The Civil War, AKA The War Of Northern Aggression

[HTRN]

I thought HTRN invented t[strike]rench[/strike]otal warfare?

There, fixed it for ya.


HTRN

[Darrell]

Sorry, HTRN, I believe Sherman is credited with inventing total war.

[randy]

I thought HTRN invented trench warfare?

Maybe you were thinking of Trench Foot?

[Mike OTDP]

I would also argue that while Sherman used economic warfare, he was not nearly as destructive as Sheridan was in the Shenandoah Valley.

Let's face it, the Great Unpleasantness was fought to the hilt...as Lincoln was about to lose. The American public is willing to fight for three years - but then demands that either victory or disengagement be in sight. Or they will toss the current rascals out. See World War 2, Vietnam, and the Iraq campaign for examples.

So the Federals went to a Hard War strategy and pulled victory from the jaws of defeat.

[HTRN]

I think Temujin, Trajan, Titus, Cato, Abimelech, and Shalmanessar all have claim on prior art there Darrel.

I believe it's widely credited that Clausewitz invented the concept, and he held that total mobilization of resources to be impossible.


HTRN

[Darrell]

Well, the modern concept of "total war" is often credited to Sherman. Just google "Sherman total war", and see what comes up.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Sherman+total+war

[HTRN]

Total war, isn't just destroying everything - it's total mobilzation towards defeating the enemy - economic, psychological, etc.


HTRN

[Mike OTDP]

Eeeh...not quite.

The Clausewitzian definition of "total war" refers to objectives, not level of effort. A "total war" is better termed "war to overthrow the enemy". The object is the obliteration of the enemy government - regime change. Just as a "limited war" in the Clausewitzian definition is better termed "war for limited objectives". The object is restricted - such as expelling Iraq from Kuwait in 1991.

Clausewitz repays study, but "On War" can make for tough reading. I strongly recommend the Howard/Paret translation as the best available. It's the one used by the Naval War College.

[randy]

Clausewitz repays study

Absolutely. To paraphrase: "In war, all things are simple, but the simple can be very difficult".

Applies to most of life as well.

[Mud_Dog]

Sherman is a fascinating character as well. I know he's reviled by many south of the Mason-Dixon Line, though.

He fought war like it should be fought, so no hard feelings from me.

To be honest I really don't care one way or the other on the matter, we could have been worse off if we won or perhaps better, who knows? All I know is that we're doing pretty good compared to the rest of the world.