Final answer:
The harshest plan for the Confederates during the Civil War was the Union's strategy of total war, known as the Anaconda Plan. This plan aimed to suffocate the Confederacy by blockading its ports, seizing control of the Mississippi River, and cutting off its supply lines.
Step-by-step explanation:
The harshest plan for the Confederates during the Civil War was the Union's strategy of total war, known as the Anaconda Plan. This plan aimed to suffocate the Confederacy by blockading its ports, seizing control of the Mississippi River, and cutting off its supply lines. The Union's control of the Mississippi River and their ability to target Confederate resources and infrastructure greatly weakened the Confederates and made it difficult for them to sustain their war efforts.