"The Father of Waters again goes unvexed to the sea. Thanks to the great Northwest for it; nor yet wholly to them. Three hundred miles up they met New England, Empire, Keystone, and Jersey, hewing their way right and left. The Sunny South, too, in more colors than one, also lent a helping hand." — Abraham Lincoln, Letter to James C. Conkling, August 26, 1863
Compared to early-war Union strategy, the campaigns of 1864-1865 (Sherman's March, Sheridan in the Valley) reflected which shift?
- A
Abandonment of the naval blockade in favor of land operations
- Bcheck_circle
Adoption of total war targeting Confederate civilian infrastructure
- C
Return to a strictly defensive posture in Union territory
- D
Greater reliance on diplomatic negotiation than military force
Explanation
By 1864 Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan embraced total war—destroying railroads, factories, and farms to break Confederate capacity and will. The blockade continued; Union forces became more, not less, aggressive.