Immigration. 2.5 to 1 total population
- Urbanisation. 90% nation’s manufacturing power 1860
- Guns, S100 to N3,200. Iron, S1 to N15. Coal, S1 to N38.
- Lee General Order No.9, “The army of North Virginia has been compelled to yield to overwhelming numbers and resources.”

South could compete?
- King Cotton. Eli Whitney Cotton Gin 1793
- Embargo killed it. Weakness argument

H:
- Foote, North fought with an arm behind back and if they started losing they would just have needed to bring the other arm out.
- McPherson, North could not have won without superiority but it alone doesn’t explain victory

Question 4

P3 Southern Weakness

Answer 4

Leadership
- Davis, petty and argumentative
- 5 Secretaries in 4 years
- Lincoln played both theatres and more civil etc.
R- Blight, handicapped politically by southern states rights

Economy
- Davis printed money for war finance
- Inflation 9,000% by end of war

Foreign relations
- Emancipation stopped UK

All link to lack of morale

H:
- Potter, if Presidents swapped Confed may have won
- McPherson, Davis preferred wining and argument to war while Lincoln was happy to lose an argument if it would help war

Question 5

P1 b Lee’s Leadership