The Great War (1861 - 1866)

The Great War ( 1861 - 1867) This is a WORK IN PROGRESS!!!
The Great War was a world expanding conflict from mid-1861 until late 1867. The war was fought between the forces of the United States, the Russian Empire, and Prussia (later German Empire) against the forces of the Confederate States of America, the Brtish Empire, and Second French Empire (later Third French Republic). The war is known by several different names depending on region. In America its known as the American Civil War. In France, Germany and Austria its known as the German Wars, and in Great Britain and Canada its known as the North American War. However its generally referred to nowadays as the The Great War.

The war was orginally just a conflict between the United States and the breakaway republic of the Confederate States of America. The CSA almost immediataly at its birth been looking of recognition by European powers, in hopes of dissuading the USA from fighting. However both nations did fight and for nearly a year the CSA had managed to hold the Union armies. Finally the Battle of Antietnam finally got the Confederacy its long-sought recognition by the British Empire and Second French Empire. Despite threats of war from Britain and France, US President Abraham Lincoln refused to recognize the Confederacy or seek a form of armtise. Days later both nations declared war against the United States. To counterbalance the Confederacy's newfound allies, Lincoln allied the US with the Russian Empire and later Prussia. Other nations soon joined aswell and eventually the war had gone from a civil war to a world war

The war was utlimately ended with the Treaty of Madrid which had reunified the United States, led to Prussia, (now the German Empire) becoming the European superpower, the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, and the servere curtail of British Imperialism throughout the world.

Modern historians look at the Great War as the first example of "Total War", where a nation focuses it's entire industry and economy towards the victory in th war, most evident in the USA and Great Britain. Its also been called the first "modern war" due to its massive scale and the levels of brutality it reached such as General Hancock's "Dash to Richmond" and General Sherman's Canadian Campaign

The war was divived in to several theaters of operations
 * The North American Theater (The Great War 1861 - 1867)
 * The European Theater (1861 - 1867)
 * The Middle East Theater (1861 - 1867)
 * The Pacific Theater (1861 - 1867)

Origins
By 1850's the debate over slavery had grown violent. In the North the abolitionists had a strong basing and were outspoken in their belief that slavery was immoral and should be outlawed via the federal government. However in the South, which was mostly agriculture, slaves were depended on for the development of cotton, which made up a huge percentage of the U.S.'s annual exports.

The debate would begin to grow violent when the issue over slavery in the western territories arose. Abolitionists were determined not to let slavery into the territories, while pro-slavery forces were equally determined to have slavery in the the new territories No where else was this more evident than in Kansas or "Bleeding Kansas" as it has been sometime called.

In Kansas guerrilla forces for both sides had been at eachothers throughts almost the the minute settlers began arriving in the territory. In Kansas the most radical of all the Abolitionists, John Brown, had made himself a name hear. Brown would go on to play a crucial role in starting the the war when in 1859 he and a

group of supporters would attempt a rebellion against the United States by seizing the Haper's Ferry armory. Brown was defeated and subsequently tried and hung. Brown was probably the most polorazing figure of his day, in the North we has worshipped as a martyr and in the south he seen as little better than a traitor.

The final straw was finally cast when in 1860 Republican-nominee, Abraham Lincoln, was elected President of the United States. Although Lincoln was ant-slave, compared to his fellow party members, he was a moderate. Lincoln even made statements he would not free the slaves if it could hold the country together. However for southern successionists Lincoln was the final straw, they feared he would infringe upon their state's rights and abolish the instituition. Before Lincoln was even anugerated seven southern staters (South Carolinia, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas) declared their indepedence from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America. In the provisional capital of Montgomery, Alabama Senator Jefferson Davis was elected President.

The new Confederacy than sent ambassadors to the United States offering money for the seizure of US forts and armories, however President Lincoln refused to regcognize the Confederacy as a legitamate government and so refused. Finally on April 12 the fledging Confederate army under P.G.T Beauregard fired upon Fort Sumter. Civil War was now unavoidable.

In response to the attack, Lincoln called for 70,000 volunteers from the loyal Union states. However Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennesse refused to raise troops against their fellow states and declared their succession from the United States and alliegence to the Confederacy. The Confederate capital was then moved to Richmond.

The First Year: 1861
In first months of the war both sides had virutally no armies to speak of. The regular army had virtually dissolved because many volunteers and officers were from the south and had resigned to fight for the new Confederacy. After the last four southern states declared their alliegence to the Confederacy, Lincoln called for another 42,000 troops from the remaining states and changed the enlistment years from two to three. To avoid as little bloodshed as possible, General Winfield Scott formed what was called the "Anaconda Plan" the plan was to simply have the US Navy blockade Confederate ports and simply stangle the Confederacy into submission. Although Lincoln liked the plan, public opinion called for an immediate strike against the south, so the plan was turned down. Scott was then replaced as commander of the U.S. Army and the replaced by George B. McClellan.

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