By the middle of April 1861 America was at war. And it was a war for which neither side was adequately prepared. Thousands of soldiers were needed for both sides. Leaders were needed. An entire support structure had to be created. While both the North and the South face the same daunting task of preparing for a war that neither fully understood at its onset, both sides faced unique challenges.
A bold Union naval strategy required the construction of hundreds of vessels and the develop of a powerful navy. While both sides were challenged by the sheer logistics of creating a military the size of which was unparalleled in American History, the same characteristics which helped divide the country created unique obstacles and advantages for each. For the North, a strong railroad system and well-developed railroad network proved to be a big advantage. While both sides struggled to develop the necessary political support, the decentralized national government of the Confederacy proved to be a great obstacle. It prompted Jefferson Davis to lament that the South "died of a theory".
A bold Union naval strategy required the construction of hundreds of vessels and the develop of a powerful navy. While both sides were challenged by the sheer logistics of creating a military the size of which was unparalleled in American History, the same characteristics which helped divide the country created unique obstacles and advantages for each. For the North, a strong railroad system and well-developed railroad network proved to be a big advantage. While both sides struggled to develop the necessary political support, the decentralized national government of the Confederacy proved to be a great obstacle. It prompted Jefferson Davis to lament that the South "died of a theory".