Question

In 1864, General William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army adopted a strategy known as "total war." This strategy aimed to break the Confederate people's will to fight, not just defeat the Confederate military. Sherman's troops destroyed homes, crops, and railroads in their march through Georgia, with the goal of leaving the South devastated and unable to continue the war. His famous March to the Sea from Atlanta to Savannah exemplified this approach, causing widespread destruction and forcing civilians to feel the effects of the conflict.
Based on the passage, what was Sherman's strategy during the Civil War, and how did it differ from traditional military tactics?
A. It focused on only fighting Confederate armies on the battlefield.
B. It targeted civilian infrastructure and resources to break the Confederacy’s morale.
C. It aimed to maintain the Southern economy and offer peace talks.
D. It concentrated on winning battles without damaging civilian property.

Answer 1

B. It targeted civilian infrastructure and resources to break the Confederacy’s morale.

Sherman's "total war" deliberately damaged homes, crops, and railroads (e.g., the March to the Sea) to undermine the South's ability and will to continue fighting, rather than only engaging enemy armies on the battlefield.