Each side involved in the Civil War had their own primary goals to achieving military success. In the North, the idea was begun by preserving the nation. In an effort to use limited warfare, they sought to piece the nation back together one at a time. On top of this were the naval tactics of isolating the South by blockading all of its ports. This would allow the Southern-sympathizing Europeans from aiding their cause. Preventing foreign intervention was crucial because it would give the South an advantage that would enable them to become their own, separate nation. After McClellan failed to successfully navigate the South, the President used Grant and Sherman to move through the South. However, this involved the use of total war tactics. Total warfare utilizes the terror of sheer and complete destruction of the enemy. By ruining all of the South’s hopes by striking at the very core of their society, the economy, and their way of life, the North would stop the war at its roots. By forcing the enemy to do its will, the North overwhelmed the superior leadership of the South and defeat their efforts to separate themselves from the nation.

            The North attempted to achieve these goals by evolving their tactics to fit the desires of the problems they encountered. At the outset of the war, they sought to avoid massive war by using limited but effective warfare that would enable them to preserve the integrity of the nation. This idea changed after the South was gaining momentum and taking the lead in the war. In an effort to prevent foreign intervention and subsequent loss, the North struck victory at Antietam and changed the tides of the war. It was after the North took the momentum that they initiated total war and sought to free the slaves. In a move that would aid the North by severely hampering the South, the slaves were freed and the entire economic infrastructure of the South was ruined. It was time for the North to take charge, and they did. Wanting to avoid another lapse as occurred in their previous attempts to stop the war, they utilized Sherman’s expertise and allowed him to march through the South and destroy nearly everything in sight.

            Southern soldiers believed they could overtake the North prior to the events of total war by utilizing the combination of foreign assistance and their superior leadership. Europe was eager to aid the South’s efforts to separate from the Union because it would weaken the continent and permit the European powers to run free once again. Knowing this, the European nations wouldn’t get involved unless the South could convince them they were capable of victory. Believing they could, the South used their superior military intelligence and leadership to capture the momentum throughout the first portion of the war. Unfortunately, by 1856, the South’s hopes of foreign aid were now gone as well as their economy. No longer could they pose a formidable defense of their lands. The dream was done, and they would continue their decline until their ultimate failure when they succumbed to the Union and were defeated, both militarily and ideologically.

During the Civil War the North and South both had their own goals.  The North basically wanted to conquer the South and return it to the Union.  The South wanted to protect their independence from the North.  They both used fighting in order to attempt to achieve these goals.  The South believed that they would be able to remain independent even in 1865 because of their overconfidence.

            The military goal of the North was to conquer the confederacy.  They would have to first invade the south and then bring it back into the Union.  The South’s military goal was to keep the North from invading and taking over their land.

            The North and South attempted to achieve these goals through fighting.  President Lincoln believed that he could have ended the war after ninety days.  In 1861, an army of 30,000 was expected to defeat the army of the Confederacy at Bull Run.  This would demonstrate how the army of the Union was superior and could have perhaps led to the capture of Richmond.  The Union recruits believed that this battle would not be very hard, and spectators even came along equipped with lunch baskets.  The goal of ending the Civil War and restoring the Union was held up due to this battle.  The troops of the Confederacy surprised the Union and even caused Union troops to flee.  This event showed Lincoln that the confederacy would have to be completely taken over in order for his goal to be fulfilled.  The South had to defend their Confederacy throughout the war in order to attempt to preserve their independence.  However they were slowly pushed back, and were ultimately defeated.     

            The South believed that they could continue to be a separate nation because of their overconfidence in the confederacy.  This confidence grew every time they were able to triumph in a battle; “Victory was worse than defeat for the South because it inflated an already dangerous overconfidence” (462).  One of these victories was the battle at Bull Run in 1861.  This battle, according to Lincoln, was supposed to have ended the Civil War.  However when the confederacy won, this battle showed Lincoln that the Civil War would be a war fought to the end.

            In 1865 the South still believed that they would be able to remain independent.  In February 1865, the Confederacy was feeling defeated after losing to General Grant at Cold Harbor.  The South then attempted to negotiate for peace, however their demands were unacceptable.  The South in spite of everything continued to ask for their independence.  Lincoln would not accept this, so the war continued.  In April 1865, Northern Troops took control of Richmond and trapped Lee in Virginia.  The Confederate army was then forced to surrender, and their goal of remaining independent would be lost.   

            The South and North both fought to achieve their goals in the Civil War.  The North wanted to preserve the Union and the South desired to keep their independence.  However the South’s overconfidence in their confederacy caused them to continue with this goal even after they were defeated.

            The North wanted to blockade and invade the South and the South wanted to keep the North from conquering it. The South’s goal seemed easier since they merely had to remain on the defensive and not go into unknown territory. The South decided to simply defend themselves with all of their military might. The North had a strong navy and was very strict in their blockade. They once seized British freighters full of war supplies because the goods’ ultimate destination was the South.

            Southerners had a disgustingly easy win at Bull Run and became overconfident in themselves. They believed that warding off their Northern neighbors would be as simple as eating their picnics had been after Bull Run. Their confidence didn’t fade fast and their hopes had remained high, even when defeat was imminent.