Final answer:
The South's defensive position and skilled leadership influenced its strategy to endure the Union's assault, while the North leveraged its larger army and industrial might to wage a sustained conflict. Conflicting capacities and limitations shaped the military strategies of the Civil War, leading to a prolonged conflict with significant impacts on both sides.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Strengths and Weaknesses of the South at the Outset of the Civil War
At the outset of the American Civil War, the South had several strengths, including the need to simply defend its own territory, skilled military leaders, and a population accustomed to firearms and horsemanship. These strengths enabled the South to engage in a defensive war, which usually demands less manpower than offensive initiatives. However, the South's weaknesses, like its smaller population and lesser industrial capacity compared to the North, had a profound influence on the choice of strategies adopted by each side.
Influence on Military Strategies
The South chose a strategy of endurance, hoping to outlast the North's resolve, thinking that the North would not sustain a long-term war effort. The Confederate Army utilized its familiarity with the terrain and their superior military training to maximize their defensive advantage. Meanwhile, the North had to mobilize a larger army and utilize its industrial strength, leading to strategies that included blockades and campaigns to control major southern cities and supply lines. As the war dragged on, both sides realized that it would not be a quick conflict, leading to increased mass mobilization and tactics like Sherman's March that targeted civilian infrastructure to undermine the South's will to fight.