"Did the South Have a Chance?" Response

Judging from what we have discussed in class, it is quite obvious that the North's advantages outweigh the South's. However, I think the Confederacy had a chance of winning the war, although that chance may have been slim.

Even though the Confederacy’s population was greatly outnumbered, what use is an army that does not know how to fight? The South was equipped with trained soldiers and generals that would be helpful in devising strategies to win the war. Using such assets to their advantage would be more useful than 22 million people with little or no experience on the topic of war.

Looking back on the Revolutionary War, motivation proved to be an important factor to winning. Their ambition alone would help soldiers overcome many challenges and persevere through difficulties. The Union lacked motivation. Because the debate over slavery/states’ rights and the goal to become an independent nation was a big issue for the Southerners, their determination to come out with the victory was strong. On the other hand, a lack of passion in the North could cause the men to leave the army after the 3 months Lincoln requested had passed.

There are some advantages that are just better than others when it comes to war. The Confederate States had the home-field advantage, which put them in a similar position to that of the American soldiers from the American Revolution. Because they have much more knowledge on the geography of battle terrains, using guerilla warfare would have been an efficient way to even out the size of the two armies. Using such tactics to ambush and raid the enemy, Southern soldiers could have taken out their opponents with various surprise attacks.

In conclusion, it is reasonable to say that the Confederate states of America had a chance at winning the civil war.