to rejoin the Union. To do this General Winfield Scott designed an offensive plan known as theAnaconda Plan.
The Anaconda Plan was a long-term plan that would weaken the Southwith as little blood shed as possible. Consisting of two main actions, thepurpose of the Anaconda Plan was to break down the Southern economy. It washoped that once the South ran out of supplies they’d join the Union onceagain. The first action the Anaconda Plan took was to set up blockades thatobstructed southern ports located down 3,500 miles of Southern coastline. Ablockade is where there are armed soldiers preventing anything fromhappening at the port.
When a blockade is formed no good or people can beimported or exported from the area. Northern blockades as intended to do had a negative influence onSouthern economy. Because the majority of all ports were closed, noagriculture goods could be exported. This caused the Southern money supplybegan to dry up.
Unlike the North who had ample number of factoriesmanufacturing ammunition, the South was dependent on foreign factories toprovide them with ammo. Therefore, when blockades were formed cargo sentfrom foreign countries was stopped that the South desperately needed forwar. Such cargo included food, clothing, weapons, and other necessities forwar. The second part of the Anaconda Plan was to recapture the MississippiRiver.
By doing so, the Confederacy would be cut in half makingcommunication hard between the two sections. Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansaswould have trouble sending supplies and troops. All 60,000 Union troopstook control from Cairo, Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico. This strategy alsoenabled the Union to transfer their own troops and good to the South. In the end, the Anaconda Plan was important to the Union’s successand the South’s failure in the Civil War.
By serving as an interstatehighway to the North the Mississippi River enabled the Union to transporttheir own troops down south without having to battle with the Rebels. TheAnaconda Plan also cut the Confederacy off from the rest of the world,Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana. This caused the South’s economy to plummetsince it was mainly based around farming. In the long run, the AnacondaPlan helped to end the war quicker.
